Recipes that stretch Chicken?

[RangerPooh]

If I'm making up a batch of chicken some might split into thirds: chicken (breast, or breaded nuggets), then chicken fajitas with leftovers and any extra chicken going into chicken tortilla soup. You could also make chicken stroganoff, chicken quesadillas, or chicken salad sandwiches.

 

[LuvOrlando]

If I'm making up a batch of chicken some might split into thirds: chicken (breast, or breaded nuggets), then chicken fajitas with leftovers and any extra chicken going into chicken tortilla soup. You could also make chicken stroganoff, chicken quesadillas, or chicken salad sandwiches.

It all sounds great! Stroganoff sounds yummy, care to share the recipe? Sounds like it could be a nice wintery dinner soon.

 

[AustinTink]

Someone mentioned crockpot pulled chicken upthread. This is the best one I’ve ever tried, so delicious! https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-bbq-beer-pulled-chicken-cheddar-corn-popovers/

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I feel like we really stretched one package of chicken tonight. It had just three breasts in it and I think was around $10.

I’ve been watching the Nonna’s (Italian grandmothers) do this on Instagram lately (though my mother always made cutlets).

We sliced them in half lengthwise (flat) and thinned them out, then cut the bigger ones in half diagonally. Put them all in a bowl and cracked two eggs and swished them around (eta and what was left of the eggs we cooked in the microwave for the dogs). Then dipped each piece in a mixture of Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and shook off the excess. Put some olive oil and a little butter in a large skillet and let it get hot, then sautéed the chicken in there until done.

Pretty simple. Said we’re going to do this more often, they were really good. (We usually marinate and grill.)

Served with green beans and salad. You could continue on and do chicken parm by adding sauce and cheese.

 

[NotUrsula]

Chicken gumbo? Interesting, do you make it hot or have ways to soften the heat? My family loves heat but I can't do it so I discovered tasty Poblano peppers these days and the family adds something from the Hot Ones show to their liking. If you are of the mind to share how to I would be of the mind to try it

Gumbo in and of itself is not inherently spicy; it only gets that way from what you add to it, which is something you can always do at table.

Chicken gumbo typically contains no tomato products, while seafood gumbos usually do. It also typically does contain sausage rounds or ham bits, and the Holy Trinity of veggies: onion, celery and bell pepper. You can save time and money by buying those veggies pre-chopped and frozen, often bagged as mirepoix.)

Basically, to make gumbo, you make a roux first; there are many ways to do this, including no-oil variations where the flour is browned by baking; Google and Youtube will explain all. Poultry gumbo uses a medium-dark roux; often described as chocolate-colored. Once your roux is made, put it in a large stockpot and add stock or water (stock gets you a much better flavor) Add the finely chopped trinity and some garlic, and then add the chopped meats of your choice. It should cook on low heat for at least an hour, and several hours at simmer tends to be better. The chicken should be dark meat; it is less likely to go to shreds during cooking. The most common type of sausage used in poultry gumbo is Andouille, but really, any type of sturdy sausage will do if you want it. (Creativity is the whole point of gumbo; it's meant to contain whatever you want to put in it, generally speaking. However, certain veggies with a tendency to disintegrate when cooked slow should not be used; no carrots or potatoes, for instance. You want veggies that will stand up to being simmered for a long time.)

Contrary to what supermarket "gumbo mix" packets would make you think, rice is normally never cooked *in* the gumbo, because that makes the rice too mushy and overthickens the gumbo. Rice is made in a separate pot as usual, served into the bowls, and the gumbo is ladled over it and mixed up at table. Gumbo (without rice in it) freezes very well, and is one of those dishes that works almost better when re-heated.

BTW, with regard to rice, I've made it the same way nearly every day for over 50 years. Heavy saucepan with a tight lid, 1 part raw rice to 2 parts water, plus a shake of salt and 1/2 tsp of oil. You put everything in the pan cold, stir, cover tightly, set the pot to simmer for 20 minutes. Rice that has been par-boiled or pre-cooked should be cooked according to package directions, but IME, the above technique works just about perfectly for any type of raw rice.

 

[ronandannette]

In 2023, I'd say the best way to stretch chicken is to surround it with loss leaders your family likes for dinner.

Thankfully, where I am, there's been a lot of produce loss leaders, so I'm always surrounding any chicken (usually done simply to keep costs down - a loss leader or clearanced sauce bottle, or just some produce and oil or spice and oil based marinade) with simply done roasted veg and fresh fruit - at least 1 of each and sometimes more (especially if I am low on a few - they become a roasted veg combo or a fruit salad).

And then the loss leader carb - so far this year, that's been sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, bakery french bread, and bakery rolls. So, something in that genesis to finish out the meal. Later this year, it will probably be muffins, rice, pasta, and/or stuffing when those get loss led.

It's a twist on 1950's meat and potato cooking but with a much larger emphasis on the loss led fruit and veg.

This week, the produce loss leaders at my 2 shopped stores were okra, green beans, watercress, spinach, cilantro, mushrooms, coleslaw mix, pineapple, citrus, and bananas...so those feature largely in my cooking and meals...

Actually, now that I think about it, if I wanted to "stretch" meat, I would also just serve it in smaller portions, rounded out with other more economical foods. It's much more straight-forward than coming up with specific recipes. You could easily get two meals out of a single chicken by roasting it, serving the meat of one half with hearty, yet less-expensive sides, and using the other half for a recipe.

 

[barkley]

weber makes some great seasoning packets that can be used to marinade and then bbq, bake or crock pot. the caribbean jerk chicken from their 'just add juice' line is really good. pair it up with zataran's caribbean rice and it's a great meal.

 

[AustinTink]

I feel like we really stretched one package of chicken tonight. It had just three breasts in it and I think was around $10.

I’ve been watching the Nonna’s (Italian grandmothers) do this on Instagram lately (though my mother always made cutlets).

We sliced them in half lengthwise (flat) and thinned them out, then cut the bigger ones in half diagonally. Put them all in a bowl and cracked two eggs and swished them around (eta and what was left of the eggs we cooked in the microwave for the dogs). Then dipped each piece in a mixture of Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and shook off the excess. Put some olive oil and a little butter in a large saucepan and let it get hot, then sautéed the chicken in there until done.

Pretty simple. Said we’re going to do this more often, they were really good. (We usually marinate and grill.)

Served with green beans and salad. You could continue on and do chicken parm by adding sauce and cheese.

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That’s how I make Italian chicken cutlets but I never thought to microwave the egg wash for my dog. What a great tip!

 

[Mousemom234]

As a household of 1, I've found that egg substitute is a good purchase. Just use a little for egg wash, about ½ an egg's worth. I also use it for a pancakes for 1 (original recipe calls for 2 eggs).

As for chicken, I'll buy the larger packs (not the huge pack) of bone-in chicken and freeze most of it - thighs mostly. I also try to get leg quarters, which go on sale more often than other parts. Sometimes I'll bone them completely before freezing, and I usually always pull the back and rib bones off, and peel the skin from most of them, and make stock. I freeze that in 1 cup portions in sandwich bags tucked into a container, then bag the bags.
I don't like to freeze cooked chicken; I find it gets stringy. But I will cook 2 meals worth of chicken to use some now and the rest in a day or 2. That gets used mostly for pot pie, chicken salad, soups, or casseroles.

A cookbook I have that I use a lot is Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue!: How to Use the Already-Roasted Chickens You Purchase at the Market to Make More Than 125 Simple and Delicious Meals
by Carla Fitzgerald Williams. ISBN 10: 0786888040 ISBN 13: 9780786888047
It's older, but copies seem to be readily available used for around $6. I apply those recipies to chicken I cook myself, as well as the store ones - which some grocery stores sell cold at nearly half-price the next day.

I also have 365 Ways to Cook Chicken and 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken. Both of those are available used, or in many local libraries.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I feel like we really stretched one package of chicken tonight. It had just three breasts in it and I think was around $10.

I’ve been watching the Nonna’s (Italian grandmothers) do this on Instagram lately (though my mother always made cutlets).

We sliced them in half lengthwise (flat) and thinned them out, then cut the bigger ones in half diagonally. Put them all in a bowl and cracked two eggs and swished them around (eta and what was left of the eggs we cooked in the microwave for the dogs). Then dipped each piece in a mixture of Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and shook off the excess. Put some olive oil and a little butter in a large saucepan and let it get hot, then sautéed the chicken in there until done.

Pretty simple. Said we’re going to do this more often, they were really good. (We usually marinate and grill.)

Served with green beans and salad. You could continue on and do chicken parm by adding sauce and cheese.

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We do chicken like this, too! Easy, delicious, and good for leftovers. Depending on the package size, we can get 4-8 cutlets at a time.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Crockpot shredded bar b que chicken

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Chicken thighs have become our friends! And a lot of Asian cooking calls for chicken thighs and we’ve been lucking out getting like 8 to a package for a relatively decent price.

So has rotisserie chicken! Soups, shredded meat dishes, chicken salad, chicken to go on top of salad. You name it we use it!

Also I’d you’re looking for something healthy (well healthy ish) AND a use for both those mentioned above: bake a sweet potato. Throw some shredded chicken in Buffalo sauce on top. Shred some mozzerella cheese on top and broil it and BOOM excellent easy dinner.

Sadly chicken tenders we used to get a lot out of and don’t get anymore. And even the Tyson single serving chicken breasts are more expensive then Kirkland brand single serve tilapia filets at costco

 

[NotUrsula]

Well, I'm not a huge fan of tilapia, because I think that, like catfish, it tastes like mud unless heavily seasoned, but it's worth noting that farm-produced freshwater fish has become cheaper than chicken. We are eating a whole lot more of it, along with pork, which has also remained relatively affordable compared to other meats.

Fish is not difficult to cook at all, but it doesn't readily lend itself to re-heating, so it usually does need to be eaten within 24 hours of purchase if fresh, or eaten the same day it is thawed, if purchased frozen.

PS: I find that the cheapest way to buy chicken these days is as leg quarters. Several stores sell them in large bags, usually for around $1/lb

 

[LuvOrlando]

Next week I'll try the quarters. I like to make a batch of thighs if someone is being picky because all I need is rice and a boiled can of black beans with some tortillas and it's Tex-Mex happiness but the quarters are more substantial so iit should be better.

A few years back when I was having trouble with the slow cooker destroying my chicken it was suggested to switch to dark meat because it holds up better and doesn't get that overcooked pasty quality. At first I hesitated because people around me used to sort of shun it, but now I favor it for many dishes that aren't all the delicate. I switch it up for things like Chicken Cutlets and Marsala that demand a lighter touch.

 

[Yasha Hartmann]

I'm sorry to hear about your arthritis and carpal tunnel, but it's great that you're still able to enjoy cooking at home. Here are a few recipe threads and suggestions that might be helpful:

1. r/EatCheapAndHealthy has a lot of recipe threads and ideas for budget-friendly meals that can be adapted to use different ingredients as needed. There are also often discussions about how to make healthy meals that are low in sodium.
2. r/MealPrepSunday is a good resource for people who want to prepare meals ahead of time to make cooking during the week easier. Many of the recipes can be adapted to use different ingredients or to make them lower in sodium.
3. For slow cooker corned recipes, you might want to check out r/slowcooking. There are a lot of ideas for easy, one-pot meals that can be adapted to use chicken thighs instead of other cuts of meat.
4. If you're looking for recipe ideas specifically for chicken thighs, you could try searching for "chicken thigh recipes" on sites like Allrecipes or Food Network. There are usually a lot of results, and you can read reviews from other home cooks to see which recipes are most highly rated.

I hope these suggestions are helpful, and I wish you all the best in your cooking adventures!

 

[MimitoAlex]

There is so much you can do with Chicken.

I scored 2 package of 8 leg quarters for just a bit over 8.00 each so right at 17.00 dollars for 16 leg quarters. I checked with the meat manager, he said that they were from a special order with a special price, the person that order them only took half the order and instead of wasting time and materials repackaging them, they decided just to put them out. Sweet deal for me.

1 package is in the fridge right now thawing out for Friday night - 3 of the leg quarters will be for the grill, I am making hasselback potatoes, and since the oven is on roasting some carrots, parsnips, and red onions. All of these are on hand.

The other 5 - I will roast in the oven to make - I prefer to thinly slice the chicken off the bone, will go in the freezer for the below dishes for next week.

Chicken and Shrimp fried rice, Chicken Enchilada lasagna roll-ups, Fancy pants Chicken salad. I have all the ingredients on hand to make these dished.

We are having guest later in the month so some of the second package of 8 leg quarters - I will thaw it out and marinade in Greek salad dressing overnight most likely 6 leg quarters with a green salad, baked potatoes, fresh green beans steam with onions seasoned with Mediterranean seasoning. The other 2 quarters, I will roast and make this Mexican Chicken dip, ahead of time, it has lots of cheese, black beans and corn - it's so yummy great for parties and house guest.

I have a whole organic chicken that I bought on Bogo, I already roasted one for DH and I earlier in the month and the one in the freezer now I'm going to make soup for my parents with. I will oven roast it, strain off the fat from the drippings, and use as the base. Adding in fresh baby green beans, onions, carrots, broccoli florets, and half the chicken. The other half will be for basic chicken salad, some celery, green onions. This is the way they like it.

I will need an Aldi run, for block cheese, canned black beans, the baby green beans, lettuce, veggies, potatoes, onions, Greek salad dressing. I will pick up the corn at Wal-mart or Publix depending on the sale items.

Planning ahead is the key... If you come across a good deal, knowing what your going to do with it especially proteins even more so if they are in large packages... can save you more.

 

[LuvOrlando]

So far this week 1 large package of thighs went into chicken gyro on pita with lettuce & Trader Joes Tzatziki. The leftover chicken mix was outstanding even heated and over rice so I guess it would be fine just like that too if you don't have burritos.
https://tasty.co/recipe/chicken-gyros

Today is chicken stirfry with the rest of it
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223382/chicken-stir-fry/

Have a big package of breast that I haven't decided what to do with yet, so I will come back here to pick something new for the expected snow day

 

[MimitoAlex]

Hi - I'm back again with a couple more thoughts.

We went to Costco a few weeks back and I scored what I really think are super great deals.

I got a large package of wings, all cut - drumettes and flats, no tips, they were around 15.00 and some change but they had 5.00 dollars off per package. So hitting the 11.00 dollar marks which is super good. We had friends over on Saturday, I did a teriyaki marinade and let them soak in overnight, and DH put them on the grill. They were delicious, with some sticky carrots, and roasted potatoes. We had enough leftovers for dinner last night.

I have another package in the freezer that I am going to make wings in the air fryer, with about half of them, and the the other half, I going to make chicken noddle with veggie's soup for my parents with.

On that trip we picked up some pork chops (6), they were super thick cut, They were right at 23.00 ish. So DH put 2 on the grill for dinner that night, the other 4 went for stuffed pork chops. I used some stove top stiffing mix and add in sauteed mushrooms, shredded carrots, onions and garlic. I re-hydrated some cranberries, tossed in with the stove top stuffing mix, for the filling for the pork chops, steamed some green beans and dinner was served.

I have a gathering to go to next week, and everyone has to being a side dish. So I have a half of a whole chicken that I will make a Chicken, Mushroom and wild rice dish to bring to share. The day before I will roast the chicken in the oven, make the rice while the chicken is cooking, then the next day I will saute the mushrooms with bunch of thinly sliced onions you can use green onions as well, garlic, throw in some thawed green peas, and shredded carrots, then in goes the chicken, you can pull it or I like to slice it into bite size pieces, then lastly the cooked rice, a couple shakes of Worcestershire sauce, warm thoroughly, then in a nice dish and away we go. I like to use the green peas and carrots it give the dish some much needed color, and just a bit of sweetness, as well it stretches the dish even more.