Getting the most out of a chicken

[Sif]

I just bought a 3 lb freerange organic (aka 5 doubled price) chicken. Now I want to get the most out of it for my money. I don't care for chicken soup, but I have a lot of want-to-try recipes calling for chicken stock.

If I cut it up and roast it, can I still use the bones, or should I boil it and miss the great roasted part? Can I boil half and roast half? Any other great ideas?

I'm just me, and I don't eat a lot of meat, so an entire roasted chicked might be a bit over the top.

[saucée]

I just bought a 3 lb freerange organic (aka 5 doubled price) chicken. Now I want to get the most out of it for my money. I don't care for chicken soup, but I have a lot of want-to-try recipes calling for chicken stock.

If I cut it up and roast it, can I still use the bones, or should I boil it and miss the great roasted part? Can I boil half and roast half? Any other great ideas?

I'm just me, and I don't eat a lot of meat, so an entire roasted chicked might be a bit over the top.

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I often use roasted chicken bones for stock. It works, but what you'll likely get is a small amount of good stock.

As for using roasted chicken, it can be repurposed in a variety of ways, from chicken salad, chicken tacos, or even something like a version of blanquette de poulet, making the sauce from your chicken stock and reheating the chicken in it. You can put that over noodles, sprinkle some gremolata on top and it will be delicious, comforting, and elegant. There are lots of ways to be creative with roast chicken.

josh

[tino27]

Depending on whether you roast the bones or not will determine which type of chicken stock you will end up with (brown vs. white). Either is delicious, but obviously you want to go with how you will be using the stock you made.

If it were me, and I was trying to get the most out of my chicken purchase (and I wasn't thinking about roasting it whole), I would disassemble the creature, save the carcass and wings for stock, and then use the rest of the chicken for eating. Perhaps use the dark meat pieces for a nice braise (chicken cacciatore) and the white meat pieces for something like fried chicken.

One tip though, if you are going to take the time to make stock, you will more than likely need more carcass/wings than one chicken is able to supply. Perhaps the purveyor you bought the chicken off of has extra carcasses/wings that he can sell you.

[melkor]

I just bought a 3 lb freerange organic (aka 5 doubled price) chicken. Now I want to get the most out of it for my money. I don't care for chicken soup, but I have a lot of want-to-try recipes calling for chicken stock.

If I cut it up and roast it, can I still use the bones, or should I boil it and miss the great roasted part? Can I boil half and roast half? Any other great ideas?

I'm just me, and I don't eat a lot of meat, so an entire roasted chicked might be a bit over the top.

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Remove the legs and use the meat for a thai curry, two legs from a 3 pound bird will give you enough meat for two or three servings. Confit the wings and use the meat in a risotto - save the jelly from the confit for your stock. Take the bits of fat from under the skin around the breasts and render it, use the fat to pan roast the thighs, deglaze the pan and make a simple jus using some thyme and lemon zest to serve with the thighs. If you like the white meat, use it for something or other (stuff the breasts with something and bread them, use the meat for an chicken karahi, roast them and use them cold in salad or a sandwich), otherwise throw it in a stock pot along with the rest of the carcass and make stock with it.

[judiu]

You can pretty much do with white meat chicken anyhting you'd do with eggplant in a veg. diet. It's basically a slightly flavored sponge, or blank canvas, if you will, upon which to paint any flavors you enjoy. Now, the dark meat is a whole 'nother story... HTH

[Sif]

So many great ideas thank you. I'll forget about the stock for now then, and see what I can come up with.

One question though, can you slow roast a chicken?

[paulraphael]

So many great ideas  thank you. I'll forget about the stock for now then, and see what I can come up with.

One question though, can you slow roast a chicken?

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There are a million ways to roast a chicken, some of them slow. I strongly prefer chickens roasted fast with high heat. I'm sure there are other chicken roasting threads where we've talked pros and cons of different methods. If you're interested I can send you my recipe (which has evolved into more of a tutorial on method than a recipe).

If you're planning on doing more chickens in the future there's no reason to rule out stock. I roast a couple of chickens a month on average, eat the legs and breasts and wings, and then seal the carcass in plastic in the freezer. After 6 months or so I have enough to make 5 or 6 quarts of stock (which gets divided into ziplock bags and goes back in the freezer).

I also save the cooked meat that remains on the carcasses after stockmaking. It's not all that tasty anymore, but my cat considers it a delicacy. So in the end practically nothing goes to waste.

[Henry dV]

Why not de-breast it, remove the legs and wings and use the remaining bones for stock as you say you only use a little at a time.

Incidently do you like duck ? I find you can use more of a duck and even more if you get the giblets too. Liver, gizzard, heart, confit legs, duck fat(duck skin crackling), breast meat, neck skin, duck stock.......have I missed anything ??

[lauraf]

If you don't want to do a lot of butchering of a raw chicken, then the way I get the most out of a good chicken is to roast it whole first. Slow roasted or high heat for crispy chicken skin, with or without stuffing, different seasonings, whatever your pleasure. Use the drippings to either add to a roux and some stock for a traditional gravy, or de-fat and deglaze the pan with wine for a thinner sauce. Enjoy the whole roast chicken experience with your mashed potatoes and vegs or other sides of choice. Take the rest of the cooked chicken meat off the bones, and if you can use it over the following few days, save it in the fridge for chicken salads, pasta dishes, pizza topping, etc. If not, then use it to make a dish that can be frozen like chicken pot pies. I do what paulraphael does, and save the remaining carcass in a large freezer bag until I have accumulated enough carcasses to make a decent stock.

[Sif]

I ended up rubbing it with butter and herbs and slow roasting it whole on top of carrots, onions and a lemon - which I then scooped out into the gravy. Really good. I ate the thigh and plan to pluck the rest of the meat for tartlets, sandwiches and salads. I will save the carcass and wings in the freezer.

I like duck too, but they are harder to get your hands on when it's not Christmas. Will try though, as I like duck better.

Once again, thanks for great help. I have saved all the ideas for next time.

[Peter B Wolf]

Here is the most economic and 'Lazy-bones' way. ( and I am a chef )

Family of four (adults)

Buy a freshly ready roasted about three pound Chicken at SAM's CLUB, $ 4.85.

By the time one gets home, it's cool enough to be attacked by this Surgeon (me).

1. Remove and toss tying string, save juices/drippings.

2. Remove both Breasts from the carcass, remove wing tip and toss with bones for later use.

3. Remove 'wings' - both sections, from the Breasts, skin goes with bones. All removed meat leave in largest possible pieces, do not forget the wishbone and wingbone from the whole Breasts.

4. Now you have two wonderful moist juice skin-on bonless Breasts, season 'bone-side' with a bit of freshly chopped Garlic and some Thai Seasoning. Place with the saved juices into a not too large ovenproof dish, cover with tinfoil very tight, and, when you are ready to eat place into preheated 350F oven for about 20 min. (Can be donme next day)

5. Now to the legs and separated drum sticks, remove all skin and bones, you will wind up with at least two cup full of all meat, pick the rest of the carcass very carefully to simply remove all scraps, larger pieces cut to bite size. Reserve.

6. Cut one half each of red, green and yellow Pepper into Julienne plus one medium Onion and one clove of Garlic. Saute all veggies in Olive oil, add the cut dark meats and serve over Bulgur Pilaf

7. This whole Chicken at $ 4.85 serves four people at two meals resulting as $ 0.61 plus veggie cost per meal. Who can beat it ?

8. Oh yeah, forgot the bones and skin, put all into very small casserole, add just enough water to cover, maybe a cup or so, half an onion , a clove and a bayleaf and a small piece of carrot. Simmer all for no more then 30/40 min., strain and use as desired.

[dockhl]

Peter~

I'm with you ! I love those chickens, and find that they make a terrific quick chicken soup with chicken stock (broth) and veggies, a few noodles---on the table in 1/2 hour

(BTW, I find that the only chicken broth that has any flavor is the Wolfgang Puck Roasted Chicken and I can frequently get the box kind for $2. What's not to love?)