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One Chicken 3 Ways

About 20 miles from us is a chicken producer that offers a 'free range', antibiotic free, air chilled chicken known as 'Rocky'. A whole chicken runs about $10. They also offer a certified organic chicken known as 'Rosie' for slightly more. This makes great use of one whole chicken in three main meals. To learn how to break down a whole chicken (cut it up), go here.

What to do

  1. One whole (4-5#) antibiotic free, air chilled chicken, organic or free range
  2. Very sharp chefs knife
  3. Soup pot
  4. 2 medium sized storage containers

How to do it

  1. Remove chicken from package and wipe any moisture away with paper towels
  2. Remove giblets from cavity (they won't always be included, but if they are, use the neck in the rich stock)
  3. Cut wings from the chicken carcass - avoid taking too much breast meat
  4. Cut wing tips from wings and drop the tips into the soup pot, put wings into one of the storage containers
  5. Cut leg/thigh portions from the carcass
  6. Following the line of fat (visible on the skinless side) between the leg and thigh, cut them apart on each portion
  7. Put the two legs and thighs into the container with the wings and cover
  8. Separate the chicken back from the breast portion, cutting on each side at the neck
  9. Put back piece into the soup pot
  10. Pull skin off breast and carefully cut along one side of the breast bone, keep the blade next to the bone. Use shallow strokes to remove each breast from the bone and put them into the second storage container.
  11. Put the breast bone into the soup pot

Rich chicken stock

  1. Add 3 cups water to the back bone, breast bone and wing tips (neck if available) in a soup pot
  2. Add one peeled onion half, 1 stalk celery, 1 large clove garlic, pinch saffron threads, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 bay leaf
  3. Bring to a low boil, cover and reduce heat to low and cook until bones are falling apart - approx. 1 hour
  4. Remove bones and meat to cool and strain stock
  5. Pick meat from bones and store meat and stock separately for future use

What to make with these components

Legs, Thighs, Wings

  1. Use the seasoning blend from Paprika Chicken Quarters and bake for 1 hour
  2. Baked Chicken and Cauliflower
  3. Spanish Style Chicken
  4. Chicken Mediterranean
  5. Falafel Chicken

Breasts (boneless)

  1. Replace ground meat in Taco Salad with chicken breast seasoned as in recipe
  2. Herbed Chicken Breasts for two
  3. Butternut Chicken Pie
  4. Chicken Skillet
  5. Chicken & Zucchini
  6. Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo
  7. Chicken Enchiladas
  8. White Chili

Rich Broth & Picked Meat

  1. Artichoke Stew
  2. Replace ham with chicken in Cauliflower with Ham
  3. Green Chicken Soup
  4. Thai Chicken Soup
  5. Replace breast and broth in Chicken Pasta w/Lemon

Questions about this recipe?

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