How To: Get 4 Meals From 1 Chicken!
Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
As some of you know, a big passion for my family and I is food freedom. What I mean by that is connecting what you eat with what you believe. We believe in God's perfect design for our world. We believe in the right to grow and consume your own food, free of man's interference. About a year and half ago we moved onto 20 acres. So far we have raised our own veggies, fruits, chickens, and even a pig. One of my greatest joys is creating a meal with items from our farm.
We know that not everyone can pack up and move to a farm just to get pure food. We are at a point where we want to share our food with others. A question we commonly get is about pricing. We sell chickens for $5/pound. Yes, that is probably more than you would pay at the grocery store. I won't bother you about why a grass fed chicken is worth more than a factory raised chicken... at least not in this post... but I do want to share why you should probably be buying whole chickens versus buying chicken by the breast or leg. Price per pound, it is simply a better deal!
I am always surprised when I meet someone who does not know how to cook with a whole chicken or how to get more than one meal out of a whole chicken. My family eats one chicken per week and it is not uncommon for us to get a few meals out of each. Today I am sharing a week's worth of chicken recipes straight from my kitchen. (Note: I practiced for months with whole chickens from the store before we started raising our own. So, if you are not close enough to purchase one of our chickens you can still totally make these meals).
Chicken Spaghetti and fresh salad
Oven Roasted Chicken - I bake a defrosted chicken for about an hour and a half at 375 degrees in a glass 9x13 pan. Whatever fluids might still be in the chicken, I leave in the bottom of the pan or add a little bit of water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan). This helps keep the chicken nice and moist. Sometimes I will put spices inside the chicken, but most of the time I just season the top of the chicken. I use a soft spatula to spread out some melted butter and then sprinkle on some seasonings. On the particular night of the photo above, I used fresh chopped green onion, minced garlic, and basil. (Note: set aside a breast or two for future meals and save all your bones).
Chicken Spaghetti - No, I don't make my own noodles or sauce (yet). All I do is cook the noodles like the package says, pour the sauce into a separate skillet, chop up some leftover chicken from the night before and add it to the sauce along with some spices. I serve it with a salad of fresh lettuce from our garden. An easy peasy crowd pleaser!
Chicken Noodle Soup - Remember those bones I told you to save from the night you ate roasted chicken? Throw those into a pot and fill it with water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for at least 4 hours. Not only will your whole house smell amazing but you will have healthy bone broth ready to make fresh soup out of! Strain out the bones, add egg noodles, and chopped carrots (they will need the longest to cook). Next I chop up green onions, radishes, and some leftover chicken. I also add a can of hominy. Ladle out and enjoy!
Dedication Casserole - This is a brand new recipe and it is not my own. This recipe is from Magnolia Table, the cookbook from Joanna Gaines. She describes it as a great dish to bring to potlucks and/or a great dinner for a crowd. First, cook a box of rice according to the package directions. Next, grease a glass 9x13 pan and add the rice along with your chopped up leftover chicken, cream cheese, artichokes, and water chestnuts. Season with tarragon, garlic, salt, and pepper. Last, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake at 375 for 35 minutes. If your house is anything like mine, this will be a new favorite meal!
If you are in the Wichita area and want to order a whole chicken from us, go to m.me/hayseed.farm and let me know! Otherwise, grab a whole chicken from the store and let me know how your cooking goes. Also, I have all of these recipes compiled onto one page, available for download here.
XO - Olivia