Roast Chicken ... How Many Different Meals Can We Make?

Chicken ... A Few Ways

Roast Chicken – a classic recipe that I've made for years. It's easy to roast a whole bird and then, depending on the size of your family, perhaps make several different meals out of it!

 I typically buy a large roaster 6-7lbs, so I can get more then one meal out of it. It is always easier to purchase one with the automatic pop up timer, but if you can’t, per pound cooking instructions are available online or in a general cookbook like “Joy of Cooking”. If you have a very large family, you may not get another meal out of one roast chicken, but you can always make a pot of soup from the carcass!  

Let's get cooking ...

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (or whatever temp the packaging dictates). Cut away the plastic and remove the bag from the inside of the cavity. Rinse the entire bird under cold water - inside and out. Dry thoroughly with paper towels - inside and out. Place, breast side up, in a roasting pan on a rack (spray pan and rack with non-stick spray). Depending on my flavor mood, I either put a lemon, sliced in half (if you have never tried this, it’s fantastic!) OR an onion sliced in half inside the cavity of the bird. Drizzle the chicken with some olive oil and rub it around the entire outside using your hands to get into all the crevices. Wash your hands thoroughly and don’t forget to wash your sink and anything else the raw chicken came into contact with, thoroughly as well.  Sprinkle salt and pepper around the outside and the inside of the chicken. Then, on the breast side, I sprinkle onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano and dried thyme (you can add whatever spices you like). Cook until timer pops (or click here for more info on time to cook per pound if you don't have the pop up).  Let the chicken rest out of the oven for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite veggie and maybe a potato or rice.

After the roast chicken meal, I remove all of the meat from the carcass (be thorough, there are a lot of hidden places on those chickens) and put it in the fridge for another meal or two. Here are some suggestions:

Stir Fry – stir fry up a bunch of veggies (broccoli, peppers, onions, mushrooms) in olive oil and seasonings (the ones listed above work well) when veggies are almost tender, I add in some chicken broth and the cooked chicken, chopped up. Cook all together until chicken is hot and serve over rice, quinoa, or farrow.

Chicken Quesadillas – heat a large non-stick skillet over low heat, place a large tortilla or two smaller ones in the pan. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack (your choice or a combo of the two) over the tortilla, add in the chopped or shredded roast chicken, (some small pieces of cooked veggies or drained black beans if you wish) and sprinkle with more shredded cheese. Place another tortilla on top and cook until cheese is melted and chicken is heated through (press down on top with a spatula and flipping at least once). Cut up into wedges to serve with guacamole, salsa & sour cream or tomato sauce (you can use shredded mozzarella/Italian blend for this version and pepperoni if you have it). Or make your own sauce and throw in what you have hanging around.

The possibilities are endless! How do you use up leftover roast chicken? Salads? Pasta? Sandwiches? I'd love to hear from you!

Bon Appetite!