Sometimes time-saving and labor-saving innovations save neither time nor labor. And, quite often, they don't save money either.
I have recently discovered the joys of a whole chicken. Before the last 2 weeks, I have probably bought a whole chicken 2 - 3 times in my life. But, I have been watching prices lately and made a huge discovery! Whole roasting chickens are way cheaper than buying boneless chicken breasts, thighs, legs, or any other chicken part.
Plus, for those of us not-so-organized, nothing is easier to cook than a whole chicken. Take it out of the bag. Wash it with clear water. Stick it in the crockpot. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the top, and turn on the crockpot! Easy!
And, at the end of the day, you've got a lovely roasted chicken that is moist and ready to eat whenever you are.
But, the joys do not stop there. After dinner, pick off all the leftover chicken and put into a storage container. You've got enough chicken left for casseroles, chicken salad sandwiches, salad topping, or Naked Chicken Burritos (a family favorite).
Now, look in that crockpot. Yum.... fixings for homemade chicken noodle soup, or a variety of other soups that call for chicken broth. You just know that broth is better than what you buy in a can!
So, there you have it. Three super easy meals from one roasting chicken. Perfect for the not-so-organized!
Would you mind sharing more crockpot tips? I've done a chicken like that once but mine came out tasteless and overdone. What temp setting do you use? How long did you cook it? I really want to do more crockpot cooking!!
ReplyDeleteTip #1 -- add a little water to the bottom of the crock pot (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup).
ReplyDeleteTip #2 -- NO PEEKING! If you lift the lid to peek, you let out moisture and heat. So, the trick is to not peek until you are ready to eat. One exception I have to my no-peek rule is for some thick soups and stews. I allow myself one peek somewhere between 2 - 4 hours to give it a good stir.
I also recommend the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook: Feasting with your slow cooker. (You can search on the Amazon website to take a look at it, or cut and paste the link here.) It is loaded with winning recipes. I've loved every one I've tried so far!
http://www.amazon.com/Fix--Forget--Cookbook-Feasting-Cooker/dp/1561483397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320509389&sr=8-1