What to do with a whole chicken and how to maximise what you get out of it.

Chickens are a staple in my family. However, buying chicken parts can be VERY expensive over here, so I usually try to buy chicken parts (chicken breast, wings etc) only when there is a good deal out there.

I usually buy whole chickens. Two whole chickens make at least 5 to 6 meals in my family.

Trying to take a chicken appart is... well... sort of an adventure at first. A few years ago I tried it and it took me something between 30 to 45 minutes for a chicken. Definately not worth the hassle and I just bought pre-cut chicken pieces.

However, since I love watching the butcher at work I realized that some use just a knife and it takes them less then a minute to take a chicken appart. Now, that is what I call effective.

I got talking to one of them and he told me that he uses a special knife.... I bought myself a very sharp knife (not the one he told me to get cause I didn't get to that shop yet), but what a difference. I think that I need something like 10 minutes now per chicken to take it appart and get it all packed away....

The good thing is, that some of the things are already automized:

The thighs are usually packed all in one bag - sometimes I already put in the marinade - and makes up 1 full meal for the four of us and left overs for a meal for me to take to work (and sometimes I have enough to serve the kids the next day too).

The wings I either throw in with the thighs or collect in a seperate bag (in the freezer) so that I have enough for a meal.

The breast I usually play around with - sometimes I mince the meat, or I make chicken nugets, I cut it up into cubes or stripes for all kind of recipes. But from two chickens I get easily 2 to 4 meals out - depending on what I cook.

And then, last but not least, I always, always dump the bones (sometimes the skin... depending how clean (from feathers) it is) into a pot. I add water and boil it for quite some time, adding water as neccessary. When the "stock" is cooked, I strain it. If I really can be bothered I pull off any meat I can to be used in the soup. You will be surprised about the amount of meat you get out of it.
This stock is the basis for many a soup.... if I really cannot be bothered to make a soup right there and then (or the next day), I just freeze it. The soup usually lasts for 2 meals.

Soooo, today, I took care of the chickens I bought. And while I am writing this, the stock is boiling, the chicken thighs, wings, and half a chicken breast is in the freezer for future uses. The other half of the chicken breast is to be used for a curried lentil and chicken soup. One chicken breast was used to make chicken with cashew nuts

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple

I personally don't care much for eating my chicken the same way day in day out. I love trying out new marinades and have started even mixing fruits with my chicken (not something that I learned at home).

This recipe is quick and easy and goes really well with rice or mashed potatoes. Serve it with a side salad that is not too heavy in taste and you have a quick and healthy dinner.

1/2  cup  cider or white wine vinegar
2  tbsp  oil
1/2 tsp crushed garlic cloves

1/2  tsp  ground cinnamon (you can increase it to up to 1 tsp if you like a very cinnamony taste)
1/2  tsp  chili powder
750gr boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2  cup  barbecue sauce
600 gr  pineapple, from a tin, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
1/4  tsp  salt

For the marinade, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and the chili powder. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1 to 2 cm thick strips. In an airtight container (or freezer bag), toss together chicken and marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 min. Alternatively you could freeze it and use it later.
 

For the marinade, stir together barbecue sauce and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon; set aside.

Heat a pan to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade!!). Fry the chicken for about 4 minutes and then add the pineapple. Continue cooking for another 4 minutes - until the chicken is cooked through.

 

Serve with cinnamon-barbecue sauce. 

This is enough for four people.

 

Tip: if you chose to freeze the chicken with the marinade, defrost it and then continue normal once you are ready to put this meal together.

Also, if you get fresh one by all mean use it. In this country fresh pineapple is extremely expensive and hard to get hold of. If I do buy fresh pineapple I rather eat it fresh and not use it for cooking

Zuchini Lasagne

White sauce is extremely fattening. Try this lasagna where you use a mixture of cheese and cottage cheese in stead. I also make the tomato sauce myself. It is fast and I know what I put into my food.

250gr cooked lasagna noodles
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1.5 cups cottage cheese (I use 3%)
4 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchinis, sliced
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small package tomato paste
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed

Preheat oven to 175C. Lightly oil a 20 by 30 cm baking dish with oil.
In a small bowl combine 1 Tbs Parmesan with 2 Tbs Cottage cheese. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining mozzarella, cottage and Parmesan.
In a blender, mix together the crushed tomatoes, the tomato paste, water which you measure with the pack the tomato paste came in, do that twice, the basil leaves, onion and garlic. Pulse until the whole mixture resembles tomato sauce.
Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Add about a third of the noodles in a single layer. Spread half of the cheese mixture on top, layer with half of the zucchinis. Repeat this process once. Finally, add a thin layer of sauce. Top with the noodles, sauce and reserved cheese mixture. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Enjoy with a light side salad.

TIP: If you like to freeze this, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil BEFORE baking it. On the day you want to make it, you can either defrost it first and then bake it for 40 minutes, or just put it straight from the freezer into the oven, increasing the cooking time to about 1 hour.