If you missed the first part of this story, click here: A Tale of Three Chickens.
Chicken number one got roasted on Monday, along with some onions and part of the large amount of carrots on which I also got a good deal. On Tuesday, I placed chicken number two in the crock pot to cook on low all day, while I simmered the bones from chicken number one in the stock pot. The crock pot chicken just fell off of the bones, making it so easy to divide.
Chickens numbered one and two got married in the form of that night’s very hearty chicken noodle soup. The stock from chicken one along with the dark meat of chicken two. The rest of chicken two got cubed and frozen in two cup portions in my refrigerator’s bottom freezer. It yielded eight cups of white meat that are happily (I think they were smiling at me up until the time I sealed the freezer bag up by sucking out the air with a straw) tucked away for future dinners, such as enchilada casserole, chicken pot pies, chicken salad, chicken and pasta, chicken fried rice and more.
On Wednesday, we will have the leftovers from chicken number two and the soups for lunch. Thursday I will make something different to break from chicken, maybe a vegetarian chili, for example. Then Friday will be chicken number three’s turn. Mweeehahahah (evil laugh inserted here). I may cook it up and assemble it into individual freezer meals that I can lay flat in my bottom freezer, or just cut it up into more cooked chicken for the freezer. If I roast it, the drippings will make gravy. I’m pretty open, so do you have any suggestions? I may save some little bit of the chicken as a topping for homemade Friday night pizza (BBQ chicken pizza anyone?).
Of course, the bones from chicken number two and chicken number three will also make stock. I can freeze this flat by inserting a freezer bag into a large aluminum can for support, filling the bag and then sealing it tightly. Or, I could use the muffin pan trick. It helps to measure out the stock into cups, so you know exactly how much you have on hand.
Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans.
Don’t Throw that Food Out! Ways to Save Food Gone Wrong
Whole Turkey Versus Turkey Breasts: Cost Comparison
Is That A Chicken in Your Pocket?
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