One Pack of Chicken = Three Meals!

“What’s for dinner?” can be one of the most frustrating questions to answer. Coming up with meals that fit our busy lives and that everyone likes is quite a challenge. More often than not, families are turning to takeout meals, fast food, or pizza. However, a little planning can go a long way in providing healthier meals while saving us time and money. We are big fans of making multiple meals from just one protein. (See what we do with leftovers from Pork, Ham ,and Turkey.) Cooking extra meat to use later in the week saves us a lot of time and money. No one wants to spend more money or more time in the kitchen! We encourage you to roast a whole chicken and try these meals. To roast a chicken, let the chicken come to room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator of about 20 minutes. Rub a little bit of butter on the skin and stick it in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees.  Take the chicken out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Then cut the legs and wings off. Take a knife and cut the right down the breast bone then across to quarter the chicken. Enjoy and make sure to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Share your favorite ways to stretch your dining dollars with us! For a Far East taste from home, try this Peanut Thai Stir Fry Chicken Peanut Thai Stir Fry (Go here for a Printable Version of this Recipe) servings=”4-6″ time=”30 minutes” difficulty=”easy” Credit: Nora Kapche Ingredients – 1 Tbsp olive oil – 1 tsp minced garlic – 1/2 tsp minced ginger – 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken – 1 package stir fry vegetables (thaw if frozen) – 3 Tbsp peanut butter – 1/2 cup water – 2 Tbsp soy sauce – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes – cooked rice or noodles – peanuts (optional garnish) Directions – 1. Add olive oil to pan, and saute ginger and garlic on medium. 2. Add remaining ingredients except rice/noodles and peanuts. 3. Stir occasionally until sauce has thickened and vegetables are desired tenderness. 4. Serve over noodles or rice. 5. Top with peanuts. Enjoy a taste of Louisiana with this gumbo! (Go HERE for a Printable Version of this Recipe) [Chicken and Sausage Gumbo  servings=”4″     time=”4 hours” difficulty=”medium” description=”A flavorful and hearty gumbo stew.   Credit: Nora Kapche Ingredients – 2 cups water or chicken broth – 3 cooked chicken breasts(or Leftover Chicken), shredded – 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil – 1/2 pound okra, sliced (optional) – 1/2 cup vegetable oil – 1/2 cup flour – 1/2 lb sausage links, sliced and cut in half – 1 28 oz. can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (optional) – 1 green bell pepper, chopped – 2 stalks celery, chopped – 2 carrots, chopped – 2 cloves garlic, minced – 1/2 yellow onion, chopped – 3 green onions, chopped – 1 bay leaf – 2 teaspoon salt – 1 teaspoon dried thyme – 1 teaspoon dried basil – 1 teaspoon ground black pepper – 1 teaspoon filé powder – 2-3 cups cooked rice Directions 1. Heat 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. 2. Add okra and cook until no longer sticky, stirring frequently; about 20 minutes. Set aside. 3. In new sauté pan, stir flour and 1/2 cup oil. Cook over medium heat until deep golden brown, stirring frequently; about 6 minutes. 4. Add 2 cups of broth or water to the saute pan with the flour and oil; mix well. 5. Transfer to crock pot; add chicken, sausage, tomatoes with their juices, bell pepper, celery, carrots, garlic, yellow onion, green onion, bay leaf, salt, thyme, basil, and pepper. 6. Cover and simmer on high for at least 3 hours. 7. Spoon off any fat from the surface of the gumbo. 8. Add okra and filé powder to gumbo and simmer gently for 15 minutes. This thickens the gumbo. 9. Serve over rice. If you want to use a short cut, just pick up a Gumbo Soup kit at the store and customize to your taste. Enjoy an easy weeknight pasta dish using leftover chicken! (Go HERE for a Printable Version of this Recipe) Chicken Pasta servings=”4-6″       time=”25 minutes” difficulty=”easy” description=”Use leftover chicken to create a delicious and easy meal.” Credit: Nora Kapche Ingredients – Leftover chicken, shred chicken meat – Store bought Pasta Sauce – Spaghetti Pasta – Directions  1. Shred Chicken 2. Prepare Pasta using Directions on Package. 3. Heat Pasta Sauce and Chicken 4. Top Spaghetti with Pasta Sauce and Shredded Chicken 5. Top with Parmesan Cheese *If you like saving money (Who doesn’t?!), Browse and Print FREE Grocery Coupons for all your Favorite Brands at CouponSurfer.com. Start Saving Today!  You save money, and, as an affiliate, we may receive a small fee for your free participation in CouponSurfer. If you enjoy saving time and money by meal-planning based on sales, check out our Recipe Page. Subscribe on our Home Page to receive our weekly newsletter in your inbox with links to menus and more. 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