I’m so excited about this week’s menu!
Dinners:
Baked chicken sandwiches
Taco salad
Homemade pizza
Crock pot BBQ wings over biscuits
Salad, cottage cheese and fruit
Fruit pancakes
Tuna casserole
Lunches:
Left over baked chicken in salads and sandwiches
2 x lunches out
Burritos and rice
Breakfasts:
Oatmeal done 7 ways!
Snacks:
Red velvet cake
Homemade granola
Fruit parfaits
Mmm…how I craved one tonight! I bought a small five pound bird for a small price and am already considering all the things I can make with the leftovers. As I stated in my guest post on moneysavingmom.com I love cooking chicken. It can be repurposed so many ways. Here are my top ten.
1. Sliced Chicken and gravy. This was one of my Mother’s third day leftover favorites. After serving the Chicken for two days she would often whip up her favorite gravy with flour, chicken stock and butter in a skillet on the stove. She would then simmer the meat for a few minutes to repurpose it into a whole new meal!
2. Chicken salad sandwich. There are a million go to varieties of this meal. My preferred having low fat mayo, diced red grapes and celery on a whole wheat roll.
3. Chicken soup. After picking all meat off the bone you can add noodles, a variety of vegetables and the chicken to stock you easily have a kitchen go to!
4. Chicken tacos. After having made these using a variety of spices I discovered my husbands favorite using McCormick’s spicy taco packets and very small pieces of diced chicken breasts.
5. Chicken fajitas. Again these can be made simply with a pre made spice packet in you grocery aisle and a few other ingredients.
6. Chicken and dumplings. Left over roast chicken is perfect for this recipe!
7. Chicken and enchiladas. Also a great use for leftovers for here.
8. Classic chicken sandwich. I love shaved chicken breast, mayo, tomato and lettuce on wheat bread. The real reason my “eating for two” self roasted a chicken tonight. Amazing!!
9. Chopped chicken salad. Veggies get a protein kick with this addition.
10. A chicken casserole. With the meat already made you can easily whip one up in less than 30 minutes in one pan. An ideal meal.
By buying a whole chicken instead of breasts you can save up to 50% off. With a little creativity and a few on hand ingredients you can serve the cooked meat many different ways before you family tires of frugality. What are your favorite ways to repurpose a chicken?
Here is another comfort food idea that takes little effort.
Ingredients list:
1lb -2lb chicken- depending on how much you want to make. I usually do a double batch of 2 lb chicken. You can use any cut but the breast meat, in my opinion, tastes the best.
2 cups-4 cups shredded Mexican cheese (this is the four cheese you see in the market)
Corn tortillas
Enchilada sauce 2 large cans. My husband prefers the sauce hot so I will buy one can mild and one hot so it is not too overpowering.
Diced black olives (optional)
Preheat oven 350. Boil chicken until cooked, cool and shred. Place chicken on a plate, cheese on another plate ( and I usually mix the olives with the cheese), enchilada sauce on a plate. Take a tortilla and dip each side in the sauce fill with about half a cup shredded chicken and add cheese (optional olives) as well. Roll up and place in baking pan. Repeat this process until your pan is lined with tortillas. Top with extra sauce and cheese and cover with tin foil. We like ours extra gooey! Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Remove foil and allow to cool. Serve with refried beans and/or rice. yummy!
Before my hubby headed out this week he requested one of his favorites. This chicken and dumplings recipe is so simple it only requires a few ingredients.
-1 lb chicken I use bone in chicken breasts
-2 family size Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup
-Bisquick and milk for the dumplings
-frozen peas (or carrots if you prefer)
-potatoes, butter and milk for the mashed potatoes
Bring chicken to a boil on the stove on high. Lower temperature to allow to simmer and cover until cooked through (about 20-30 minutes depending on cut used). When chicken is finished cooking boil potatoes until fork tender and mash with butter and milk ( I prefer a little sour cream mmmmm) After chicken has cooled shred with fingers. (This can be done on a prep day if you want a quick work week meal.) Place chicken, frozen peas, soup and two cans of water in large pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
Mix 2 1/4 cups Bisquick with 3/4 cup milk to make 10-12 dumplings. 
Drop the mixture onto the boiling soup by the spoonful. Allow to cook 10 minutes uncovered and 10 with cover for dumplings to form. Remember to watch the temperature to prevent over boil and stir the bottom often to prevent burning.
Serve over mashed potatoes.
Last time I had family in I made this and it was a hit. Comfort food at its finest!
My husband is so dear. I have had a rough week with the baby waking many times a night and come Friday night I was exhausted. He shooed me off to bed and sat with the little one until midnight. It was awesome. Thank God for such an understanding, helpful husband!
In other news broccoli casserole is not my thing. I can’t imagine anyone who would enjoy the recipe I posted from allrecipes.com last time. I thought it would be savory and worth all the calories loaded in it but I found it greasy and salty. Surprised since it received such great reviews. But I did find another way to cook, you guessed it, chicken. In my steamer believe it or not. I rubbed the boneless chicken breasts with kosher salt, pepper and lemon juice liberally and set the steamer for 30 minutes and they were cooked perfectly. I am well on my way to a post titled 100 ways to cook delicious chicken breasts. Semi joking at this point since it is my favorite meat.
Tomorrow will be spent reflecting on the week and goals. I can’t wait to clip my coupons, sip my tea and sit in the husbands arms as yet another predeployment weekend slips by.
So it begins. The period of rest that we all so dearly need. Well no rest intended for us! We are so excited that our home is finally coming together. My furniture finally arrived! After weeks of waiting and our bland lodgings are starting to look whole.
I spent so many hours putting it together but it was worth it. Hubby is still not feeling well and put in some hours so I broke out the drill and got to business. I actually enjoy it more I think because I invested so much in it.
Similar to cooking a loving meal. Happy to report I was able to try one new recipe last night and was told “delicious”. What a joy to hear.
