Most people claim they do not cook because they do not have the time. Between work, kids, school, activities and house maintenance time seems to disappear. However, there are a few things you can do in the kitchen to make life easier. One is purchasing a rotisserie chicken prepared by your local grocery store.
Roasted chicken not only tastes good but it can also be a healthier alternative to fast food we constantly encounter. Mostly though, one roasted chicken can turn into a multitude of meals including chicken with rice, chicken salad, chicken noodle soup or chicken pot pie. Moreover you can make them your own. The perfect example is the classic chicken salad. Everyone has their own family version or twist so use the ingredients you like. Whether you use mayonnaise, dill, parsley, lemon zest, walnuts, apples, or grapes the result is a great salad or sandwich.
Listed below are some ideas to keep in mind when using a roasted chicken for future meals.
- Don’t cut it up until it is needed. Completely cut-up chicken dries out and spoils faster than a whole one, so keep the chicken whole or at least in bigger pieces.
- Discard the skin if using later. The crispy skin of a warm roasted chicken is my favorite, but once cold, it becomes rubbery. For this reason, don’t use it for leftover dishes.
- Match the meat to the preparation. Dark-meat has a richer flavor and retains moisture, so it’s perfect for cooked dishes. White-meat leftovers are more apt to dry out when reheated, so their flavor and texture do better in salads where there is no cooking.
- Keep cooking to a minimum. As chicken is very lean and leftover chicken is already cooked try to avoid further cooking. Just fold it in at the end to simply warm through.
One of my favorite meals growing up is the recipe listed below. It’s full of vegetables, pasta, and roasted chicken. This is a warm soup my Mom would make during the winter months. The soup pretty much cleans out your refrigerator so turn to this recipe when looking to extend your food budget. I would suggest using dark meat from the legs, wings or thighs of the bird. It is important to add the shredded pieces right at the end of the cooking process so just to warm through.
Italian Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- About 1-2 cups shredded chicken pieces (legs, wings and thighs)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion – finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – peeled and minced
- 1 large carrot – peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 celery rib – coarsely chopped
- 1 can San Marzano whole tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper – to taste
- 2 cups homemade chicken stock (low sodium canned chicken broth may be substituted)
- 3 cups water
- 2/3 cup orecchietti, macaroni or other small pasta
- 1 zucchini – cleaned and finely diced
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion & sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrot and celery & sauté another 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes & crush them with your hands so they disintegrate into smaller pieces.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat & add the bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer 6-8 minutes.
- Add stock, water & increase heat to high. Add pasta and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Occasionally check the pasta for doneness – it should almost be “al dente” meaning to the tooth or just slightly firm when bitten.
- At this point taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Add chicken and zucchini. Turn heat to medium-low and cook 4-6 minutes.
- When you are ready to serve the soup, ladle into a serving bowl and generously sprinkle each bowl with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!
For many, quickly putting a meal on the table can be difficult. The solution is to take advantage of your local markets in the form of a roasted chicken. Times are tough right now with food costs getting higher and higher so learning to stretch the budget can be helpful. If you would like more information regarding these food budget tips or my services, please visit my website at
www.chefcrusco.com. I will be in Argentina for business most of October so stay tuned for my culinary traveling articles regarding Argentina: The food, wine and culture.
