Help! I’ve bought the world’s smallest chicken

[RosieMilkJug]

It is labelled as a medium size but is tiny. I have 4 adults to feed tonight.

i need to bulk it out with something so I’m thinking about putting it in a roasting tray with a can of tomatoes, garlic and white beans the roasting the whole lot together. Would the sauce be too greasy?

What else can I do with a chicken to make it go further?

tia

Extra mash, roasting potatoes, peas, carrots or whatever vegetables you usually eat. Add some sage and onion stuffing. Some heathens might suggest adding a small yorkshire pudding or two.

Yorkshire pudding. Ideally served as a starter with a small glass of orange juice!

Good suggestions but will these disguise the fact that there is barely any chicken?

I'd just do extras with the roast. I wouldn't roast it in tomatos etc, chicken fat isn't nice!

Can you chuck some sausages in as well? Chipolatas are nice with a roast.

Popping out for another chicken isn't an option I guess?

You would make it go a long way for 4 if you made chicken risotto? With mushrooms? And peas? Parmesan?

Just do extra sides. It will be absolutely fine and there's no need to disguise the fact that there's less chicken.

Cook it with foil around it . Literally will all fall off the bone so you get as much meat as possible.

Yorkshire puds
Stuffing
Pigs in blankets

After it's been roasting a while add some sausages to the pan to serve with it, or even pigs in blankets, like with a Christmas turkey?
Or feed them a big helping of thick soup for starters.

Don't put in tomatoes. Just add some meat accompaniments for those that gauge the adequacy of a meal based on the portion of protein. Think Christmas: chipolatas, bacon.

Lots of veg and it'll be grand.

Bulk it up with loads of sides and veg, y puds if you like. Add sausages or bacon/ham if you have any.
Do you have any chicken (breasts/legs/wings) in the freezer?

Chicken wrapped in bacon or ham
Roast potatoes
Cauliflower cheese
Stuffing
Veg
Yorkshire pudding
Gravy
Will be plenty

Potatoes, carrots, onion quarters, courgettes, garlic and the chicken chopped into pieces will make it a meal - a traybake.

A tin of tomatoes and a tin of beans with herbs is going to make a sauce for it.

The beans and tomatoes thing is a great idea. It won't be greasy at all unless you add lots of oil.
You could also put courgettes, peppers and aubergine in there?

I reckon you must have got one of the chickens destined for Nandos. Those ones are tiny! 🤣

But this is Mumsnet and a modest sized chicken should feed a family of four for at least a week!

True - it won't be greasy at all, it'll just be extra unctuous from all the cooking juices. You could then add further bulk by serving with crusty bread. If you have some or can bake it in time.

Or you could change tack slightly and do something like Delia's basque chicken which we just had for the first time in a long while and I thought to myself how simple it is but very tasty. You'd just joint the chicken first.

Depends if you have the ingredients to hand, obviously.

Sage and Onion Stuffing and Vegetables
TBH, you don’t even need the chicken

Soup as a starter! Brilliant idea. Potato and leek would work well.

I'd not fancy the tomatoes and beans unless you joint it and turn it into a casserole.

For those saying make stuffing/add chipolatas, if the op has to go to the shop for the ingredients, surely it would be better to buy another chicken.

If another chicken isn't possible, or a trip to the shops:

Joint the chicken and brown
Drain off any excess fat
Soften some chopped onion and garlic
Add the chicken and tomatoes (a glass of red wine would be good) and stock. Cook for about 1.5 hours in the oven on a gentle heat, add the beans and cook for a further 20 minutes.

I'd prefer it with rice and plenty of green veg but spuds (roasted or mashed) will be fine if that's what you have.

Thanks @RosesAndHellebores yes, if I was going to the shops for Yorkshire pudding then I might as well get another chicken.

Good idea about jointing and browning and turning it into a tray bake or casserole. I do have some part baked baguettes so that might help.

Sausages or pigs in blankets? Or a robust sausage meat stuffing?

I guess a lot of people were assuming you might have a box of stuffing handy or chipolatas in the freezer.

If you wanted to serve yorkshires you could make them as long as you have eggs, flour and milk.

I don’t have any sausages and it isn’t pay day until tomorrow and I’m broke! I’m trying to avoid spending any more money.

i have a few potatoes, greens, frozen cauliflower cheese in the feeezer, tomatoes, tinned white beans, baguette, bacon, milk and eggs if you give me your full proof Yorkshire pudding recipe, no carrots, I do have peas….

but no sausages.