To throw away the chicken every week?

[Fluffyhood]

I know IABU but I need to be shamed so I start doing something about it!
Family of 4, we have a roast chicken every week, we eat the breast meat and then I throw away the rest every week, I hate doing it but I'm too lazy and unimaginative to think of what to do with the rest of it!
Please shame me and tell me what you do with yours, I'd love to make it stretch to another meal!

I’ve seen a few of these posts over the years and usually I’m not judgy and just give my suggestions but tbh I’m finding it quite annoying this time.

Such a ridiculous waste and doubly so because it’s not just once in a great while but every week! An animal died, and let’s face it, probably had a pretty awful life, too, unless you’re buying the very best of free range, so that you could have food! And there are people up and down the country really, properly finding it difficult to feed themselves and their children well while you glibly throw good meat away every week...

But I guess you know all that.

So.

I’m sorry but there’s nothing wrong with cold chicken in a sandwich. BLTs are delicious. Otherwise you could make chicken Caesar salad. Which is also delicious and can be assembled in minutes.

Strip the carcass on the night, then at least all the meat will be easily usable when you need to cook and find you’re feeling lazy. Freeze it if you’d rather use it the week after for curry/soup/‘stroganoff’/whatever. Unless it’s going to sit in the freezer forever because you can’t be bothered to use it...then maybe just go ahead and give it straight to the pets.

Chicken legs can be roasted again, just pop them in the oven for 15 min or so to warm through and crisp up the skin nicely.

Easiest fajitas/tacos/quesadillas ever - your meat’s already done, it just needs frying to warm through with veg/spice mix/etc.

Stir fries take 15-20 minutes, tops.

Instant noodles in broth, a bit of thinly sliced chicken, a boiled egg, some spring onion/chilli/coriander and you’ve got a warming and satisfying lunch.

Maybe stop buying a whole chicken for every week. Just have one every other week until you’re properly in the habit of using all of it.

Try chicken pie so just add mushroom condensed soup bit of chicken stock chestnut mushrrroms leeks and leftover chicken add a top of shop brought pastry. Yum

[grin]@InsufferableLKIA

If you must buy a whole chicken then buy a small one so there's less wastage. We use the leftover meat to make:
Chicken curry
Chicken biryaani
Chicken soup
Chicken stir fry
Chicken noodles
Chicken fajita wraps
Chicken & mushroom pie

@feistyoneyouare

Is there nothing on here that people won't turn into a pile-on? Jeez.

This level of stupid does deserve a pile on. Have you seen food waste stats? It's disgraceful

I just cook for me, I often do a roast chicken. After the usual roast, strip the carcass - usually divide into brown and white meats and freeze. Carcass gets made into chicken stock which I freeze.

Meat gets used for all sorts. Hugh Fearnley W did a programme about making a chicken do several meals. Maybe google it

Anyway - chicken pasta is easy - sauté onions, garlic and the chopped stalks of parsley if you have some. Add 3 tomatoes (medium on the vine chopped, or 1/2 can chopped tomatoes, oregano. Bit of water, and cook until tomatoes are soft, season to taste, add chicken and chopped parsley plus a few basil leaves torn if you have some. Takes less time than cooking the pasta

Oh yes pie is easy too - you don’t even need to make the gravy. Just use granules. Sauté some onion, carrot, mushrooms, add frozen peas. Add chicken. Mix together and put into a pie dish. Pour over thick gravy and cover with a shortcrust or puff pastry lid (pre-made, if you like), egg wash and bake.

Chicken and leek pie / chicken sandwiches / chicken curry / chicken soup

Make a homemade stock / chicken broth with the carcasses, can be frozen in cubes

You really should just buy a crown or breasts if you won't use it all, the legs are so delish!

@Fluffyhood

I totally get everyone saying just buy the breasts, to be honest I buy a whole chicken with the intention of using more than just the breasts but just never get around to it! I dont mind the leg meat at all but there's enough for me with the breast so I just end up having breast meat. Thanks for the suggestions keep them coming!

Plus I know it will sound mad but the meat from a whole chicken seems to taste so much better than the prepackaged breasts?

Are you aware of this amazing invention called a freezer, OP?

How wasteful.

I really fancy chicken, leek and ham hock pie now!

I have nine breasts and I can confirm that I am sufficient to provide seven healthy tasty meals for a family of 24.

This week we bought one large chicken for two teens and two adults. Sunday they had a roast so used one breast.

Did you accidentally purchase an ostrich?

www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?q=Leftover+chicken

Noooo!

Easy one for you... get a couple of packets of super cheap noodles (20p each). Shove in pan, add chicken stock cube, sweetcorn, leftover chicken (easiest fo remove with hands), boil up and voila!

Delicious chicken and sweetcorn soup. Really nutritious and dirt cheap.

Add a spoon of cornflour if you like it thicker.

So you eat 2 breasts between 4 of you and chuck the rest away? Wow.

We pick the meat off the chicken and use it in a pasta/risotto/stir fry/soup.

That's crazy. I am 🥴

That is an awful waste, OP.

There’s loads of meat on the thighs, wings and - do not forget this- the underneath.

I hate to be the mythical six meals from a chicken on Mumsnet woman, but a large roast chicken does us (2 adults and a toddler) for a roast, then sandwiches, then chicken curry or chicken pie filling. As long as you (wash your hands first) strip the meat off after your roast you’ll find you’ve loads left!

Mix it with mayo and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a great sandwich filling, curry it or put it in a pie or with jacket potatoes and salad.

Also yes to soups and risottos.

Also, it’s not mad about it tasting better- meat cooked on the bone is far more flavourful and moister than just breast meat cooked separately. Please stop throwing it away.

Fried rice with left over roast chicken is my kids absolute fav.

Just bulk me out with lentils like one of your French girls.

JFC.

Strip it, make stir fry or risotto or whatever wtih the rest of it.

Boil up carcass and make chicken noodle soup. Or any other kind of soup.

DM spent the war on a farm feeding the chickens they subsequently ate. If you know something that died to feed you, you'd treat it with a bit ore respect. That chicken was a living breathing animal If you are going to eat some of it then at least respect it enough to eat all of it.

How often do you buy chicken? Do you actually like it or do you buy it out of habit?

If you do like it - I would buy a crown - which is exactly the same as a whole chicken but the legs and wings have already been cut off.

Or if not - think of other meat/meals you could try instead. I love a pork chop with my roast too and then you can use chicken breast to go in your curry.