Okay, so tell me how many meals you can get out of a whole chicken

[Fishpond]

I'm planning to buy my first whole chicken this weekend and try to make as many meals out of it as possible. I'm single so it's just me eating the food.

I have no idea what to actually do with it once it's roasted ... in fact don't know how to roast but a cookbook should be fine right?!

If it's just you you should be eating for a week! Have it hot first, like a proper roast. Then strip all the meat off and put it in the fridge. Bones in a big pan, cover with water and simmer for 2-3 hours, this is now chicken stock.

Then you can use the meat and stock for chicken/veg pie, risotto, soup, sandwiches, fajitas, the list is endless!

Good luck!

I just did this, in fact. There are 2 of us and it was about a 4lbs (1.8kg) chuck. Meal 1 it was roasted and we had a few slices each with the usual trimmings. Meal 2 I chopped up the leg meat and added Sweet & Sour Sauce. Meal 3 what was left was shredded and becaome Chicken & Egg Fried Rice. Then I roasted up all the bones with some vegetables before transferring it to a stock-pot and making stock for the freezer.

, buy some foil cartons to freeze in Portions!

Roast chicken first.

How about a chicken and veg pie? Get a mix of veg and pre-cook. Take some creme freche and mix a dollop of mustard in it; mix this with the chicken and the veg and spread out in a pie tray if you have one or a roasting tin if not.

Get some ready roll pastry (shortcrust or puff, it makes no odds) and cover the filling. Cook for approx 45 mins