1 whole fryer different ways

Hello everyone! I am posting a LONG and overdue post. Back in March, I said I would share the different things I planned for my whole fryer. I had gotten it on sale at the store. Months past on by and I had forgotten all about that post. I was brought back to remembrance when I purchased 2 of them on sale (again) at the store last week. Let’s jump on in and talk about how I stretched 1 whole chicken into several meals.

I usually try to get as close to 5lbs. as I can get when I buy whole chickens. Most of the time it is a little under, but I definitely want it to be over 4lbs. Either way, I use it for what I have planned. I learned how to stretch a whole chicken a few years ago when I saw a pin on Pinterest. That sent me on a search for more ideas shared from various people. Keep reading while I share the rundown on what I’ve been doing.

After thoroughly washing my fryer and removing excess fat, I pat dry with a paper towel. I run my fingers underneath the skin on the breast side to loosen it up. Next, I drizzle on a little EVOO as well as sprinkle on my seasonings of choice (we also LOVE sticky chicken/rotisserie spice blend too). I make sure to get some seasoning underneath that skin too. I pour in a cup of water and lay slices of a whole onion on the bottom of crockpot. I place the seasoned chicken on top of the onions and let it cook until done. (Well…lately I’ve been using my Instant Pot which only takes around 25 minutes to cook. YAY!!)

When it’s done I remove from crockpot and let it sit for about 20 minutes or so to cool down. I debone the chicken and separate 2 cup portions into quart sized Ziploc bags. I got around 3 bags full but I decided to go ahead and use one that night for dinner. We had some yummy pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches with fries and Cole slaw. I put the carcass into a gallon size Ziploc bag to freeze for when I make chicken stock (bone broth). I strained the broth from the meat to use for later. It’s good for making mashed potatoes, rice, or sauces. I usually reserve a cup of the broth to use when I make my bone broth.

So let’s make a list of how many uses I got out of this 1 fryer.

1. Chicken Broth (3 cups)
2. 2 cups of shredded chicken for pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches (meal #1)
3. 1 bag with 2 cups of shredded chicken (meal #2)
4. 1 bag with 2 cups of diced chicken (meal #3)
5. Carcass for making bone broth

So I’ve stretched it to be used 5 different ways. When I cook 2 fryers I’m able to double that amount. That gives me 6 bags of cooked chicken, 6 cups of broth, and 2 Carcasses. I hope I was able to help someone (who didn't already know this) see a way how to stretch their dollars, have some precooked chicken on hand, and save time for future meals :)

© My Life 0utside The Box 2016-2019. All Rights Reserved. All photos, text, personal videos and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the blog author.