Chicken

Pack N Save chickens this week are $10.98 for a size 24 Tegal. I've stocked up!

One chicken made two meals for us plus tit bits for the cats & left over from meals for lunches.

Remove thighs, wings, legs & put aside for meal two.
Cut up the breast meat & use for meal one.
Remove most of the skin & fat - put bones in a large pot to make Chicken Stock.
I boil this up with some of the meat on & then take final bits of meat off for cats before adding vegetables & onions.

Chicken Stock
place bones from chicken in large stock pan
cover with boiling water.
add what ever is limp in the vegetable basket but do try to put
onion
celery
carrots
pepper & salt
parsley
bay leaf

Let it cook away. Strain & use in following recipes or place in containers & freeze.

Meal One:

Frugal hen pies.
Chopped chicken breast
1 large onion
3-4 rashes bacon.
Gently cook in pan with olive oil - so partially cooked.

I Separate this into two pie dishes one allergy free & one not.

Cook about 6 potatoes - suitable for mashing in a separate pot.

If no allergies go straight to non allergy free method.

Allergy free Method.
Using some chicken stock add 1 - 2 tablespoons of cornflour you want to make a gravy texture - but a bit thicker than a gravy - in between gravy & white sauce. The gravy-sauce will thicken up more in the oven. Pour this over your chicken & bacon mixture. Add salt n pepper
Topping.
Mash the potatoes add 2 tablespoons of olivani (dairy free butter substitute) stir well so no lumps of potato, spoon on top of pie dish - like you would a Shepard's pie.


Non allergy free method.
Make a white sauce - nob of butter - 2 Tablespoons flour - microwave for 1 minute. Stir.
Add a bit of milk approx 1/4 cup. Stir with a whisk. place in microwave for 2 minutes & stir.
Add a ladle of chicken stock at a time stirring until texture of a white sauce.
Add an egg, stir.
Add more chicken stock - you want it a sloppy white sauce but not runny - it will thicken up in oven.
Pour over chicken bacon mixture
Add salt n pepper
Top with mashed potato - I always make allergy free part of a meal first - so as potatoes mashed I will add in a bit of milk to make creamier.

Bake in oven until heated through then grill topping.

Variations
I also add celery, mushrooms & spring onions if I have them.

Served last night with boiled carrots, cauliflower & cabbage (that was in our organic pack yesterday)

If you are lucky you have some left over for lunch.

Meal Two

Chicken & Apricot Casserole

Place chicken wings, thighs & legs into a casserole dish
Add 1 large diced onion
1 sliced green pepper
500mls of your chicken stock
1 cup of water
2 tins (425g) of apricots (on sale this week at pack n save) juice & all.
salt n pepper
2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary
Leave overnight in fridge.

Place in crockpot for 8 hours ( you may like to brown chicken first in fry pan)
or place in oven for about 1-1/2 hours on a mod heat.

Near serving time take out 3/4 cup of juice & add 1 heaped tablespoon of cornflour, stir well so no lumps & add to casserole.

Our family enjoys this served on rice with broccoli & beans.

Gluten, wheat, egg, nut, fish allergy free meal