All of my meals are budget conscious, but when whole chickens went on sale for 99c this week, I knew I could really stretch it and make it truly frugal. I spent $8.40 and got an 8 1/2 lb stuffer roaster, and I knew I could make 3 meals of 4 servings each with just that one chicken.
Meal 1: Roast Chicken, Cumin Roasted Carrots & Tossed Salad
You don’t need anything but kosher salt to make a delicious roast chicken, and if you spatchcock it, it’s an easy weeknight dinner. We ate the legs and thighs from the roast chicken with a huge tossed salad with lite ranch dressing and carrots roasted in olive oil, salt and cumin. Simple and delicious!
Meal 2: Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
I used 16 oz. of the cooked chicken breast to make this delicious and refreshing Thai Peanut Chicken Salad, adapted from this recipe.
Meal 3: Chicken, Kale & Acorn Squash Soup
I hope you didn’t throw that carcass away! I used mine to make a delicious chicken stock for a Chicken, Kale & Acorn Squash Soup by using my Instant Pot to cook the bones with some water and some vegetable stock. Then I sauteed onions, celery, two acorn squash and a bunch of kale before adding the stock and simmering for 30-40 minutes. Then right before serving I added the leftover chicken breast. I topped it with some grated Parmesan cheese. So yummy!
I made 3 meals for the week, 4 servings apiece, for about $20 in chicken, vegetables and stock. That’s TWELVE servings for $20! Not bad, right? You can do it too, the possibilities are endless! What are your ideas for stretching a chicken (or any other large cut of meat)? Let me know in the comments!
So my most viewed blog OF ALL TIME is the recipe for 
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These are just as easy as the savory variety, with one caveat: I made my own chocolate covered peanuts. To do this, all I had to do was put the peanuts and chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 10 seconds at a time until the chocolate melts, then stir to coat the peanuts refrigerate until the chocolate hardens, add to your little snack container with the dried fruit and cheese and it’s ready to eat! Yes, my chocolate “covered” peanuts are ugly, but who CARES. They taste delicious!
Will you give these sweet low-calorie snacks a try at home? I promise you won’t be disappointed!
In case you didn’t figure it out from the Weekly Menu post this week, The Hubs and I are headed to Chicago on Thursday to visit some family. Not only that, but we’re DRIVING and bringing Bingley! It’s going to be a whirlwind long weekend trip full of food and dogs and for me, running. We’ll be staying with my cousin Susan and her husband, and I’ll be joining her running training group on Sunday, so I’m sure I’ll get plenty of fitness in on this trip.
A Measured Life 