Some weeknights call for a dinner shortcut, and a rotisserie chicken might just be the superhero of the grocery store. It’s already cooked, ready when you are, and best of all, it can keep saving the day for more than one meal.
Instead of serving the whole chicken at once, break it down and put it to work. Start with the white meat for tonight’s meal, save the dark meat for another, then turn the bones and a few kitchen scraps into homemade stock.
Here’s how to get every last bit of goodness (and a little more mileage from your grocery budget) out of one hardworking chicken.
Start with the White Meat
Chicken breast has a mild flavor that makes it easy to use in all kinds of dishes. Chop it, shred it, or slice, and you have a ready-to-go protein for your meal. Use it in sandwiches and wraps, toss it onto salads, stir it into pasta, or pair it with a sauce
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Save the Dark Meat for Round Two
Short on time? Dinner tomorrow already has a head start. Thighs and drumsticks have plenty of meat to build another meal around. Dark meat stays moist and has a rich flavor, making it especially good with bold seasonings and sauces. Remove meat from the bone, then shred or chop it, and store it in the fridge until ready to use the next day.
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Make the Most of What’s Left
White meat: check. Dark meat: check. What about those leftover bones? This hardworking chicken has one more trick up its sleeve, homemade stock. Put the chicken carcass, leftover bones, and any small pieces of meat into a large pot and cover with water. Then check your kitchen for vegetable scraps. Carrot ends? Toss them in. Celery tops and leaves? Those work too. Even those papery onion skins can go into the pot. Garlic skins and wilted herbs can add flavor too.
Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for at least two hours. Strain out the solids, cool the stock, and refrigerate or freeze for another meal. Use your homemade stock for other recipes like soups, beans, gravy, stir fries, and casseroles.
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Still looking for your next chicken dinner? Browse Mitten Eats chicken recipes for more meal ideas.
