Chicken salad. I add it to rice, broccoli, and cheese.
Usually burn my fingers ripping it apart while eating it over the kitchen counter like an animal…
I’ve done that while drunk
I’ve done that while sober.
Eat it over the kitchen sink in a frenzy, share a little with my cats so they’ll stop screaming at me, and then I make chicken salad for sandwiches with the rest. I make the best chicken salad sandwiches.
Well now you have to give me the recipe
It’s Martha Stewart’s Tarragon Chicken Breast Salad recipe (lemon juice, mayo - kraft if you ask me, salt & pepper, and fresh chopped tarragon) with chopped Costco rotisserie chicken breast on a good fresh croissant, add lettuce, tomato, and purple onion. I get all the compliments! Great for picky eaters or crowds because chicken salad can vary so much with ingredients, but this is simple and absolutely delicious.
Eat it like a savage hunched over the kitchen sink as soon as I get home like everyone else.
Is there another way?
I harvest all the meat, chop it up, mix it with taco sauce, shredded cheese, and pinto beans, then wrap it up in several dozen burrito-sized tortillas, then wrap in parchment paper and freeze them. It makes a cheap and delicious ready-to-microwave lunch whenever I don’t feel like making something more complicated for lunch.
Then I throw the remaining bones and skin and bits into my instant pot, add a few quarts of water, some salt, some bits of carrot, onion, celery, and make a bunch of chicken stock…which I freeze into ice cubes and use for cooking other things.
I try to get a rotisserie chicken every time I’m there…it’s one of the most economical sources of protein you can get.
Dude, this is the response I’ve been looking for! I’m doing this for lunches next week.
You’ll love them! I also like to throw diced onion and (if I have some) a little bit of pickled jalapeno into the mix.
The broth is definitely a great idea. I don’t really get the rotisseries but I cook my own whole chickens, and you get way more out of it when you also make broth. I use a regular crockpot and then use the broth for tons of different things like casseroles and soups.
Shred it into chunks for:
Pulled chicken sliders: add bbq sauce, pair with a slaw, put in Hawaiian bread
Chicken alfredo: cook up pasta, add jar of alfredo sauce or any sauce
Quesadillas
I’ll toss about half the meat in a pot with a carton of bone broth and some carrots, onion, and celery. Simmer it down till the liquid is gone and then toss in another thing of broth. Richest flavor soup I’ve ever had.
My wife makes soup with it too. You won’t hear complaints from me about it
I make chicken pho the same way (not with the Trinity, but with pho spices). Honestly better flavor than the traditional way, although broth isn’t as clear. I can say that because I’m Vietnamese lol.
I chop it up, freeze it, and then use it for quick meals like chicken quesadillas, pesto & cheddar chicken sandwich, BBQ chicken on a baked potato, chicken tacos, chicken salad and so on.
Always remember to grab the “oysters” on the bottom. Couple of dark meat lozenges not to be forgotten…
Yup there on the back side just above the hip joint where the legs attach to the rest of the body.
My genius friend (ChatGPT) says: The term “oysters” is actually a colloquial name given to a specific part of a chicken, known as the “oyster meat” or “chicken oysters.” These are not actually related to the seafood oysters but are rather small, oval-shaped pieces of dark meat found on the back of a chicken, near the thigh. Chicken oysters are considered to be a delicacy by many because they have a tender texture and a rich, juicy flavor. They are highly sought after by chefs and food enthusiasts. The reason they are called “oysters” is that they are said to have a similar taste and texture to actual oysters, although the two foods are completely different. The chicken oysters are located in an area of the bird that doesn’t get much exercise, resulting in a more tender and succulent meat. This, combined with their relatively small size and rich flavor, makes them a popular choice for those who appreciate their unique taste. It’s worth noting that not all chickens have visible oyster meat, as it can vary depending on the specific breed and individual bird. Furthermore, the term “oysters” may not be widely used in all culinary traditions or regions.
I try to get the biggest one in the case every weekend. I let it cool enough to not burn my fingers, cut off the thighs, and each breast/wing half, and put them into three or four reusable storage containers and freeze them. Then I take one to work for lunch. They keep my daily protein numbers up. It’s the cheapest sources of non-vegetable protein I’ve found that I can tolerate eating almost every workday.
Usually I give the legs to the kids, make a complete mess of the breasts with my complete lack of carving skills and just eat the pieces as I tear them off since I can’t get full parts, and then put the rest in the fridge until it’s too late to eat it and throw the rest out because I forgot it was there.
Nesco VS-12. Bought it a couple of cyber Monday sales back and it’s been a winner. Paid $99.
Use it for more than freezing food, leftover rice, remaining onion half, and even seal but don’t vacuum dishwasher or clothes washer pods when traveling so they don’t leak in the suitcase.
Cool, thanks!
crunchy chichen tacos shallow fried in a fat iron skillet. add cheese after frying then top with shredded lettuce, cilantro and the guacamole they sell in the cold section.
delicious cheap and fast to get on the table.
the other thing i do if i’m feeling really lazy and don’t want to cook is shred & add to a costco caesar salad
We’ll usually have one meal of the chicken with mashed potatoes, then make a big batch of chicken enchiladas with whatever is leftover.
We’ve got a vacuum sealer so sometimes cube it up into portions for a quick thaw and add to salad, same thing but sized for a specific recipe, and sometimes just fling it in the middle of the room and devour it cave dweller style.
What vacuum sealer do you have?
Pull off all the meat, make a quick stock with the carcass a d simmer it for maybe an hour with some onions carrot celery, then strain it and use it for chicken noodle soup. Add the chicken, you can throw in some extra veggies if you want, if you have a bag of frozen mixed veg, that works nicely. Use whatever kind of noodle you want.
It takes some time but it’s mostly just waiting, and you can do multiple things while the stock is simmering. It’ll be better than any soup you’re going to get from a can or a package.
