What can I do with it?

[stlocook]

We were planning a lovely roast chicken for lunch, but the oven/grill packed up last night, leaving me with 4 butners and nothing else! Children HATE stews and similar, loathe anything spicy andI can't eat fried stuff! So;a bit of a problem. Any bright ideas out there? (We are not allowed to have BBQ's here)

[auntdot]

You can boil chicken (just Google for recipes).

It has little pizzaz but the chicken does not turn out half bad.

If you wish you can carve and serve as is, it will just look like bland white chicken, or take the meat off the bone and turn it into stuffing for tacos, put it in a salad, or use in any other dish for chicken.

If you are going to serve as is, would sprikle with some paprika and maybe a green herb, just to make it look somewhat interesting.

Sorry, but you have taken away most other options.

Anyway, welcome aboard stlocook. Hope we see a lot more of you.

[stlocook]

Thanks for the help and welcome! In the end, with the agreement of the little monsters, I hacked the thing into bite sized bits with my trusty chopper, marinaded them in honey and soy sauce and briefly fried them. I made a separate sauce with pineapple, green and red peppers, onions and tomato and served the whole shebang with Chinese noodles. One ate the lot, the other would not even look at it, so her sister ate that too...

[Goodweed of the North]

One way to get picky eaters to try new things is to give them ownership. That is, let them help create the dish, and cook it. If they are very young, of course you will have to help with the cutting and cooking chores. I have had five-year-olds help me cut and cook things in my kitchen. But it does require constant supervision, and great care. And the kitchen must be made easy to work in, no clutter.

If they help make it, they well take more pride in the dish, and give it a try because of that.

And Chicken stir-fry, or chicken salad are both great ideas for what you needed.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[lyndalou]

When I poach chicken, I usually add some onion, carrot and celery to the pot as well as a bouillion cube. A bay leaf and peppercorns add flavor as well. I never actually boil it, because it gets overdone and will not cut up well. I just simmer until it's done.

[velochic]

Goodweed - great advice on cooking with kids. My 3.5 year old loves to help me prepare food. We have a "try it once" rule here and she'll eat just about anything once she tastes it. But getting them involved is a great tool. Not everybody has the time to let their kids get involved (e.g. it's Tuesday night, 8:00pm and everyone is home, but hungry) but when you can, it's great for them. Good words!!

[Goodweed of the North]

In addition to teaching them valuable skills, providing ownership also lets them experience the consequences of their actions, and important training tool for parents. If they behave themselves, and follow directions, they are rewarded dwith something that tastes good, and that will build their little ego's. If they misbehave, they suffer the consequences of not being allowed to assist, and maybe the treat they would have gotten if they had behaved.

I'ts a great teaching tool for parents. But remember, and this is important, to teach them to cleam up as they are cooking. It will avoid a great mess and much time. And they will learn to take pride in a clean kitchen.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[htc]

stlo, to add the the boiled/poached chicken idea. After you boil the chicken, chop it up (bones and all) into small pieces (like what you would find if you ordered roasted chicken at a Chinese restaurant) and stir fry it w/ oyster sauce, garlic, onion wedges and green onions.

My Mom used to do this all the time when we'd have too much poached chicken left. It's great over rice.

[Constance]

One way I like to fix chicken is to cut it in pieces, season with S&P, and quickly brown it in a little olive oil in a heavy skillet. Slice some potatoes in quarters and add along with baby carrots. Add a drained can of mushrooms and a can or two of Golden Mushroom soup, and let simmer till chicken is tender. Add some frozen broccoli florets, frozen peas, brussels sprouts, or a can of green beans (flat Italian are great) and let simmer till all is heated through.

It's a one dish meal...all you need to add is bread.

If you're in the mood and have time, you can remove the chicken after it's browned, set aside, and caramelize some onions and garlic in the skillet...or peppers, mushrooms, whatever. Then return the chichen to the skillet and proceed as above. It will melt in your mouth.

[cooksalot]

Dip,Dip,Dip. Kids LOVE it.

Cut chicken into cubes or strips. Saute on medium low in plenty of butter. Cook until JUST cooked through. Now let everyone choose a dip for a custard cup or small dish.
Ideas off the top of my head:
Any salad dressing
Barely diluted cream soup,heated
Cheddar cheese soup
Melted velveeta
Honey/mustard mixed

Now, I love to cut up chicken cubes and marinate in Franks/Durkee hot sauce for at least 30 minutes. Then saute in butter and serve with blue cheese dressing.
Or serve on a nice roll with blue cheese spread.
Blue cheese spread:
1/2C crumbled blue cheese
1/4C cream cheese
1/4C sour cream or mayo
2T chopped celery
Mix and let sit for flavors to meld.