In a chicken rut...help me out

[jennifer75]

I have found that I favor cooking chicken dishes. All the time. Sometimes, I'll crock pot a pork roast, and once in a while I'll fry some fish...but I typically almost always have chicken on the menu.

I live in an apartment, have a small but decent oven/stove, and have a very tight budget along with a very limited pantry.

I have NO IDEA on how to expand my menu without breaking the bank, and without ruining a dish due to lack of experience.

What are some dishes/suggestions you can throw at me?

 

[GB]

I have been making this when I want to cook chicken, but don't feel like the same old chicken dish. It is very quick and inexpensive, but quite tasty.

I cook up some ground chicken with whatever spices I feel like. I then make some couscous and add in scallions and dried cranberries and pine nuts and some frozen veggies (edemame usually). To serve I put the chicken on top of the couscous and drizzle with a little bit of good extra virgin olive oil.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Dice/Cube the Chicken....Saute in a little oil..add thick slices of onion, slices of zucchini squash, and mushrooms...Continue to saute until just done..no more. Season with Curry powder....

Check out Chicken Curry recipes....

Careful with the Curry Powder you buy...Some can be very HOT!

Enjoy!

 

[Andy M.]

Chicken skillet meals are great and easy.

Cube chicken, saute with onions, garlic and mushrooms.

Add:
Rotel tomatoes
jalapeno pepper(s)
cumin

Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and serve over cooked rice.

OR

Add rice and chicken broth to the chicken and rotel, cover and simmer until the rice is done.

You can make variations on this theme by replace the things you add to the chicken.

Go for an Italian flavor by adding canned tomato, oregano and basil. Try for an Asian flavor by flavoring with ginger, garlic, oyster sauce and soy sauce.

Or add marsala wine and heavy cream to the sauteed meat and veggies.

Instead of rice serve these on noodles.

 

[vyapti]

Beans & lentils are an amazing source of nutrition and they are cheap as well. Here's a list of ideas from my blog:

Recipes with Beans:
Recipes with Lentils:
Recipes with Chickpeas:

 

[Dillbert]

for beef & pork: generally the 'higher priced' meats are the more tender cuts - cooked by dry methods / grilling - they retain the tenderness. less expensive cuts need to be cooked longer / slower / wetter to make them tender.

with the crockpot, you're well equipped to do the long/slow/wet thing. it's pretty difficult to mess things up with a slow cooker - different than a high heat fast right-now saute - if you breathe twice in a row, it's burnt type of thing.

things to try:

a beef "pot roast" - chuck is the usual candidate but any cut 'cheap' done in a crock pot will work

ribs - don't go for the expensive 'baby back' - no too much meat, high price - look for 'country style'

fish - frying is not the only way - poaching with a flavorful liquid works very well; baked / broiled also works well - dress it up with other flavors.

fish chowders - usually employ inexpensive fish sorts and are veddy tasty

pork tenderloin - don't faint! per pound it's on the expensive side - watch for sales (it freezes well) I often get it 'buy one get one free' - that makes for reasonable - typically, comes in a package of two tenderloins which is four meals for a two people crowd. (wrap them separate if freezing...)

smoked ham hocks (+ beans / lentils) - another excellent slow cooker candidate - I'd mention it's cousin "shanks" (ossabucco) but that's gotten so trendy you have to make a reservation at the butcher just to get some.....

stews - typically inexpensive cuts + vegetables. good dish for slow cookers _but_ for good taste you need to brown the meats before they go in the slow cooker. works well with 'sausage' cuts.

I'll second the motion on the beans / legumes suggestion. neat thing about them is a little bit of meat for flavoring goes a long way. I like a lamb / lentil pseudo stew dish - _one_ lamb chop - diced - browned add to lentils with onion / celery / seasoning.

 

[urmaniac13]

This recipe I found in a magazine la cucina italiana, it was basically a lamb dish but I modified it into a chicken dish (I don't eat lamb!), also added some pancetta (or bacon) for a flavour kick. It carries a fresh and unique taste, and of course very pleasant. Pretty easy and straightforward to make. IMO definitely worth a try.

Chicken with un "tocco di Marocco" (touch of Morocco)

 

[CharlieD]

The only thing that would be cheapper than chicken would be vegies. Have you though about venturing in more vegetarian cooking? Do you like the vegies? How about vegie Lasgna?

 

[bethzaring]

oven baked chicken..

you will need butter and fresh garlic for this one..

melt some butter and add some minced garlic....dredge your chicken parts in the butter/garlic goo and then dip the parts in a combo of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper..you can add some herbs to this too....place coated parts in a casserole dish, pour over any remaining butter and sprinkle on any remaining bread crumbs. Bake in oven at 350*F for one hour or more.

 

[spork]

Best way to stretch your budget, jennifer, is to start with a whole chicken. On the up side to it also is that different chicken parts will lend themselves to different preparations. You'll easily find yourself out of the chicken rut.

Since you don't mind frying, try de-boning a thigh, trimming the meat of fat and connective tissue, and fry in panko for a chicken cutlet. Tonkatsu (a plum/fruit base) sauce goes well, as does a Worchestershire based one. Serve with rice & veggies.

 

[Alix]

Cruise through this thread. Jillions of chicken recipes and most are really easy and yummy.

 

[Mrs. Cuillo]

I just made a great crockpot chicken cacciatore(sp?) but you can cook it in a baking dish in the oven as well. Just get some chicken drumsticks, pasta sauce and I used mushrooms but you can add peppers, onions, etc. Brown the chicken in some oil on the stove and throw everything in the crockpot and let it cook for 6-8 hours. Adjust the time if you cook it in the oven and I would probably cook it at 375.
I am the same way...chicken and pasta are always on my menu and my budget is very limited as well. I found thing to be both cost effective and easy to make. AND when you come home (if you do it in the crockpot) your house will smell like you've been slaving over the stove all day!

I also use simple things like different flavors of Shake and Bake...oh...search for Balsamic Soy Glazed chicken wings on here...I posted this great recipe several years ago and it's great! It smells really vinegar-y when you are reducing it but it tastes so good!! And you can use it with any cut of chicken.

 

[jennifer75]

Beans & lentils are an amazing source of nutrition and they are cheap as well. Here's a list of ideas from my blog:

Recipes with Beans:
Recipes with Lentils:
Recipes with Chickpeas:

I bought a bag of 17 bean soup....I'll be playing with that on Saturday.

 

[jennifer75]

oven baked chicken..

you will need butter and fresh garlic for this one..

melt some butter and add some minced garlic....dredge your chicken parts in the butter/garlic goo and then dip the parts in a combo of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper..you can add some herbs to this too....place coated parts in a casserole dish, pour over any remaining butter and sprinkle on any remaining bread crumbs. Bake in oven at 350*F for one hour or more.

I'm going to do this tonight...thank you! Sounds great with some cornbread!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Use ground chicken to make Cantonese Chicken Meatballs.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
a dash of 5-spice powder
1 stalk celery, minced
1 medium sized yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. all purpose flour
1 egg.
1 tbs. roasted sesame seed oil
2 tbs. Kikoman Light soy sauce

Combine all ingredients and roll into 1 inch balls. Place them into a lightly oiled pan with 3 tbs. water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove cover and saute', stirring every few minutes to lightly brown on all sides. Serve with brown rice and pineapple seet & sour sauce.

Or, combnine 1/3 cup Sriracha sauce, 1 tsp. Tobasco Sauce, and 1 tbs. Soy sauce together in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Remove the skin from four chicken thighs. Place the chicken into the marinade and cover. Place in fridge for 2 hours. Remove and bake for 30 minutes in a 350' F. oven. Serve with some good cornbread and beans.

Or, combine 1 cup flour with 2 tsp. kosher salt, 2 tbs. black pepper, 1 tsp. ground sage, 1/2 tsp each - oregano and sweet basil, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp. ground thyme. Beat an egg with 1/4 cup milk in a large bowl. Dredge chicken peices in the egg-wash, and then in the seasned flour. Shake off the extra flour. Place in 3 inches of hot oil 9360' with a candy thermometer) and fry until lightly browned. Turn and repeat. Take chicken pieces and place on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet and place into a 375' oven. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove and serve with a juicy cole slaw (not a creamy slaw for this meal).

Or...

You ahve recieved some great ideas from the folks at DC. I hope you have found some inspiration in the recipes and tips. Good luck in your quest to cook frugally and eat well.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Robo410]

use chicken (bone in for best flavor and price) and your spaghetti sauce to make a caciatore. Chicken totally changes the flavor of tomato sauce. Very nice over pasta.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I could eat chicken 3 meals a day for 10 years and not get sick of it.

 

[Andy M.]

I could eat chicken 3 meals a day for 10 years and not get sick of it.

Then what?

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Then what?

Then I would turn to page two of my all chicken cookbook and start another 10 years.

 

[jennifer75]

So you know what I did last night? I cooked a chicken thigh in butter and garlic, and lots of pepper and some salt, in a pan till it was done, and crispy. I served it with homemade country gravy on top along with a big hunk of corn bread with lots of butter and honey. It was ok. I'd like to find a recipe similar to this, mine seemed to be missing something. I wonder if there's a casserole with country gravy included...?