1-Whole Chicken 3-Meals; Greek chicken lettuce wraps, Moroccan chicken rolls and Italian chicken soup, just makes delicious sense for frugal times.
Whole Chicken Meal Prep For Three Mediterranean Meals
Early in the week, meal prep time is one of the most valuable usages of time for a busy week.
In my recipes for Chicken Three Ways, we will infuse lots of flavor into a whole chicken, and then use all the meat to create three outstanding recipes.
- Moroccan Chicken Roll – Steeped in tradition this Moroccan chicken pie known as Bastilla (or Pastilla), with layers of chicken, eggs, almonds and spices, is made simply into a finger-food Tapas chicken roll.
- Greek Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap – Everyone’s favorite Greek salad, with herb simmered chicken chunks, served in a lettuce wrap and perhaps a side order of Oven Roasted Potato Fries!
- Hearty Italian Chicken Soup – Homemade chicken stock, large chunks of chicken and the favored flavors in Italian cuisine, simmered into a hearty soup with pasta.
One Whole Chicken Has Enough Meat For Three Meals
Once the chicken is cooked, and flavor infused with herbs and lemon, the chicken is portioned out for each of these dinners.
As you can see below, specific parts of the whole chicken meat, have been portioned out for the three individual meals.
Chicken Breast For One Meal
For the Italian soup, we set aside some nice chunks of breast meat, which will pair deliciously with the veggies and pasta in the soup.
If you are not short of time, perhaps you will want to make the egg pasta or a loaf of homemade Rosemary Olive Bread.
Definitely a Mediterranean meal to remember, and will elevate a simple soup into a gourmet dinner.
Dark Chicken Meat For The Second Meal
The dark meat of the chicken is going to be set aside for the Greek lettuce wraps, so that there is a little more fat and flavor in the healthy lettuce wraps.
You will definitely be satisfied with the abundance of familiar Greek flavors in this meal.
However, by all means toss some Rosemary Dusted Potatoes in the oven to serve with the wraps.
Shredded Chicken Meat For The Third Meal
A traditional Moroccan dish called Bastilla, is what we will make with the shredded meat, odds and ends and any remaining scraps from the chicken.
Don’t forget to pull out those little slivers of meat inside the wings. They are full of flavor, as they have cooked close to the bone and under the fat of the skin.
Bastilla is a mix of crushed almonds, eggs, lots of garlic and chicken, rolled inside of phyllo dough and baked to crunchy perfection.
3-Meals Depending On How 1-Chicken Is Cooked
The recipe here is simple, and is infused with lots of fresh herbs and ingredients; but you can swap out any ingredient you would prefer, or add some of your own favorites.
In a large pot, on top of the stove, the chicken will get simmered for 1-hour in herbs and lemons.
The broth, from cooking the chicken, will make for a fantastic Italian chicken soup.
When you are ready to make the soup, nearly all the work is done, simply put it all together and serve the meal.
One Chicken Three Ways
Once the chicken is cooked and divided into 3 separate portions, particular for the individual dishes, the 3 meals come together easily for 3 spectacular dishes.
A little more than half of one breast and the meat from the wings get shredded into pieces that become easy to roll in the pastry of the Moroccan roll.
The other half breast and parts from the back are cut into bite size pieces, making for a hearty Italian soup with an equal sized pasta.
The thigh and the leg meat is cubed and set aside for the Greek lettuce wraps. Everyone knows the thigh and leg meat have more fat and so it pairs beautifully with the lighter flavors that go into the lettuce wrap.
I love a flavor rich broth, so of course, it becomes the broth for the Italian soup, with some leftover for another soup, gravy or sauce. Practical, isn’t it!
Ingredients Needed
- Whole chicken
- Onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Salt
- Peppercorns
- Fresh Herbs
- Water
Equipment Needed
- Large stock pot – a favorite pot for cooking a large chicken, stews or soups, is this cast iron 7-quart Dutch oven with a lid.
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Cooking twine
- Measuring spoons
- Slotted spoon
- Stovetop or burner
1-Whole Chicken 3-Meals
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or Large Stock Pot with Lid
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 1 Large Onion cut into cubes
- 4 Celery stalks leaves included
- 2 Garlic cloves sliced
- 1 Lemon juice and rind
- 2 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Peppercorns
- Herbs – Oregano, Rosemary and Sage tied in a bundle
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with water, halfway, with lid, and place on high heat to bring to a boil.Once the water has begun to boil, add all the ingredients, taking care to lower the chicken without the water rising over the edges. Cover. Bring to a slow boil, and lower to a simmer. Simmer for one hour. Cool completely.
- Once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the broth. It is easiest to separate the chicken parts when the meat is room temperature, rather than hot, or cold from the fridge.
- Remove all other ingredients from the broth and save the broth for the Italian Chicken Soup.
- Separate the chicken into three piles: 1 ½ breast meat shredded for , both thighs and legs, cubed for , ½ breast and any remaining scraps for.
- 1 ½ breast meat shredded for Moroccan Chicken Rolls.
- Both thighs and legs, cubed for Greek Chicken Salad Wraps.
- 1/2 breast meat and any remaining scraps for Hearty Italian Chicken Soup.
- Your chicken for three separate meals is now ready to assemble. Be sure to try each of our chicken recipes. Something for everyone!
Video
Notes
- All herbs have their own oils within them which carry, not only health properties, but also the greatest amount of flavor. Freshly picked is best, even if you can manage a small windowsill herb pot in the winter, a summer garden (ground planted or deck pots) or herbs from the market still in hydro-roots or dirt.
- Once the meat is cooked, and separated into appropriate recipe stacks, each can be frozen until ready to cook, if need be.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.