Day #6- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Pasta and Chicken Alfredo

This is a very quick, simple and tasty meal

Pasta and Chicken Alfredo

1 Box Pasta

1 Cup Already Cooked Shredded Chicken

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce 

Cook your pasta to your liking, strain and place back in pan.

Mix Shredded Chicken and entire jar Alfredo Sauce in a bowl and heat until warmed through.

Mix Chicken/Alfredo combo into pasta and enjoy!

Cost of Meal:

 

1 Box Pasta: FREE (with sale and Coupons)

1 Cup Already Cooked Shredded Chicken: $1.20 

(from chicken stretchhhhh earlier)

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce: $1/jar (with Sale and Coupons)

Total Cost of Meal: $2.20

Total Cost for family of 4 with leftovers: $.55

 

Day #5- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a GREAT recipe for when you, your family, your friends, your neighbors....... are sick or.....just to enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Cup Shredded Chicken

2 Quarts Chicken Broth

1/2 Package Egg Noodles

1/4 Cup Frozen Carrots   

Take your Chicken Broth (made from your chicken stretchhhhhh earlier) and add the shredded chicken and carrots.  

Bring this to a boil until carrots are tender.

Add the 1/2 Pack Egg Noodles and boil until they are soft (follow package directions)

Cost of meal:

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20 (used chicken from the chicken stretchhhh)

2 Quarts Chicken Broth: FREE 

(used chicken leftovers (chicken bones and such) and water to make this)

1/2 Package Egg Noodles: $.50 (on sale for $1/bag)

1/4 Cup Frozen Carrots: FREE 

(carrots were grown in the garden with seeds that were given to us)

Total cost of the Meal: $1.70

Cost per serving for family of 4 

(this serving is counted at 2 bowls for each person) $.43

Day #4- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Here is a quick meal that you can throw together for a sack lunch at work or school or on a lazy day at home.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 Cups Shredded Chicken

1 Cup Mayo 

(or enough to pull your ingredients together, 

do not put so much in it's runny)

1 Stalk Celery

1/4 Cup Moz or Cheddar Cheese

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread per Sandwich

Banana

Put Chicken, Mayo, Celery and Cheese in a bowl and mix.

Place on bread and make sandwich.

Serve with Banana

Cost of Meal

2 Cups Shredded Chicken: $2.40 (2 packets of chicken from earlier $1.20 each)

1 Cup Mayo (or enough to pull your ingredients together, do not put so much in it's runny): $.42

1 Stalk Celery: $.02

1/4 Cup Moz or Cheddar Cheese: $.24

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread per Sandwich: $.24 

(family of 4=8 slices of bread; I have a bread outlet where I can get a loaf of Whole wheat bread for $.59/loaf (approx 20 pcs) $.59/20*8=$.236)

4 Bananas: $.44

Total Cost of Meal: $3.76

Cost per Serving for a Family of 4: $.94

Day #3- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Broccoli Chicken Casserole

This casserole combines many of may favorite foods.  Enjoy!

 

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

 

1 Cup Shredded Chicken
2 Cups Steamed Broccoli
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup Water
1 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Slow Cooking Brown Rice (1 cup is before cooking)

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

You will need a 13x9 pan.  

 

You will need to combine the Cream of Chicken Soup with the 1/2 Cup Water and the TBSP Garlic Powder in a bowl.  

 

You will then layer the chicken on the bottom, and then follow with the broccoli, the soup mixture and then the Cheese.  You will Salt and Pepper to taste on your individual plate.

Cook this at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

Cost of Meal:

 

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20 

(use a packet from the Chicken STRETCHHHHING earlier) 

2 Cups Steamed Broccoli or approx 1/2 bag frozen:  

I use the Broccoli that I froze from my garden so FREE but if you use frozen from the store you can get it for as little as FREE/bag or $.99/bag if you watch your sales and coupons)

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup: $.36 (from store with sales and coupons) 

or $.17 (homemade)

1/2 cup Water: FREE 

1 TBSP Garlic Powder: $.01 (bought in bulk)

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: $.47

 

1 Cup Slow Cooked Brown Rice: $.33

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Total Cost of Meal: $3.36 (this is with the $.99 Broccoli and $.36 Cream of Chicken Soup, cost can be lower with different options)

 

Cost per serving for Family of 4: 

$.84/person

 

 

Day #2-How To Make Your Chicken Stretchhhhhh- Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is a family favorite and so easy...

Chicken Pot Pie

1 Package Frozen Pie Crust

1 Cup Shredded Chicken  

(use 1 of your 4 packets of chicken from your rotisserie or crock pot chicken)

1/2 Bag of Frozen Soup Mix Veggies

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup (or use homemade)

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 

Place one of the pie crusts on the bottom of your pie pan.

Mix the Shredded Chicken, 

1/2 bag of Frozen Veggies and 

the Can of Cream of Chicken Soup in a bowl. 

Dump the Mix into the bottom of the pie pan (on top of crust) 

and cover with the 1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese.

Cover this mix with the 2nd pie crust, seal edges and 

then cook according to package directions. 

Cost Break Down:

1 Package Frozen Pie Crust: $2.00 (on sale with coupon)

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20  

1/2 Bag of Frozen Soup Mix Veggies: $.50

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup: 

$.36 (on sale with coupons) or $.17 (homemade)

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese: $.24 

Total Cost of Meal:   

$4.30 with Store Cream of Soup 

or $4.11 with Homemade Cream of Soup

For My Family of 4 eat 2 large pieces each that is $1.08 or $1.03 per person depending on what you use again for the Cream of Chicken Soup.

How To Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHHHH!!!!

This week I will be touching on how you can make a rotisserie sized chicken STRETCHHHH to use in a least 5 different meals.

The rest of the week will be devoted to recipes in which you can use that chicken.

Enjoy and feel free to holler if you have any questions!  

  

Taco Chicken Bake

Sorry this picture is a bit blurry...

Taco Chicken Bake

Ingredients

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $.77 (1/4 of crock pot chicken)

2 Cups Brown Rice (can use white if you choose): $.40

1/2 Jar Tomato Sauce (I used pasta sauce and it was fine): $.75

1/2 Jar Black Beans (froze and saved rest for later):  $.35

1 Cup Shredded Cheese (any flavor): $.84

1 Handful Crushed Tort Chips: $.30

Total Cost for Meal: $3.41 (4 servings= $.85 each)

I have been looking for new fun and inexpensive ideas for dinner and this jumped out at me.

I started out by making a slow cooker chicken

 (visit here to learn how to stretch this for more than one meal).

Not so pretty but LOTS OF MEAT there!

I took all the meat I could off of the bird and then started my broth for another meal.

The last hour that the Chicken cooked I started a pot of Brown Rice on the stove.

 I made 4 meals worth of servings of rice so I could vacuum seal 

and freeze for other meals (1 cooking session=4 meals :))

I then took 1 cup of rice and spread it on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  

On top of that I added my 1 cup of shredded chicken.

Next I added my 1/2 Jar of Pasta Sauce (any tomato sauce is fine I just had this in stock)

Topped the Pasta Sauce with Black Beans (can omit if you don't like beans)

Put the remaining 1 cup of rice on top of the black beans and then sprinkled Cheese on top.

I then threw this in the oven at 350 for 30 min (until cheese is melted).

 I then crushed up the Tortilla Chips and put them on top of the "Bake".

You can serve this with salsa or sour cream if you wish.

Grilled Chicken, Asparagus, Potatoes and Mushrooms

When the weather was sooooo beautiful last week I decided to make our entire dinner on the grill.

We had Potatoes, Mushrooms, Asparagus and 

Chicken Drumsticks handy so that is what we had.

I used Season Salt and Garlic Powder to season the Chicken and then cooked until done on the grill.

For the Potatoes I put a pat of butter at the bottom of a chunk of aluminum foil and then placed a clean potato on top (cut a slit at the top of potato also)  then wrapped in foil and put on grill for 45 min until done.

The Mushrooms and Asparagus where easy! :)

In separate aluminum foil packets I put butter, the veggie of choice and salt and pepper.  I wrapped the veggie up and put on the grill for approx 5-7 min until done.

I served this up outside on our patio table and we had a wonderful grilled dinner under wonderful blue sky....it was AMAZING!  

Oh how I can't wait for warmer months!

Cost of Meal:

Chicken Drumsticks: $2.25 (6 drumsticks)

Potatoes: $.23 (4 potatoes)

Asparagus: $.49 (4 servings)

Mushrooms: $.50 (4 servings)

Butter: $.50

Cheese & Spices: $.25 (enough for 4 servings)

Total Cost of Meal: 

$4.22 ($1.06/serving)

Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

What?????

Homemade What????

I know I got the same reaction from my dearest hubby when he heard what I was up to when he got home from work on Thursday.

I know it's weird but I wanted to make something for dinner and didn't have any Cream of Chicken Soup.  So I thought....I have the internet there has to be a recipe there somewhere....guess what?  

I WAS RIGHT!!!

(I did teak this recipe to be something that my family will eat (some of them are picky))

To make your own you need the following (will make about 3 cups which is about 2 cans):

1 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth: FREE (canned earlier)

1/4 teaspoon onion powder: $.01

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder: $.01

1/8 teaspoon black pepper: $.01

Salt to taste: $.01

A pinch of Paprika: Basically FREE

1 1/2 cups milk: $.20

3/4 cups flour: $.10

I first boiled my chicken broth (boiled my broth that I had canned this summer) with the spices (all of them) and 1/2 cup milk.  After this had boiled about 2 min, I whisked in  the mixture of the remaining milk (1 cup) and flour (make sure to whisk them together in a separate bowl before adding to your chick broth mixture).  Then I kept whisking until the mixture boiled and then thickened.  I then let it cool, used 1/2 for the recipe I was making and put the other 1/2 in a glass jar with a lid and stuck it in the refrigerator to use later this week.  

I was SUPER excited when this was complete because I knew what was in what I made and it was SOOOOO EASY 

and it was only $.34 to make the 

equivalent of 2 cans of store bought 

(last time I got on sale with coupons it was $.36/can so I save essentially $.38)

Teriyaki Chicken

This is a meal that you can throw together and freeze so it's already marinated when it's time for dinner.

You need 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders, 1 bottle of teriyaki sauce and a Freezer Gallon Sized Bag.

You will put the chicken and teriyaki sauce in the bag and freeze it flat.  Make sure to label the bag with the contents and the date that it was done.  Also, put cooking directions on the bag.  

To serve this dish you need to: Thaw in the refrigerator over night and then bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees uncovered 20-30 min.  Flip the chicken and then cook 20-30 min longer until chicken is done.

Serve with White or Brown Rice. (2 Cups)

Cost of Meal:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders: $2.67

1 Bottle of Teriyaki Sauce: $1.88

1 Freezer Bag: $.11

2 Cups Rice: $.74

Total Cost of Meal: $5.40 ($1.35/person (serving 4))

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

Cranberry Chicken in the Slow Cooker is a super easy super affordable meal.

I started with 4 Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Breasts. I put them in the Slow Cooker and covered with the Garlic and Peppercorn mix, Season Salt and Chopped Onions.

I then added 1 Can of Whole Cranberries and 1 small bottle of Catalina salad dressing.

I then cooked this for 5 hours on low until chicken was done.

I then served this with a baked potato and the meal was done.

Cost of Meal:

4 Large Chicken Breasts (3 lbs @ $.79/lb)= $2.25

1 Can Whole Cranberries= $.45 (one sale with coupons)

1 Sm Bottle of Catalina Dressing= $1.88

Sprinkles of Seasonings=$.15

4 Baking Potatoes (10lb bag for $2.08= $.07 each)= $.30 total

2 TBSP Sour Cream= $.10

1/4 Cup Moz Cheese=$.24

Total Cost for Meal: $5.37 (that is 4 servings at $1.34 per serving)

In our house each adult ate 1 breast and the children split a 3rd so there were was one left for later :)

Chicken Burritos

Tonight I made Chicken Burritos.

I used 2 of the chicken bags that I had frozen earlier (see link) from my rotisserie chicken that I had broken up and frozen earlier.  I put that in a skillet (after defrosting) with 1 Tablespoon of Taco Seasoning.  I warmed that until heated through.  

I then put the chicken in tortillas put in casserole dishes and covered with cheese.  I then cooked that at 450 for 10 min (until cheese is melted). 

 I then served this with lettuce, salsa and sour cream.

Meal Break Down:

Soft Tortillas (10 pk): $.99 ($.79 for 8)

2 pkgs of Chicken from previous Rotisserie: $1.20 ea= $2.40 total

Taco Seasoning (1 Tbsp): $.05

4 oz Shredded Cheese: $.94

3 tsp Sour Cream: $.15

1 tsp Salsa: FREE (jar was free with sales and coupons)

2 leafs of Lettuce from head of lettuce earlier: $.01

Total for Meal: $4.34 ($1.09/person)

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Dinner with Pie for 7

Tonight was my first night cooking for 7.  To be honest I was super nervous that there wouldn't be enough food but it all worked!

We had BBQ Chicken, Oven Baked Potato Slices, Green Beans, Salad and Blackberry Pie with Ice Cream.

First I took 14 Chicken Drumsticks and put them in a Large Slow Cooker sprinkled with a Crushed peppercorn and Garlic Rub and Seasoned Salt, covered with 1 Large Bottle of BBQ Sauce and what I had left of a Small Bottle of BBQ Sauce, and 1/2 large bottle water.  I then cooked this on low for 10 hours.

I served these with Oven Roasted Potato Wedges.  I cut up potatoes into 8 pcs covered them with olive oil and then sprinkled them with the same seasonings that I used on the chicken.  I then cooked at 425 for 30 min.

  I then threw a couple of bags of frozen green beans in the microwave 

and cut up a head of lettuce and grated a few carrots into that.

To finish the meal I baked a Blackberry Pie and served with Ice Cream.

Total Cost of Meal:

1 Family Pack of Chicken Drumsticks: $5.25

11/2 Bottles of BBQ Sauce: $.24 (on sale with coupons)

Seasonings (total for meal): $.10

Head of Lettuce: $.25 (on sale)

2 Baby Carrots: $.02

2 Bags of Frozen Green Beans: $2.00

1/2- 5lb bag of Potatoes: $1.25

Olive Oil: FREE (with Sale and Coupon)

Pie Crust: $1.50 (on sale with coupon)

Black Berries (3 packs @ $.50): $1.50

1/2 Cup Sugar: $.25

1/2 Cup Flour: $.15

Ice Cream (from large tub that has been used a million times...maybe not a million but you get my drift :) ): $.50

Total Cost for Meal: $13.01 ($1.89/person)