Everything you ever wanted to know about chicken.
Chicken is one of the most inexpensive meats about now. Some chickens are cleaner than others. Local chickens are best. Some southern chicken companies have received permission from the FDA to send the chickens to China for processing,
Never buy a chicken that is less than three pounds. That is the break even point where there is as much bone weight as there is chicken weight. In other words, the bigger the weight, the more chicken you are getting for your money. Most deli whole roasted chickens are three pounds or under. Do the math, you are paying far more per pound than buying a raw chicken on sale, Chicken can be purchased for as low as .88 a pound here.
There are easy, very efficient ways to cook a whole chicken. (Later) . The least expensive to get boneless, skinless breast is to buy mega packs of split chicken breast with ribs. Cut the ribs off and simmer them with water and some herbs. You can then have chicken stock and pick the meat from the bones for taco meat, chicken salad, a casserole or enchiladas. I get almost a quart of meat of meat from six large split breasts. That represents two meals. I individually bag the breasts and out them in a gallon bag and label and date. This doesn't take long and the .87-1.28 a pound is a lot less expensive than the eight dollars a pound that boneless, skinless chicken breast can cost. Same brand, less money.
Chicken breast can be cooked from frozen in the insta pot in 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the breast. Always disinfect all surfaces that touch raw meat of any kind for food safety. Some people wear gloves. Thawed chicken breast can be poached in the microwave.
A whole chicken can make four meals for the proverbial family of four : 2 half chicken breasts, one from the dark meat and chicken soup from the bones. Remember your goal here is to provide the RDA of protein for the day. When you are using a smaller amount for a casserole or tacos etc, you are also adding cheese or beans to supplement. This is key to keeping a very low price point for your meals.
It is cheaper and more efficient to buy meats in bulk and buy enough to feed your family for a month of that meat choice. In other words, if you have pork once a week, you would buy enough for four meals. If you buy a different meat or protein each week in a four to six week rotation, you will hit a sale price at least once during that time frame. Keeping quantities at a four to six week level keeps your meat fresh. Some people rotate, chicken breast or whole chicken, Pork loin, hamburger, cheese, brand and rice, and bagged fish or canned tuna or salmon. Keeping your bulk purchases to a four to six week supply means unless you have a large family, you should be able to keep it in a regular fridge freezer.
