Most people are accustomed to purchasing their favorite cuts of chicken. So, what can you do with a whole chicken? We're looking at how to use a whole chicken so that you can make it last longer by using it for multiple meals. Plus, we've snuck in some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your chicken!
How to Cook an Entire Chicken
You can use many cooking methods to cook an entire chicken, such as adding it to a slow cooker, letting it do its thing in the Instant Pot, braising it, baking it in a Dutch oven, or even deep frying an entire bird. Chicken is truly one of the most versatile proteins.
The most common way of cooking it is to roast chicken since it's easy and efficient. We recommend using a roasting pan to ensure that the chicken is cooked evenly throughout.
Season the chicken with fresh herbs, like rosemary or thyme, kosher salt, and pepper. Then, add citrus (sliced lemons, oranges, etc.) inside the cavity to help it stay moist in the oven. It takes about 1-2 hours (depending on the size of the chicken) to cook fully.
Then, you can take the cooked chicken/leftover chicken and turn it into a myriad of recipes, from chicken salad to chicken pot pie, chicken tacos, and even chicken chili.
Pro Tip: Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes once it's taken out of the oven. This lets the juices redistribute throughout the chicken, ensuring a juicy slice once it's ready.
What Parts are Best for Which Dishes?
Now that your whole chicken is cooked, you may wonder which recipes work best with which parts. This is important, as using the wrong cut may yield a dry chicken dish you won't want to eat.
Chicken Breasts
Chicken breast meat, the leanest section, is great for dishes such as stir-fries, soups, salads, and savory pies (like chicken pot pie). You can toss it into your recipes with or without its skin, depending on your preference. The chicken breast is the part highest in protein, lowest in fat, and lowest in cholesterol compared to the other parts.
Wings
If you've already cooked your wings, you can add a delicious BBQ sauce and serve them alongside veggies and roasted potatoes. However, if you've separated the chicken while raw, you can marinate the wings and grill, BBQ, or roast them. Or, try frying the chicken wings and turning them into dishes like Korean twice fried chicken.
Thighs
Chicken thighs are great for recipes that cook longer, as they have more fat than chicken breast so they're less likely to dry out. For example, thighs are great for paella, a rice dish requiring a longer cooking time. Like most of the other cuts of chicken, you can enjoy thighs with or without skin.
Pro Tip: For that crispy, savory chicken skin, make sure to pat the skin dry with paper towels and coat it with olive oil or butter to bring out that umami taste.
They're also excellent for kabobs, tacos, pulled pork, and fried chicken. If you've already cooked the thighs, you can add them to recipes in the last few minutes, so they aren't overcooked.
Drumsticks
Drumsticks are similar to thighs; they're great for many recipes and are considered dark meat. They also have a ton of flavor. Drumsticks are great in chicken soup, rice recipes, ethnic dishes (like chicken tandoor or chicken biryani), etc.
Legs
If you want to skip the extra step of separating the drumstick from the thigh of whole chickens, you can leave them connected. Then, use the legs to create grilled, roasted, or stewed recipes. Leaving the drumsticks and thighs connected can even help you create an aesthetic dish, especially when displayed on a large platter.
Pro Tip: The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 or above. Dark meat is recommended to have an internal temperature of 170-175. We recommend using an instant-read thermometer to ensure that your chicken is cooked to the proper temperature.
How to Properly Thaw a Chicken
Perhaps you haven't had time to cook a whole chicken yet, so you've frozen it. If that's the case, properly defrosting the chicken is key to avoiding any food-related illnesses. You can use a few different methods for thawing, letting it defrost in the fridge, using the cold water bath method, or warming it slowly in the microwave.
Defrosting Chicken in a Fridge
By far the easiest method of thawing, keeping the whole frozen chicken in the fridge only requires a few steps. You'll want to place the entire bird on a large plate to catch any juices or liquids which may come out while thawing. Also, store it on the bottom shelf so it cannot drip on other food items. The chicken will take about a full day to thaw with this method, so plan accordingly.
If you defrost chicken with this method, you can store the uncooked chicken for 1-2 days in the fridge before cooking it.
Thawing Chicken in the Microwave
It is possible to thaw chicken in the microwave safely. Simply use the defrost setting in your microwave with the appropriate weight and allow it to thaw the chicken. This is the quickest method, but you'll need to cook the chicken immediately after since the microwave heats chicken to about 40F.
Using a Cold Water Bath
If you have a few hours to spare, you can use the water bath method. It only requires a few steps. First, put the entire chicken in an airtight + leakproof bag to help prevent any bacteria from getting in or out. Then, set up a large bowl with cold water (a kitchen sink also works well!) and submerge the chicken for 2-3 hours. Ensure you swap out the water every 30 minutes, so the chicken thaws properly.
Tips and Tricks
Use a whole chicken for meal prep.
One of the easiest ways to make a whole chicken last during the week is by using it for meal prep. You can cut the breasts, wings, thighs, and drumsticks off and pack them for separate meals. Or, turn the entire bird into shredded chicken.
Make chicken broth from the bones.
Once you've removed the meat from the whole bird, you can use the carcass to make homemade chicken stock. Add the spices/herbs of choice and vegetables like carrots and onions to make broth. Remove the bones and bay leaves (if used). Then, you can freeze the stock in batches to create other recipes later, like chicken soup, rice, pasta, etc.
With the above recipe ideas and ways to use a whole chicken, you can more easily include poultry ingredients in your grocery list without breaking the bank. Next time you're at the store, consider skipping the package of chicken wings and going straight for the whole bird.
Try out our One-Pan Lemon and Dill Roasted Chicken Thighs recipe!
Hungry for more chicken recipes? Check out our recipe finder, which features options for appetizers, entrees, desserts, snacks, and more!
