Roasting a whole chicken might seem daunting, but it is actually quite simple. This is a basic kitchen skill that everyone should have. Not only is it a wonderful kitchen project, but a roasted chicken will feed a family and fill your house with delicious aromas. Read on for the perfect chicken recipe and ideas for eating any leftovers.

Let’s admit it, a store-bought rotisserie chicken has nothing on a home-roasted bird, fresh from the oven, with crackling skin. Master this simple skill with our Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe and you’ll always have a ready meal. Plus, you can think of it as practice for Thanksgiving.

Pro tip: Once you have the oven heated up, you may as well roast two chickens at once to save time and feed the family for a few days.

Roasted Chicken – A Week of Meals

The ways you can enjoy leftover chicken are countless. Pick the meat off the bones, and the world is your oyster. Here are just a handful of ideas:

• Add chicken for more protein in your spinach and feta frittata.
• Stuff a quesadilla or grilled sandwich with leftover chicken and roasted red peppers.
• Make a chicken caesar tortilla wrap (extra points for making your own dressing).
• Combine shredded chicken with mayonnaise and chopped celery, and serve on crackers for a snack.
• Sauté broccoli and garlic and toss with chicken and cooked pasta for a quick dinner.
• Add chicken to a homemade soup, along with any other veggies you might have in your fridge.
• Grind the cooked chicken finely in a food processor along with onions and spices. Use as a filling for chicken enchiladas.
• Brush barbeque sauce on pita bread and top with chicken, cilantro and smoked cheddar cheese. Bake until hot and melted for a BBQ chicken pizza.
• Add to a big green salad to turn it into a complete meal.

Save the Bones to Make Chicken Stock

Don’t throw out those bones! Roasted chicken bones make a great base for homemade stock. Read our blog post for the whole process, or read the primer below.

Combine all bones with celery, carrot, onion, fresh thyme and parsley, black peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer. Skim off any scum that floats to the top. Simmer for 4-6 hours. Strain. Keep the stock in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Use the stock to make soup or sauces. Give grains (like rice, couscous or quinoa) extra flavor by cooking them in homemade stock.

How do you like to cook your chicken? And what are your favorite ways to eat the leftovers?

Order whole chickens – we offer organic and our signature Green Circle chicken – at dartagnan.com.  Explore our other chicken recipes. 

Since 1985, D’Artagnan has been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement, producing superior tasting products by partnering with small ranches and farms. We are committed to free-range, natural production, sustainable and humane farming practices and no use of antibiotics or hormones. That’s why D’Artagnan products have been revered by America’s most renowned chefs for over 30 years. We offer the same high-quality products to home cooks at dartagnan.com, along with recipes and guides to help you live the tasty life.

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