Posted in - Poultry, Budget Friendly

Money Saving Mondays: Apple and Cheddar Chicken Breasts

Apple and Cheddar Chicken Breasts

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Serves 4

3 T butter – $.25
2 cloves garlic, chopped – $.10
1/2 medium onion, chopped – $0.50
2 medium apples (any kind), cored and diced – $1.00
about 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped – $1.00
salt and freshly-ground black pepper – $.10
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – $3.00
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese – $1.50

Grand Total – $7.45
Cost Per Serving – $1.86

Prep Day: Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large, frying pan (cast iron works well) over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and apple. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown. Stir in sage and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a plate. Spread out on the plate and place in the refrigerator to cool for 5 minutes.

While mixture cools, place a chicken breast between 2 pieces of wax paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten chicken to about 1/2” thick. Repeat with the second chicken breast.

To assemble the chicken, spread half of the apple mixture and half of the cheddar on one half of a chicken breast. Roll up from the filled end, securing with toothpicks. Repeat with the second chicken breast and remaining apple mixture. Flash freeze on a parchment lined baking tray. Once frozen label freezer bag, bag, and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Heat the remaining butter over medium heat in a frying pan and place stuffed chicken breasts, seam-side down, in the hot butter. Cook chicken breasts for 7-8 minutes on each side (be gentle when you flip them), until golden-brown. Transfer pan to the pre-heated oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is fully-cooked. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing in half and serving.

Posted in - Poultry, Budget Friendly

Money Saving Mondays: Asian Marinated Baked Chicken

Asian Marinated Baked Chicken

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Serves 6

1/2 cup soy sauce – $1.51
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar – $.11
3 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (from 1 [3- to 4-inch] piece) – $.99
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (from about 5 medium cloves) – $.50
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil – $.17
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper – $.01
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts, or a combination of all three – $8.49

Total Cost – $11.78
Cost Per Serving – $1.96

Prep Day: Place everything in a bowl expect chicken and whisk. Place chicken in gallon freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken in bag. Squish around and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Place everything except the chicken in a 13-by-9-inch broiler-proof baking dish. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 475°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Turn all the chicken pieces skin-side up in the dish (if you’re using drumsticks, just turn to recoat them in the marinade). Bake until the chicken is starting to turn a dark brown color, about 40 minutes. Set the oven to broil and broil until the chicken skin is crisped, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Posted in - Poultry, Budget Friendly

Money Saving Mondays: Greek Chicken

Greek Chicken

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1 cup plain yogurt – $0.63
2 Tbsp olive oil – $0.32
4 cloves garlic, minced – $0.32
½ Tbsp dried oregano – $0.08
1 medium lemon – $0.49
½ tsp salt $0.02
freshly cracked pepper – $0.05
¼ bunch fresh parsley – $0.20
3½ to 4 lbs chicken pieces – $6.86

Grand Total: $8.97
Cost Per Serving: $1.12

Prep Day: To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon skin into the bowl.

Also add the juice from half of the lemon. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Roughly chop a big handful, or about ¼ bunch, of parsley and stir it into the marinade.

Add the chicken pieces and marinade to a gallon sized zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible, close the bag tightly, and massage the bag to mix the contents and make sure the chicken is well coated. Freeze at this point.

Serving Day: Thaw. Cook the chicken on a grill or preheat the oven to 375 degrees in preparation to bake the chicken.

To bake the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish (9×13). Bake the chicken in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.