Inflation
Having to cope with the on going inflation crisis can seem very daunting for a family and individual alike. Isn’t it enough for us to have all the typical woes and expenses that every person has to deal with?Now the added pressure of raising a family among extremely high gas prices and housing just to name a few, the future can seem ominious. We also have to deal with formula shortages and the astronimical cost of food! Food insecurity is a real issue in the world and US alike, but seems to hit me every time I read about the obesity numbers and it seems like such a paradox. What an oxy moron! But I digress.
Feeding The Family
Having to worry about feeding the little mouths that the universe had entrusted to us is a very real task. When egg prices are the highest we have seen in recent years it can seem very disconcerting. According to the Food Institute the Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu has taken out so many birds that we will be seeing inflation with eggs and other poultry that may continue on to the end of 2022 and beyond.
When the forecast looks like this, we can panic, but don’t worry, I will let you on in a little secret that I use for my little darlings. I stretch what we have in order to save money for the here and now, and future endeavors. Every little thing can be used including bones and vegetable scraps.As the old saying goes : waste not want not.
Organic or Not
When I make my shredded chicken and rice dinner plate I use a whole organic chicken. Now if you don’t have access to organic that s fine. We are not trying to be to pretentious as some may accuse me of. We are simply trying to feed our families! So buy the biggest chicken money can buy. This may seem counter productive but its not. You will be able to use the chicken for several meals and make your money work for you. Organic has bettter health properties especially when you are cooking the bones for a broth but we all must do what we can with what we have.
Cooking Methods
I like to cook this in my Instant Pot because it is so fast and infuses whatever seasoning you use into it perfectly. I also tend to take frozen meat out of the freezer in an untimely fashion and need to make sure that I get dinner on the table as soon as I can. A whole frozen chicken can be cooked in an Instant Pot with more added time. If you don’t have an Instant pot you can also use a grill which will result in a much more flavorful meal, but you need to have the chicken defrosted fully to ensure even cooking. Or simply using an oven to roast the whole bird can do the trick as well.
Spices
If planning to use the meat for more than one meal I tend to use simple seasonings like salt and pepper. Even still, I like to add various spices and blends of spices can make any bland meal feel like a special occasion even if you are having similar ingredients the next day. Check out this website where spice blends are combined and can be purchased and delivered directly to you.
Veggies
Vegetables add tons of flavor and can round out a meal. I like to add whole onions, poblano peppers, and garlic to my chicken. Wash the veggies throughly and peel the skins and cut the stems. But when you do be sure to save the scraps in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Add to it when ever you get the chance and soon you will have enough scraps to create a deliciously flavorful broth that can be used for any meal or as a meal itself!
I personally love to add broths to my presoaked rice; soak for about an hour or overnight to remove the starch and impurites. Any rice will do I chose long grain white rice because I always have a large bag on hand.
Toppings
Seriously add whatever toppings you like to this dish. My darling husband dosent like olives as pictured but he sure dose like the pickled onions! Take or leave what you like and elevate this dish with a dash of hot sauce if your heart desires.
Cheap Shredded Chicken and Rice Dinner
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker Optional
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken Defrosted
- 1 Whole Onion White
- 1 Carrot Roughly chopped
- 1 Poblano Pepper Chopped
- 1 Whole Garlic Cut in half
- Salt, Pepper To taste
- 1 Cup Water
Instructions
- Wash and clean chicken. Pat dry with a paper towel and place in trivet. Add one cup of water and aforementioned veggies. Place lid and move knob to seal.
- Using the manual setting, cook chicken for 5 to 6lbs for an hour adding 20 minutes per pound thereafter. Once the time has expired, check chicken has an internal temperature of 165 ° F to ensure doneness.
- Let chicken cool for 10 to 15 minutes then shred setting the bones aside for broth. Enjoy!
