From the Farm Kitchen: One Pastured Chicken = Two Home Cooked Healthy Meals

From the Farm Kitchen

One Chicken – Two Meals

      Like so many of you, health is a priority, for our families and also for our land and livestock (which also includes our bees). Its why we drink mead, its why we eat raw honey and its why we feed our families locally raised and grown meats, vegetables, preserves and breads.

    Pastured Chicken is not only tasty, and raised the way nature intended, it is very economical if used to its full potential, making more meal than one.   This recipe brings together several of our Backed By Bees favorites into two meals: Roasted Chicken and Strawberry Vinaigrette Greens and Homemade Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Real Chicken Broth.  

Total Costs (based on average cost):

Mabel May Farms Chicken: $20.90

Backed By Bees Raw Honey: $0.25

Weathered Rock FarmsGarlic: $1.00

Ontario Carrots: $1.00

Ontario Celery: $1.00

Ontario Onions: $1.00

Mixed Greens: $3.00 (local in season)

Harvest Goodies Strawberry Vinaigrette: $1.50

Ontario Sweet Potato: $2.50

Ontario Grass- Fed Butter - $0.75

Total: $32.90  (2-4 people, 2-3 meals each)

 

Roasted Chicken and Strawberry Vinaigrette Greens

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients

Mabel May Farms Pastured Chicken – 3 to 6 lbs whole (we used a 3.8 lb chicken)

(0.5 lbs cooked meat/ person – account for 1.5 lbs of bones when calculating the size you need for your family, for this recipe bigger is better)

Backed By Bees Raw Honey – 1 Tbsp

Weathered Rock Farms - 2 Large Cloves Garlic Chopped

Visual Step by Step 

Directions

• Heat Oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Chop Garlic and Mix with 1 tbsp of Raw Honey 
• Place Raw Chicken in Roasting Pan and rub with garlic and honey, slip some of the mixture between the skin and the breast meat.
• Add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan
• Cook with aluminum foil on or roasting lid for 20 minutes per lb plus 15 minutes (using thermometer on inner thigh (not touching the bone) 165 Fahrenheit). * Note, some ovens may run hot or cool, adjust accordingly ensuring that the chicken is fully cooked.
• Remove foil when 30 minutes left to cook to crisp the skin.
• Mix greens (various lettuces) with Harvest Goodies Strawberry Vinaigrette
• Plate and Serve (Keep the Carcass and Extra Meat for the next meal)

 

Homemade Chicken Broth

    Homemade Chicken broth is not only great in soup, it makes a delicious drink. Packed full of nutrients and collagen, bone broth is a super food, when it comes from pastured chicken. To learn more about how bone broth impacts the body click here.

 

Ingredients

• Picked Carcass
• Vegetable Scraps (You can put any veggies you like)
• Water

Visual Step By Step 

Directions

• Pick the carcass of as much meat as possible and reserve for soup in the fridge.
• Place carcass in crock pot
• Add water to rim of crock pot
• Set to Low for 12+ hours
• Separate out liquids using a mesh colander
• Using a funnel scoop broth into mason jars of containers
• Refrigerate for up to 1 week or set aside to make chicken and vegetable soup.
• Compost the carcass and vegetables for easy clean up.

To make the broth extra healthy – add a tsp of turmeric.

 

Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Homemade Broth

     This recipe is gluten free and full of whole ingredients! Love Bread? This soup is great paired with Manor House Farms Sourdough Bread!

Ingredients 

• 4 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 4 celery stalks (chopped)
• 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• +/- 2 L of Chicken Broth 
• 1 tbsp grass-fed butter or cold pressed sunflower or olive oil

Visual Step By Step 

Directions 

• In a soup pan on low sauté the vegetables in butte, until onions are soft
• Add in the chicken pieces and chicken broth (+/- 2 L) (covering the vegetables)
• Bring to a Boil and Turn to Low – Simmer for 1 – 2 hours until vegetables are soft
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy our take on stretching one chicken into two meals!

On our next recipe blog, Mead Braised Lamb Shanks!