If you need easy weekday meal ideas or just love chicken, here is a Simple Whole Roasted Chicken recipe that is done in less than 2 hours. You can plan out 3-4 easy meals for the week that will keep everyone full and satisfied.
I love to cook but meal planning is not my favorite thing to do...and then I kick myself for not planning ahead. So, I often buy a whole chicken at the store knowing that I will get 3-4 meals from it for the week. These recipes are for 2 adults and maybe one small child (like our toddler). Otherwise, you can probably get 2-3 meals for a family of 4. Regardless, these are some quick and easy recipes you can use even if you don't roast the chicken yourself...meaning buy it already roasted at the store and dinner is done!
But, if you are feeling like a chef, here are some ideas of how to roast a whole chicken from scratch and use the entire thing for your meals for the week:
1. Whole Roasted Chicken 2. Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (and a quick stock recipe) 3. Chicken Pot Pies 4. Chicken Nachos 5. Kale Chicken Salad with feta, cranberries and an easy vinaigrette
Whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (5-6 pounds)
- 1 lemon
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary
- 4-5 large garlic cloves
- carrots, onions, turnips, squash, parsnips, potatoes (use any vegetable you like)
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F degrees. Rinse and cut veggies to be about the same size so they cook evenly and place them in the bottom of the roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a roasting rack on top.
- Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken; you can roast the heart and liver in the bottom of the pan if you like it or just throw away. Give the chicken a quick rinse and pat dry with paper towels, the dryer the better! Remember to wash your hands any time you handle raw chicken.
- Cut the lemon in half, place one half inside the chicken and save the other for juice. Peel and smash garlic cloves and place inside the chicken. Add 1-2 sprigs of rosemary inside the cavity and 2-3 spring on with the vegetables in bottom of the pan.
- Place chicken on the rack, tuck in legs and wings (or tie them if you are really feeling fancy). Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Take the second half of lemon and squeeze juice over top of chicken (no seeds please).
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear between the thigh and leg or it's at the internal temp you would like (165 is safe for chicken). Once done, remove the pan from the oven and cover with foil for 10-15 minutes to rest before cutting and serving.
Notes
- If you don't have a roasting pan, you can place the chicken right on top of your vegetables and they will levitate the chicken enough to cook all around. Potatoes work really well for this!
- You can also experiemnet with other fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, sage, etc.
- Don't have a lemon? Orange works great with chicken too!
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
After you enjoy your delicious chicken and vegetables, cut off all remaining meat from chicken and store it in a plastic container. Don't forget about the meat on the legs and wings! I start out with a knife and fork and honestly use my hands for the rest. It's faster and you can get into all the nooks and crannies. If you are going to make the next 4 meals, you could portion out the chicken as desired. Dark meat is best for the soup and pot pies.
Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced cut all vegetables to similar size
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut
- 2 large celery sticks, cut
- 3-4 small red or yellow potatoes, cut
- leftover chicken, cut or shredded (amount depends on taste and amount of leftovers)
- 3 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1-2 cups water (as needed to taste)
- 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 box noodles of choice (I added mini tortellini for flavor and texture)
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and all of the vegetables to a large pot and cook over medium/high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken, stock, water, and herbs and bring to a boil.
- Pour in noodles and stir in boiling broth for 3-4 minutes. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes. Once noodles are cooked, you are ready to eat. The longer you simmer, the more the flavors develop.
Notes
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Ingredients
- leftover chicken, cut or shredded (amount depends on taste and amount of leftovers)
- 1 cup chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- puff pastry (see recipe HERE or store-bought)
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, diced (save the other half for nachos!)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5-6 large mushrooms, sliced
- 1 can peas and carrots (or small frozen bag)
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Have oven-safe dishes ready to fill.
- Cook the onion in the olive oil in a pan until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 min. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Add chicken, canned soup, broth, peas and carrots and cook on medium heat until everything is combined and nice and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
- Pour some of the filling mixture into your cooking vessel like a large ramekin or single portion baking dish. Fill almost to the top. Beat egg and water together for egg wash.
- Roll out puff pastry and cut to fit the top of the dish with a little overhang all around, this doesn't have to be perfect. Roll edges or crimp to the top of the dish and make a few small cuts in the middle with a knife to vent.
- Brush the prepared egg wash on top and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden brown. *Caution, these are HOT when they come out of the oven, so plan for some cooling time...trust me on this one.
Notes
- The photos above show a bottom layer of puff pastry before covering and baking. The second time I made these I skipped this and it was better. The pastry didn't cook all the way through the first way so I wouldn't reccomend it.
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Quick and Easy Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- leftover chicken, cut or shredded (amount depends on taste and amount of leftovers)
- tortilla chips store-bought or homemade (directions below)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ onion, diced (leftover from pot pie recipe)
- 1 can red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1 can pinto or black beans, rinsed
- 1 small can sliced black olives
- 1 large avocado, diced
- sour cream
- 1-2 jalapenos, sliced (optional)
- 2-3 stalks green onions, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Cook onions in a pan with the olive oil until translucent. Add chicken and enchilada sauce, mix all together, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.
- Place a layer of tortilla chips on the prepared baking sheet, layer with chicken mix, beans, cheese. Add the second layer and repeat 1-2 more times.
- Sprinkle olives and jalapenos (if using) on top and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler to high and broil for another 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on the nachos so they don't burn!
- Remove the nachos from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Top with avocado, sour cream, jalapenos and green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make your own chips, cut corn tortillas into quarters, line on oven rack and bake until brown. Flip once during cooking. Delicious and healthier than store bought!
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Kale Salad with Chicken and Feta Cheese
Ingredients
Salad
- leftover chicken, cut or shredded (amount depends on taste and amount of leftovers)
- 8-10 ounces kale, rinsed and chopped (or use any lettuce of choice)
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup almonds or walnuts, roasted
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ lemon or lime, juiced
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a sealable container (like a mason jar). Seal the jar and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Add dressing to the salad, toss and enjoy!
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Whew! That seems like a lot when you type it out but I promise you will enjoy taking this on. When these chickens go on sale, buy one. Even if you don't have a plan yet. They are really inexpensive and freeze really well. Happy cooking!
More Recipes from EmilyFabulous
- Crispy Baked Asian Chicken Wings
- Easy Chile Relleno Enchiladas
- Gluten-Free Chicken Broccoli Quinoa Bake
- Easy Drunken Noodles
- Easy French Onion Soup
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