Chicken and Biscuits with Gravy

Turn a 5 pound chicken into 7 full meals!

Yesterday I told you how to cook a whole chicken.  Today, let's start focusing on how to make this bird work for your budget!

The day after I cook the chicken I carve off all the meat.  By all, I mean all.  Dark meat, white meat, neck, back, breast, and every last scraping off the bones.  Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.   Any piece of meat left on the bones is money wasted.  I have no specific art to getting the meat off the bones.  I just use a knife, my hands, and a keen eye.  As you do it more, you'll get better at it.

Now that you have all the meat off the bones, go ahead and throw the carcass back in the refrigerator.  We'll use this later.  Then divide your chicken into three.  Store two thirds in the freezer to keep them fresh for later and use one third for this hearty Southern style dish:

Chicken and Biscuits with Gravy

Biscuits

• 3 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 3/4 t. cream of tartar
• 3/4 c. butter (softened) or shortening
• 1-1/4 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in a large bowl.  Cut in butter/shortening with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center and add the milk all at once.  Stir just until moistened (will be lumpy).  Drop the dough in large spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake for ten minutes or until cooked through.  Makes about 12 biscuits.



Chicken and Gravy

• 1-1/2 c. milk
• 2 T. flour
• 1/8 t. black pepper
• 1 t. chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms

On medium-high heat, heat up milk in a pan on the stove.  Whisk in flour, black pepper, and bouillon granules until smooth.  Continue cooking over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Stir in chicken and mushrooms and cook until chicken is heated through and mushrooms are fully cooked.

Serve chicken and gravy over biscuits.  This recipe feeds my family for two nights.  Because of the flour-based gravy, I do not recommend freezing this recipe.  It works great for two nights in a row.

Tomorrow: Use another third of your chicken pieces in my Tangy Chicken and Rice recipe!