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For the first 25-ish years of my life I was a “boneless skinless snob.” It was THE only cut of chicken that I bought in college, after college, and for the first 3 years I spent in the Dominican Republic. I would travel over an hour one way to the “American grocery store” for a few packages of B/S chicken!
One HOT afternoon in the Dominican Republic, I thought I’d be brave and try to get past my “squemish-ness” issues and get past my B/S snobbish-ness. I walked straight past my fruit and veggie guy at the local open air market to the chicken counter. I looked nowhere other than the chicken man’s face, as I was afraid of what I might see. (There are no regulations for food in the DR. At least none that I am aware of. Or none that are strictly enforced!)
“Quisiera un pollo por favor.” (I’d like a chicken please.)
“Si claro.” (Yes, of course.) The chicken man busies himself getting my chicken ready. He got my chicken from his fridge. * sigh of relief* Then threw it up on the scale.
“Ciento viente pesos.” (120 pesos.) He tells me as he’s putting the chicken into a black trash bag for me. No tray, no plastic wrap. A trash bag. *breath of anxiety* OK. OK. Relax. This is just how they do it.
But wait. Feet. There are still feet on this chicken that he is putting in the trash bag. Feet. What? I don’t want any feet on my chicken. Who eats chicken feet anyways??? Not this B/S snob!
“Um, permiso, senor, sin pies por favor.” (Um, excuse me, sir, no feet please.)
“Pero es parte del pollo.” (But it’s part of the chicken.) Yep. Got that. Don’t want ’em!!!
“Si, yo se, pero yo no quiero los pies.” (Yes, I know, but I don’t want the feet.) “Yo pagare por los pies y puede darles a otra persona.” (I’ll pay for the feet and you can give them to someone else.)
“OK.” With a puzzled look in his eye.
“Gracias senor.” (Thanks sir.)
“A su orden.” (Directly translated. At your service. Really means, happy to help.)
I share this to let you know that was the moment that I no longer considered myself a B/S snob. You’d think it would make me more of a snob, but no. It didn’t. It forced me to get over myself and learn what to do with an almost whole chicken!
Since getting over my squemish-ness and snobbiness, I have started buying bone in split chicken breasts (and sometimes a whole chicken) for 3 reasons.
- They are cheaper by the pound that B/S breasts.
- I can use them to make my own chicken broth since I don’t like to use store bought broth. It is loaded with preservatives, high in sodium and just not as good for you as homemade!
- I can buy a large package and prepare them for upcoming meals with chicken. This saves on time and dishes for future preparation!
Here is my trusty monthly meal calendar that is on my fridge. My March menu plan tells me that we’ll be having Chicken Fajitas and Honey Lime Chicken in the next few weeks, and Ginger Chicken Stirfry last weekend.
Here’s what I did to prepare the chicken for these meals:
First, I peeled off the skin. Sorta like the feet. I’m not a fan of the skin!
Once the broth was going, I finished up with the chicken breasts. I placed 2 breasts and tenderloins into another Ziploc baggies with a $.37 can of Rotel tomatoes for my upcoming Chicken Fajitas. I placed 2 breasts and tenderloins in another Ziploc with 2 Tbsp honey and 2 Tbsp lime juice. Both Ziplocs went into the freezer. To thaw, I place the tightly sealed Ziplocs into a bowl of warm water. In about 30 minutes, the chicken is ready to be sliced and cooked.
I have chicken ready for 3 meals, along with at least 4 meals worth of homemade chicken broth…for just $6.37! It doesn’t get much cheaper than that!
What is your favorite cut of chicken? Are you a B/S snob? Do you prefer to cook the whole chicken to get your chicken to use for future meals? I’d love to hear your favorite chicken “tips” or recipes!
More Chicken Tutorials & Tips:
- What to do with chicken breasts
- What to do with chicken thighs!
- Batch Grilling Chicken
- Do It Yourself “Rotisserie” Chicken
- How to Pull Chicken Meat from Rotisserie Chicken
Taylor says
I’ll be linking to this article because these are on sale on Whole foods here in boston. I had no clue what to tell my readers to do with them ;). Thank you!
Angela says
I WAS a S/B Snob until I realized they were not such a great deal. For me…I just take the skin off and put them in a big pot (or the crockpot would work) and then simmer them until cooked through. I usually shred my chicken up while the chicken is still warm and then bag it up in small freezer bags. The next time I make chicken enchiladas or chicken spaghetti I already have shredded chicken ready to go.
Breezy says
Wow! Thanks for these tips. That’s a great idea to make the broth and how you freeze the meat with the seasonings. Why didn’t I ever think of that?
Alaina says
Thanks so much for the tips…I may have to try chicken with the bone in. “Gasp!*
🙂
noel2momof3 says
Split breast chicken is half as expensive as the b/s kind. I had never thought to freeze it w/ the seasonings. Great idea!
Tonya says
GREAT post…I have been buying split breasts more recently and pondering getting a whole chicken myself to cut up to save money.
And as for the broth, it is so much better for you! Great idea!
Noah's Mommy says
you’ve made me realize what a snob I am….sigh…..but you’ve degrossed it for me…and deboning doesn’t sound so difficult now….
Kim says
Thanks for your tips!! I never thought to freeze the chicken with the flavorings I will be using it for. Go figure.
I DO love my B/S chicken but ONLY buy when it is a good sale. I have stayed away from bone-in cause I didn’t know if it really was a good deal with paying for the bone and all. But I am not afraid of it. 🙂 I LOVE to buy whole chickens and cook it in the crockpot. Then I break it down into 2 cup packages to use in casseroles and such. I also then have the broth to freeze.
Miriam says
I am a closet snob for any meat that’s pre-cut. But Budget Snob does not let Pre-Cut Meat Snob visit. Almost ever. So I end up having to buy whole chickens when they are on sale (no feet), and cut them up myself. Then I cook the whole carcasses to make broth. Thanks for the broth tips!! They are new to me 🙂
Anonymous says
I buy my chicken at a farmers market (antibiotic free, and cheaper than store organic). I can buy a whole chicken and they will cut it for me. I still have to debone it when I get home, but it takes them way less time to cut the breasts, thighs, legs etc. apart.
Annie
Anonymous says
I am a former BL/SL snob. We still buy them at Sams to grill up a batch, but our local grocery store has chicken backs for $.48lb, and they are awesome to make my own stock with. I use a recipe out of Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill cookbook for them.
Amy @ Finer Things says
Cracking up as I read this. I have THIS POST (well, minus the chicken feet and all 😉 in my drafts right now! Maybe I’ll wait a few weeks before I publish it. 😉 Amy
Great minds…
Anne says
Great post! I’ve saved it so that I can refer to your technique when de-boning. In addition to b/s breasts, I often buy leg quarters and whole chickens–but now I’ll also be keeping my eye out for sales on split breasts.
VanderbiltWife says
I'm not a B/S snob…I like dark meat and often buy thighs…but I don't buy a whole lot of meat on the bone. Thanks for the great tips. And I had honestly never thought of making broth in the crockpot. Um, duh!! You're a genious!
<3 Jessie
kimheuer says
Hillarious! I can so picture this!! I lived in the DR (Santiago) for 3 1/2 years, and I’m dying to know where you lived. I can remember when the Pola and then the Nacional opened…I remember being amazed before even walking in the door at how straight and orderly the parking spaces were!
And thanks for the how-to on the chicken breasts. I sort of freak out about using the bone-in breasts, but it would be much better for the budget to do it.
Kim
Andrea says
I love breasts and thighs (um…no I not a man LOL) I like to poach boneless skinless breasts, cube them up and freeze for a quick chicken pot pie or chicken casserole! My favorite way to eat the thighs is just oven baked. I trim off all visible pieces of fat and just leave the top skin to keep it moist, rub them with olive oil and season with Itailan Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper and bake at 350 for an hour 🙂
Rhonda says
I usually buy whole chickens and cut them up myself, or roast/bake them whole. Two members of my family like white meat and two of us like dark meat — perfect. My favorite seasoning is Northwoods from Penzeys. We only eat chicken about 3X per month and (oddly enough now that I think about it) rarely in casseroles/stirfrys/pasta dishes, etc. — those are usually our meatless meals.
Tracy and Keith Underwood says
I am probably the biggest B/S snob there is! I buy the huge packs from Sam’s and separate them into 2 breast packs and freeze them for use later. I’m 25 so maybe it’s time for me to get over my issues with bone-in chicken as that broth information is wonderful!
Jennifer, The Lady Riposter says
I got a GREAT deal on boneless skinless chicken breasts at Target last week so I’m going to continue to be a chicken snob for a while longer. I loved your post!
Crystal says
Whole chickens are super versatile! I use a whole chicken whenever I make chicken and rice, chicken & dumplings, homemade chicken and veggie soup.. you name it. The final dishes taste SO much better when you use "free stock" too!
getting stuff done says
blimey! i would buy a whole chicken and make stock from the carcass. would only boil it for 2 hours though. i like the vinegar tip.
i am very fussy about my chicken. only buy organic free range. they are tastier.
having said that, i do buy skinless boneless breasts for fajitas. i wonder why. will check out your tip.
Tara @ Deal Seeking Mom says
LOL! Loved your story. We were B/S snobs too until DH accidentally bought a bag of the bone-in breasts at Sam’s Club. We grill out a lot, and we were totally amazed at just how much more flavorful and tender it was, so we buy it more often than not these days.
N. says
I, too, love bone-in because the flavor is so much more intense! I will actually just cook the entire thing in a crockpot and then pull the chicken off. But it makes it more shredded instead of chunks. And we like chunks in some of our recipes. I’m a doofus. It never occurred to me to cut the chicken off FIRST before the cook it. Duh! Thanks for all your tips! We can always learn new ways, huh!
B. Keefer says
I like to buy whole chickens, cut them up and bake or BBQ them on Sunday or Monday. There are three of us and we eat about 1/2 a chicken for the meal then the other 1/2 gets used later in the week for a casserole or FFY (fend for yourself) Saturday.
I will put the bones and uneaten skin in a baggie in the freezer until I get enough to make a large stock pot full of broth. Roasted bones make the best broth!
Once I get enough, I’ll make the broth, slow simmer all day and over night with some garlic and onion, then strain it and can it in a pressure canner.
Jolene says
This is such a great post. Thank you for taking the time to write it.
I used to be a B/S chicken breast snob too, until I got married. My husband actually prefers the darker meat chicken, and/or bone-in because that is what he got used to growing up. I thought it was weird at first, but it does have some advantages, such as being cheaper.
Thanks again
SavvySuzie says
I was the same way! But once I realized how much more you can do with the bone-in breasts, I was hooked. And since I can almost always get them on sale for under a buck a pound, it’s a win-win! (I totally didn’t know about adding vinegar when making broth – thanks for the tip!)
Mara Yardlay says
Erin,
Like you I used to be a B/S Snob. I HATED dealing with he skin and the bones, but about a month or two ago when I really tried to cut my grocery bill and get things for as frugal as I can. I came across some Split chicken breast, bone in in the manager special section, I decided to give them a try and trimming them down was a PIECE OF CAKE! its all I buy now. I especailly love when Kroger has them buy one get one free, I sock up with as many as I can! The tenderloins are prefect size for my son and I only get of it what I need for me and my husband! GREAT article!
Jessica @ Pudget: Losing Weight On A Budget says
I love all white meat chicken. I think I prefer with the bone in because it turned out so nice barbequed on the grill. My favorite recipe for bone in chicken breastes is to place my skinless chicken breasts in a baking dish and place potatoes that have been cut into eighths into the dish. I think pour a very large amount of olive oil over top and then about a cup of butter over that. Then I sprinkle Italian seasonings ove the chicken and potatoes, cover with foil and bake until everything is crispy on the bottem.
I don’t make it much anymore because I am trying to lose weight but it makes me druel thinking about it.
Layla says
Bluh — boneless/skinless chicken is BLAND! All the flavor is in the bones and the skin.
Whole chickens aren’t very economical for me, since our family right now is just hubby and me, but we buy the big “family pack” of chicken thighs (usually 10-12 in a package). I get more meals out of a package like this than I can out of a whole chicken. I put the thighs in ziplock baggies, 2 or 3 to a bag and freeze for use later. I don’t season ahead of time, though. I can’t be that detailed with my menu plan in advance. My tastes are too capricious. 🙂
The vinegar tip for making stock is awesome–I’ll have to remember that.
MJ says
How much do the bones weigh? Do you plan to use 1.25 pounds of bone in chicken in place of 1 pound boneless skinless? I’ve thought about trying bone in chicken, but am never sure how much to buy.
PreparednessBug says
Great idea! Quick question, what is a good buy for bone in chicken?
LB says
This is a very helpful post!! I just started buying split chicken breasts because they are so much cheaper. And I found out that I actually prefer the flavor. I am glad that you walked us through making the chicken broth because I have never known how to do that!! Thanks!
Julie says
I’m a B/S chicken snob but I’m slowing working on changing that. My husband grew up with bone in chicken and prefers it so I’ve been buying more and more of it that way. Thanks for showing how you make broth. I think I will try that next time I use bone-in chicken
Martha A. says
My sister after many years of cutting chicken off the bones had it! She bought a whole chicken for .59 a pound and boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.59 a pound and deboned the whole chicken and weighed the meat she had and discovered that for those prices they were the same price….but you do not get the bones for broth, which I like. But I will still buy BS at times for ease of use.
Mommy2aQT says
I just started buying whole chickens, cooking then in a crock pot, and I stretch them over 5 meals in one week. Usually don’t freeze any of it, but I think I may start soon. I just found whole chickens at Aldi for $.79/lb! I’m sure they aren’t the organic/antibiotic free kind, but when you have a next to nothing budget for food you buy what you can afford. We always look for the chickens that are at least 5 lbs. so they will stretch for those 5 meals.
Sarah, The New Girl says
brilliant! I’m terrified of bone-in chicken– but TOTALLY willing to try this!! Thanks so much!!!
Anonymous says
Thanks so much! My mom is the ultimate b/s snob so I never knew exactly how to handle the whole process. I’m 28, almost 29 and just now learning to cook things that don’t come in a box. I love your blog.
Amy in Ohio says
Love the play by play and I think I might have increased my Spanish vocab!!
You know I trust you without hesitation, but I’m sticking to my B/S snobbery…for now.
But I’m bookmarking just in case!! LOL!
Katchmo says
I’m not a b/s snob because I prefer the dark meat, and also because a whole chicken is so much cheaper and so much more versatile. When I get a good deal on a whole chicken, I really stock up. If I want to make oven fried chicken, I cut it up myself, which is very easy and can be accomplished in just a couple of minutes. The “wages” for the few minutes it takes to cut up a whole chicken is probably pretty high. The best price I see for bone in breasts is about 99 cents/pound, and every once in awhile chicken goes as low as 49 cents a pound here. It probably takes me 3 minutes to cut a whole chicken, so 3 minutes at 50 cents equals 10 dollars an hour (if I did my math right!). For chicken meat, I can fit five chickens in a big roaster pan. I remove the skin first, then put them in the pan with salt, pepper, onions and garlic, Cover tightly and bake till the meat falls off the bone. Let it cool and remove the meat, to use as needed, then boil the bones with a little vinegar to make a wonderful bone broth.
Zenobiah says
Thank you!! This was really, really helpful! My hubby is a B/S snob and this will help me in convincing him that it really is cheaper and better to buy the chicken with the bone in. And the recipe for broth is JUST what I needed.
Melanie says
I am a B.S tenderloin snob. I love that I can just grab a few pieces out of the bag at a time,if I’m just cooking for myself. What I don’t love is the price. I’ve watched a 3 lb. bag go from $5.75 to $6.99 in a little over a year. I’m going to take your advice and try this…
Anonymous says
Whole chickens used to seem too messy and ‘ucky’ to me. Now, however, I’m budgeting and have found they aren’t as hard to handle as I once thought. And…for those of you with dogs ~ when you buy a whole chicken, you get a liver free!! lol. I Also thought liver was nasty, but boy…once I discovered how little effort was needed to drive my dogs crazy with love for moi lol…just sprinkle that liver with a little garlic powder and cook about 12 minutes in a pan sprayed with Pam and your babies will do ANYthing for a bite! …thanks for the great post! I’ll try adding vinegar next time to my broth.
~tracy
Caroline says
Thanks so much for this timely post – I’ve been getting braver with the split chicken breasts and just bought some yesterday as they were BOGO. I was wondering today what the heck to do with them and now I know! Thanks!
Betsy says
Former B/S snob here! But now I buy them pretty infrequently. I actually roast a whole chicken every week or so, pull off all the meat we don’t eat that night (a fair bit) and throw the carcass in the stock pot to make me some free stock (I add onions, carrots, celery, etc. if the chicken was pretty plain). We’re considering going organic with our meat, so even though a whole organic chicken will run me about $10, it will give us two meals’ worth of chicken, plus a couple of quarts of organic chicken broth. Works for me!
Janine says
Funny – I just learned to not be a “snob” I was simply trying to save money and I couldn’t believe how many meals I can get out of it when I use the whole chicken, I made some really good spicy chicken taco-ish soup the other night from the bones and some meat I purposely left on them.
I have another chiken to use which I will make chicken tacos, chicken pizzas and some more soup from:)
http://cheapcookinmama.blogspot.com
Sherry says
Thanks for the tips on the chicken. I have been wanting to do some cutting off the bone for a while, but haven’t attempted it.
Taya @ Delightful! says
I’m a snob here. (not so proud of it) Thanks so much for this article, it has made me want to be brave and try the bone in chicken!
Dana says
So inspiring! Confession: I’ve never bought chicken with a bone in it unless it was already cooked. Teach me, oh Great One. I’m ripe to learn!
Stephanie says
Wow – What a great post! I learned so much and am ready to try out all your great tips!
Laura says
Okay you’ve convinced me, I’m totally going to give it a try. You are inspiring girl!!
momstheword says
Oh yes, I am absolutely a snob. I prefer white meat, but I also heard that the br. meat was healthier as it has less fat, etc. Don’t know if that’s true. I have cooked whole chickens before though.
Julie says
This made me laugh since I just purposely tried chicken feet at dim sum yesterday. They were, interesting.
lilaznktty says
Wow!! I tried cutting chicken breast when I was in college (I lived in the dorms). And I was terrible at it!! I felt like I was dissecting a frog. LOL… It still baffles me how my mom makes it seem so effortless and enjoyable.
T says
I’m a B/S snob! I really don’t like any meat with bones in it and for me, its just not worth it to de-bone it myself. Plus, the thought of de-boning myself just grosses me out. LOL.
BathCake says
Slightly off topic … is there something else to be done with the bones besides broth? My family has been eating a lot more turkey than normal lately because of the incredible sales … My freezer is stocked fairly well with turkey broth at this point, but every time I’m faced with the carcass, I can’t bear to throw it away … is there anything else I can do with it?
Jes says
Your post may be the one that tips the scale for me… I have seen several posts and recipes for making homemade broth and cream soups lately, and while I do normally buy B/S breasts for convenience – stocking up on sales – I haven’t seen a good sale in a while! Now that I have a good use for the bones, I think I’ll go all out! That’s part of what has kept me from doing it so far – feeling I would waste the bones and the bits of meat which are left on them. Oh, and the idea to freeze the chicken in with the sauce is great! That might just get me to make a full commitment to menu planning as well. Thanks again.
annacoumos says
Here in Mozambique Africa the chicken feet is a delicacy! It’s a great honor to receive the chicken foot on your plate. I, however, have not managed to eat it. And there is ZERO meat on that foot, I have tried to find it and it’s just not there! It is seriously just skin and crunchy bones.
Kim @ Forever Wherever says
My husband ate some kind of bird feet in China one time. LOL
I love how you packaged it!
-Kim
~*Michelle*~ says
OK, so THIS is awesome! Thanks so much! We pretty much only eat chicken in this house and your tips are fantastic. Not only are they going to help us save money, but time. WOOT!
Peace and love~
~*Michelle*~
Laura says
Last week when Meijer had the split chicken for $1/pound, I stockpiled. Good, right? Well…we are s/b snobs (nothing to be ashamed of 🙂 ). For the first time ever, I actually cut the split chicken into b/s! All on my own! And it didn’t look bad and all in one piece!! 🙂 Wow, did I save a ton of cashola by doing that.
Salina says
Erin, Thanks so much for sharing this. I guess I am a B/S snob. I hate looking at the insides of the chicken. I don’t even eat fried chicken on the bone. It all grosses me out. But, because of you last week I actually bought bone-in chicken. I cooked some of it the other day and it wasn’t so bad. Today I’m going to try and do it your way. Thank you so much for helping me save money!
Jessica says
Thank you for this. I am a B/S snob, mostly because I have never know or tried anything different. This is a great education and I will have to try it.
bug says
I’m a B/S chicken snob! But that’s mostly because I have the hardest time cutting a whole chicken. My mom gets these amazing rotisserie chickens, but I can never slice them. So I automatically go for b/s chicken breasts. The sad part is, my mom is an amazing cook and actually owns a catering company, I’ve just never asked her to show me how to cut a chicken. Thank you for the advice though. I’m new to your blog, but I think it’s such a fantastic idea.
God bless,
Hannah
payday loans says
Ok so I have to be honest with you I am totaly a snob too!! I will only buy boneless skinless chicken breast but……. I am willing to try it now I am and will go and buy the whole chicken darn it!! I am going to try it and I am going to save ur blog to so I can com eback to it and tell you all about it thank you so much no more S/B snob lol
gertie says
I love this website! You do a wonderful job! I’d just like to caution thawing meat in warm water. Cold water should always be used to thaw meat. It’s a sanitation issue.
Claire says
I have tried buying cheaper cuts of chicken, but it really isn’t worth the time for me. I have a rule that I will NOT buy B/S breast unless it is $1.99/lb or less (and there are quite a few of those sales around here). I tried the bone-in breast, but:
-I have a hard time getting the skin off (it’s so slimy & hard to keep a grip on while you cut it).
-I haven’t been doing anything with the bones (I don’t have a crock pot, so I still don’t know what to do with the bones).
-From the time I open a bone-in package to the time it’s in a storage baggie, it seems like it has taken me FOREVER to deal with. Maybe I’m just a slower cook. I don’t know.
As long as I keep finding the $1.99 B/S, I will keep dealing with that. Thank you for the article!! It was very informative, since I didn’t know how to make broth!! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Just found the site today after you appeared on the RR Show-which is my new favorite! Thanks so much for the great tips. I’m finally a stay-at-home mom so any new trick will help. My newest trick for chicken-I boil a combo of bone-in Thighs(.78/lb) and bone in Breasts (.99/lb) then chop the meat for chicken casseroles for the rest of the month. After I divied up the meat in zippies, my cost per dish is now $1.56. I saw on RR show that the thigh meat is very comparable to the breast meat but cheaper. After cooking it, the thigh meat did seem to be very similar to the white meat and I will do this combo from now on.
My mother is a fabulous cook and I can remember calling her in college to ask how to cut a whole chicken-phone on shoulder, chicken in one hand, knife in the other. Since then I have never been afraid of bone-in chicken. My husband unfortunately is a LOUD B/S snob, so I have to camouflage the bone-in chicken. I am slowly winning him over with my frugality and maybe soon he will see the light!
Gina says
To Claire:
To get skin off a chicken, use a paper towel to peel the skin back. It’s not slimy and comes off pretty easily.
As for the bones, no crock pot, don’t worry. Get a big pot and do exactly the same thing only on a stove on very low heat for 8 hours. It’s the same thing.
Time savers: get a moist towel to put under your cutting board to keep it from slipping, make sure you have a sharp knife to work with, have your pot ready for the bones, have a ziploc ready for your new b/s chicken breasts to go in the freezer or to marinate.
Hope this helps,
Gina
darcy says
I believe you need to try out for: “Hey Can you cook” on rachael ray ( I know you’ve been on the show) OR Next Food Network STAR – as you are a star and have lots of interesting stories and the such like they want on the program! Thanks so much for all the tips, recipes, and fun here on $5 dinners! Maybe we should all take inspiration from the movie Julia and Julie too and blog our way through various cookbooks – like you are your own too – Or try to turn the recipes into $5 dinners!? Just a thought… I post favorites from various sites and especially Food Network on my blog! Cooking, Baking, Shopping, Meal prep, couponing, and all is SO MUCH FUN! 🙂
red.kitteh says
I wasn’t always good with whole chickens. Here are a few things I’ve picked up. Apart from basic good procedure, like SHARP knives, get a pair of kitchen shears made to cut food. (Mine are from Smith & Wesson. They even have a notch by the pivot just for chicken bones, and they come apart for cleaning. They are incredible!!)
Cool, and the pickings should fall right off. Perfect for salad, casserole, whatever.
My best cheat for whole chickens is to stuff the bird with a chopped onion–dust the onion with paprika, curry, herbs, or whatever YOU like. If you can’t sew, close the openings with toothpicks, but don’t ‘bury’ the picks. Oven roast. Lay the bird breast up for a “show” bird, or breast down for the juiciest roast chicken you’ve ever had. Then the whole thing is already cooked, and the leftover can be picked as soon as it’s cool enough. QUICK, CHEAP, EASY! The Cheapskate trifecta!!
Chicken comes from a whole animal: bones, gizzards, guts, skin, feathers and feet. Your story about the Dominican butcher gave me a good laugh, but it also made me appreciate my roots on the farm. I’ve killed, plucked, prepped, roasted and eaten chickens that I’ve known and fed. I also got a puzzled chuckle out of the comments about being “grossed out” by a whole chicken, or even the parts that aren’t purely muscle. You and I have skin and bones; so do birds. Even the ones we eat. Remember, respect and be grateful for/to the animals you eat.
red.kitteh says
@red.kitteh, Oops, I think I left in a gratuitous sentence there at the end of the first paragraph. Sorry.
kim says
how is cutting frozen chicken easier? i can see partially frozen. sorry I just found this website and it’s awesome 🙂
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
@kim,
The knife cuts cleaner through the chicken when frozen. (But you hands will get cold!)
Marrisa says
Thank you for posting this. I too am kind of a b/s chix snob but I think it’s becuase I have no cooking skills and didn’t even know where to begin with whole chickens. I buy food through the Angel Food Ministries program and they always put in whole chikens and split chicken breast, becuase it’s cheaper, but I never know what to do with them. You post has helped greatly. Thank you!!
Lisa says
Great post! I just got a package of split chicken breasts last week for .88/lb. Once they were partially thawed, I pulled the skin off (easier than trying to do it after the chicken has completely thawed). Next, I boiled all five breasts, then pulled the meat from the bone, shredded it, and put it in freezer bags. I plan to use one pkg for chicken enchiladas next week. Not sure what I’ll use the other pkg for just yet.
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
@Lisa,
Great deal…and the possibilities are endless for that shredded chicken…perhaps some chicken salad sandwiches or a yummy wrap?!?
Sam says
Girl, that’s the best part of the chicken.
I like to make Chinese style food and the breast goes best with those recipes.
This one is good.
http://www.xomba.com/stir_fried_chicken_cashew_nuts
Some people love chicken feet because they’re chewy. I don’t see why I should pay for something I don’t want.
Patrick says
This is a great article! I used to be a B/S snob too! Split chicken breast is a lot cheaper than B/S. I can usually find it for about half the price per pound than boneless. I never realized though that the tenderloin was in there, but it makes sense now because I always found that meat to be so tender! Great tips here!
Ginna says
Growing up b/s chicken was all my mom made. Her reasons were time and the easy prep. Being a single mom of 3 growing boys and 1 girl it’s whole chicken all the way!! I need to cook at least 3 whole birds at a time with very littl leftovers. I taught myself how to seperate and debone the chicken into pieces. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes!! So keep em coming!!
Gina says
I can’t find the Honey Lime Chicken recipe on your site. Please share the link! Thanks 🙂
Maggie says
Thank you! You are awesome! I have a pack of 5 breasts at home waiting for me, and this is exactly what I am going to do with them. My husband is from El Salvador and my aversion to bones and other parts (liver, TONGUE!) perplex him… but now, B/S snob no more! YAY!
Karen Hiebert says
not tried the hole chicken. I used the chicken breast but it would be nice to make the chicken broth/stock from scratch but I don’t think my crockpot would do it. (mine is a rice cooker with slow cooking capabliites).
Wow that is alot of work. How long does it take for you do that? A day? phew! I don’t think our fridge/freezer would allow for that much stockpiling. I already feel like i’m stock piling as it is. and its just me and the hubby…
Amy says
Thanks so much for this!
Marcie says
Great story, Erin! I still can’t brave the butcher in the market but I do buy bone-in breasts and whole chickens either at a new meat shop across from Pizza and Pepperoni or when we can make it down to Santiago. Just wish I had a bigger freezer!
Lori says
LOL I just read this, and thank you for sharing it! I too am almost always a B/S snob. on occasion I will buy thighs, but I always wind up saying, Ugh…B/S is SO much better, and go back to it. Or Drumsticks for grilling, but DH doesn’t like meat on the bone–LOL and won’t eat those.
Thanks to your post, I may just try a split breast next time. And I definitely like the idea of making homemade broth! The store-bought broth is SO high in sodium.
james says
Chicken feet can also be used for making stock, just throw em in crock pot with the bones. It actually adds a nice gelatinous quality to the stock you can’t quite get from bones alone. I made a pretty awesome okra stew for a Mardis Gras-themed potluck using chicken feet stock.
Kary Ockerman says
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Appreciate it!
Damon says
Next time try not cutting the breast off the bone until the chicken is fully cooked. It will be so juicy and tender you will wonder why you ever did it any other way.
Noble Mordan says
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Jena says
OK, so I know it’s been a couple of years since you wrote this, but I stumbled upon it after doing a search for bone-in chicken breast recipes (first time buying these).
My questions – How do you store the broth, and how long does it keep?
Thanks!
Jena
Katie says
Yes, just stumbled on this and love it!! I was really looking for a broth recipe, but I found this–even better!
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Cooking Connie says
Good job … I dont like feet on my chicken either
Laura Pokas says
When a local market had bone-in split chicken breasts for $.98/lb I stockpiled! I came home, pulled up your post and got to work. It took me just over an hour to de-bone, de-skin and separate 2 packages which contained 10 large breasts. The 2 pkgs weighed 5.4 lbs each and cost a total of $10.58.
This resulted in:
10 beautifully cleaned, boneless, skinless chicken breasts weighing 4 lb 15 oz
15.8 oz of boneless, skinless chicken tenderloin meat
and a crock pot filled and cooking with homemade chicken stock!
Cost of the breast meat came to $1.79/lb in the end. For the 2 of us, this creates 6 meals not counting the stock. I’m lovin’ it!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Awesome Laura…great find and great job getting it all prepared and ready to go!!! Yay for spending less on groceries!
Erin
Lori Grajek says
Where can I find your recipes? (the fajitas, honey lime chicken and Ginger stir fry)
Angie Lane says
Thanks for the info! I’m about to attempt it. Do you let your chicken breasts marinate in the rotel and the honey lime marinades for a day and then freeze them for later?
Thanks!!!!
Kat says
I am definitely a b/s chicken snob – no ifs and or buts. I just love the versitility. I just got 40 lbs of chicken from Zaycon for 1.49 a pound! Thought it was fabulous. Picked it up on Saturday and wrapped it into 12 packages of at least 2.5 pound packages. This time it was chicken, next will be ground beef but they will have salmon,cherries, blueberries … I don’t remember all the others – but they are the wave of the future. No sitting on shelves or warehouses like some supermarkets – from farm to you!
Paula says
How do you cut out the tenderloin — I’m not sure where it is. 🙂
Tiffany says
I don’t like the idea of chicken feet either. But being married to my hubby who is Hispanic, you get use to it. lol They use chicken feet in tamales or just covered in a chili sauce. I, myself, wouldn’t touch chicken feet but we do have chickens and he has cooked them before. I’m looking for an idea of what to do with the split chicken breasts he bought me.. so far. no luck. I don’t have many other ingredients. So, I’ll keep looking.
Tammy says
Thank you for this easy-to-do how-to! Just what I needed. I ‘heart’ my crockpot and love getting a good deal, but I too am a b/s snob… I’m ready to convert now – thanks to you!
Leanne Dupont says
I, too, am a b/s chicken breast snob, and we really can’t afford for me to be one. So, seeing that my local Kroger had split breasts on sale for 99 cents a lb, I googled “what to do with split chicken breasts” and came upon your site. You made cutting them up look so easy, so, I moved completely out of my comfort zone and bought 6lbs of them. I’m about to cut them up right now and I’m actually excited to do so (my, have things changed ).
JENNIFER says
So I am also a B/S snob and the other day they were all out of them! So I thought…hmmm I will try the bone in. Then I didn’t know what to do with them! Thanks for the post, it helped me greatly!
susan says
Thanks for the info. I just realized I would save $1.70 per pound. Yikes!
Tammy says
I have always been a b/s chicken fiend, but lately I’m seeing the wisdom in bone-in. The last one I cooked, I cut the skin off and threw into crockpot whole. Covered in barbeque sauce, my family LOVED it. I made it on a girls’ night out and I didn’t even get left overs.
james ha says
oh split chicken breasts are the absolute best! i put 4 or 5 in the crock-pot with nothing else – no water or sauce at all – maybe salt and pepper. cook on low 7-8 hrs until they start falling off the bones. remove all chicken from pot and separate all the bones and the skin leaving a big bowl of shredded chicken that lasts all week for tacos, enchiladas, chicken salad, etc.
Lesley says
Thank you so much for this idea! I’m going to try it now.
Deanna Furrey says
I know chicken feet are weird, but actually if you add them when you make bone broth, they will help give it more collagen. I had a hard time with it too, but hey, just think of it this way: chicken feet are better than chicken heads! 🙂