Run Chicken Run!!!!!

Why did the chicken cross the road? He was running from Mel’s clever! Bahahahaha! There are a million more jokes about chickens, most centered around breasts and thighs that we will not mention.

Although I love chicken dearly, I have never actually killed one. I’ve heard stories the most humane way to kill a chicken is to hold it by the neck and swing it around in the air like a sports towel at a football game. I’m not sure whose definition of humane THAT would have been, but in any event, I love poultry. I actually raise chickens for layers and have poultry pets. They will curl up and nap with you just like cats and dogs. Believe it! Chickens are not the brightest creatures in the world but can provide great entertainment at parties watching how easily they are hypnotized.

We’re not here though to discuss the traits of a chicken as a pet or as a productive member of farm society, but rather to discuss how many things you can do with just one dead chicken. I must admit since beginning this weight loss journey I have had crazy strong cravings for protein. My beloved layers have seen the gleam in my eye, and have run from me fearing for their life.

Instead of the usual hen in a crock, I opted to see just how far I could take four Cornish game hens. The results even surprised me! The results were as follows. From four cornish hens in a crock pot you can…
1. Throw some carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions in the crockpot with the birds. Not only will they add flavor, you can have the veggies with two of the roasted birds for dinner.
2. Take your third bird and make chicken salad for lunches. I chose a curry chicken salad with cashews and cranberries.
3. Take your fourth bird to use for chicken & dumplings, a chicken pot pie or whatever else strikes your fancy. If you don’t use it, you can freeze it for later, or just use the meat for chicken sandwiches.
4. We’re all out of birds, but NO, we are NOT finished! If you have some leftover vegetables from the first meal, or a package of frozen veggies, place them on standby. Take the stock from the crockpot and any leftover bones, skins or the entire carcass and thrown them back in a pot. Add about 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce until you have a nice chicken stock, then drain out the undesirable items! You can use the stock for chicken & dumplings, chicken soup, veggie soup, ANY soup or stew, or you can freeze the stock in individual ice cube trays to use as seasonings.
5. You can always fry the liver and gizzards for dessert!

Bon a petit’!