Preparing whole chicken can save money

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Here's a skill that serves penny-pinching cooks well: cutting up whole chickens instead of buying chicken parts.

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At supermarket chain Vons.com this week, Foster Farms' party wings were listed at $3.49 a pound, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts were $5.49 a pound. By contrast, the company's 3.5-pound fresh, whole chicken was only $1.69 a pound.

Buying a whole chicken means fewer labor costs in processing the chicken parts.

Plus, a whole chicken has its bones, which have great flavor. But neither the savings nor the bones mean anything if a cook doesn't know how to cut up a chicken _ and use every part in different dishes.

That's why Wendy Carroll, owner of Fresno, Calif., personal-chef service Seasoned to Taste, held a Chicken Basics & Beyond cooking class at Kitchen & Bath Plus in Fresno.

She invited Al Zall, vice president of Fresno poultry-and-meat processor Apple Valley Farms, to demonstrate how to cut and debone a chicken.

You'll need a chef's knife, kitchen shears or, preferably, the curved, thin blade of a boning knife.

"It's your best type of knife to use for boning a chicken," Zall says. "If you're just going to cut up the chicken with the bones in, then you can use a chef's knife."

Whatever you use, be sure the knife is very sharp, he adds. Using a dull knife will mangle the chicken _ and you're more likely to cut yourself.

Start with a 4˝-5 pound chicken, Zall says.

Butcher the wings: Place the chicken breast-down with the wings closest to you. First, cut off the wings at the joints that connect them to the body of the chicken. At this point, you can keep the wings whole, or cut them in half at the joint to make drummettes. You also can take the midjoint section of the wings and cut off the tips to make "party wings," he says.

Next, butcher the legs: Separate the legs from the body by cutting around the joints that connect them. Then cut each leg at the joint between the drumsticks and thighs.

Hold each thigh skin-side down, exposing the joint that connected it to the body. Slice around each of the thigh bones, as close to the bone as possible. Pull off the skin, if desired, and cut off the cartilage at the edges of the thighs.

Separate the back and ribs: Partially cut the back apart from the body. Crack the backbone and pull off the back. You can save the back for soup stock (along with any other bones and skin).

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Slice the carcass between the ribs, then slice a little along the keel bone that separates the breasts, he says. Use your hands to pull apart the ribs so the chicken breast lies flat. Run your fingers along each side of the keel bone, and pull it out. Cut off the rib bones on either side of the breasts. Pull out the wishbone.

Finally, butcher the breast and tenders: Cut off the chicken tenders (the flaps of meat that lie between the keel bone and the rib). Pull the skin off the chicken breast, slice off any membranes and fat, then cut the chicken breasts in half.

Afterward, you'll have a neat platter of chicken parts, plus a bowl of bones, skin and other parts for stock, he says.

Carroll didn't make any chicken stock from scratch that night, but she showed different ways to use whole and butchered chicken. A posole con pollo (Mexican hominy soup with chicken) required simmering a whole chicken, then steeping it in hot water. After cooking, it was shredded and added to the soup.

Cooking the chicken in "residual heat" is a technique that ensures moist chicken, Carroll says.

Her Indian-style skewered chicken tikka tenderizes chicken in yogurt before cooking.

Though she prefers to use boneless chicken thighs, the yogurt marinade would work equally well with bone-in chicken breast, she says. Just be sure to wipe off the excess marinade before grilling, so the chicken doesn't burn.

Carroll also used chicken tenders in a stir-fry with mango. The trick in a stir-fry, she says, is to cook the chicken until it starts to turn opaque, then add ginger and other aromatics. (Adding the aromatics too early could cause them to burn.)

And then there was a dish that drew murmurs of pleasure from the class: Carroll braised chicken legs and thighs in white wine and chicken stock. That coq au vin blanc would also work with a bone-in chicken breast, she says.

In any case, "I would keep the skin on," she says.

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SKEWERED CHICKEN TIKKA WITH CILANTRO SAUCE

Makes 6 servings

For the cilantro sauce:

2 cups cilantro leaves

1 cup mint leaves

˝ jalapeno pepper

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt

Kosher salt, to taste

For the chicken:

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

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1 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Special equipment needed:

Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

To make the sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, combine cilantro, mint, jalapeno pepper, garlic, cumin and lemon juice. Process until well-mixed. In a small serving bowl, combine herb mixture with yogurt. Season to taste with salt. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2 days.

To make the chicken: In a spice grinder, combine the mustard seeds, five-spice powder, pepper, turmeric, cayenne and bay leaf. Pulse until the spices are a fine powder. In a medium bowl, combine the spice mix with the ginger, garlic, yogurt and salt. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for up to 8 hours. Preheat broiler to high. Skewer chicken and place on a foil-covered broiling pan. Brush with melted butter. Broil on high for 7 minutes, turning skewers over at the halfway point. Alternatively, grill the chicken over direct heat. Serve with cilantro sauce.

_Wendy Carroll, Seasoned to Taste

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CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH MANGO

Makes 4 servings

ľ pound snow peas

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into ˝-inch strips

1 tablespoon soy sauce or fish sauce (see notes)

1 mango, halved and diced

1˝ tablespoons fresh lime juice

Ľ cup jarred mango chutney (see notes)

Ľ cup chicken stock

1 scant tablespoon Thai chili paste (see notes)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the snow peas to the boiling water and blanch until they brighten in color, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge into the ice bath. When cold, drain and cut on the diagonal. Set aside.

Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with soy sauce or fish sauce. Set aside. Place the mango in a bowl and add lime juice. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Combine chutney, chicken stock and Thai chili paste in a bowl. Mix in cornstarch and stir until well combined. Set aside.

Heat a wok (or 12-inch saute pan) over high heat. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat the pan. When smoking hot, add chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Add red bell pepper and mango and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add ginger and toss. Move chicken-and-vegetable mixture against the sides of the wok. Add the chutney mixture to the bottom of the wok and bring to a boil. Toss the chicken mixture with the sauce. Add the snow peas and cilantro, then combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately with rice.

Notes: Fish sauce is a liquid seasoning made from fermented fish. Fish sauce and Thai chili paste are available at Asian stores such as R-N Market at Cedar and Herndon avenues and in the Asian section of some supermarkets. Mango chutney is available at Trader Joe's.

_Wendy Carroll, Seasoned to Taste

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POSOLE CON POLLO

Makes 6-8 servings

For the soup:

1 (2-3 pounds) whole chicken

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

2 white onions, quartered

6 whole garlic cloves (2 peeled and 4 unpeeled)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 (28-ounce) can hominy

1 pound Roma tomatoes

2 dried guajillo chilies (see note)

2 dried ancho chilies (see note)

6 cups chicken stock, divided

˝ teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon cumin

˝ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lime

For the garnish:

Oregano

Lime wedges

Iceberg lettuce or cabbage, shredded

Radishes, sliced

˝ white onion, chopped

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Submerge the chicken (breast-side up) in a large pot of water. Add one of the quartered onions, 2 cloves peeled garlic, bay leaves, thyme and marjoram. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the chicken stand, covered, for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour to finish cooking. Remove the chicken from the liquid. Shred all of the meat, and set aside.

Rinse the hominy. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Turn off heat, add hominy and soak for 15 minutes.

Place the second onion, tomatoes and 4 unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet and broil about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until tomatoes' skins are blistered and charred. Remove skins from garlic and tomatoes.

Remove seeds, stems and ribs from guajillo and ancho chilies. Heat a heavy skillet or comal (see notes) and toast chilies. Using tongs, press chilies down on the hot surface for a few seconds and turn until all sides are toasted but still pliable. Transfer to a bowl, and pour hot water over them. Leave the chilies to soak for 20 minutes. Drain chilies and discard soaking liquid. Combine chilies, broiled vegetables, 1 cup hominy and 1 cup chicken stock in a blender. Process until pureed. Pour puree into a soup kettle, and add 5 cups chicken broth. Add oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 40 minutes.

Add shredded chicken, lime zest and lime juice to soup. Adjust seasonings, and serve with garnishes.

Notes: Guajillo chilies are dark and reddish brown, with a mild heat. Ancho chilies are dried poblano peppers. They have a slightly sweet flavor and medium heat. Both guajillo and ancho chilies are available in Hispanic markets such as Vallarta Supermarket at Chestnut and Butler avenues or the Hispanic section of some supermarkets.

A comal is a griddle pan used for heating tortillas. It is found in Hispanic markets.

_Wendy Carroll, Seasoned to Taste

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COQ AU VIN BLANC

Makes 4 servings

˝ cup diced, thick-cut bacon

15 large shallots (3 finely chopped and 12 cut in quarters)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2Ľ cups small button mushrooms

2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 pieces bone-in chicken legs and thighs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 bay leaves

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

4-5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley

12 prunes, pitted

1˝ cups dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat pan. Add bacon and saute until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add the chopped shallots and garlic and saute until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add whole shallots and mushrooms to pan and saute until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Pour off any remaining bacon fat. In a medium bowl, add the flour and season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in the same pan and add the chicken (in batches, if necessary). Saute until golden. Place the chicken and sauteed vegetables in the pan. Tuck in the bay, thyme, parsley and prunes.

Heat the wine and the stock until just boiling and pour over the chicken. Cover and cook for 1Ľ hours or until the chicken is done. (The juices should run clear.)

With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and keep warm.

Add sherry, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Mix in the butter _ one piece at a time _ to thicken and finish sauce. Season to taste.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve. Garnish with minced parsley.

_Wendy Carroll, Seasoned to Taste

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© 2009, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.).