With the price of beef skyrocketing, now more than ever chicken is becoming the backbone of the frugal kitchen. And why not? Chicken is much less expensive than beef or pork, and useful down to the bones.

Don't pay full-price. Chicken is always on sale somewhere. If you don't want to store hop, you can always find some cut of meat, fish and poultry on sale in your favorite market. Eat what's on sale, and if it's a loss leader (that means priced dirt-cheap to entice people through the door), stock up.

Buy whole chickens. The most frugal way to use chickens is to buy them whole and cut them up yourself. You'll save money, and the chicken will taste better when cooked with the skin and bones. A whole, organic bird usually costs less per pound than precut, skinned and boned parts. It is not difficult to cut up a chicken once you understand the five simple steps. Here is a video tutorial (allrecipes.com/video/2/how-to-cut-up-a-whole-chicken/detail.aspx) or written instructions with pictures (allrecipes.com/howto/cutting-up-a-whole-chicken/).

Three-way chicken. Whether you buy a whole raw chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the deli counter, you are looking at three meals from that one bird. Dinner No. 1: Roast chicken (more to come on this in a bit). Dinner No.


2: Chicken potpie, chicken sandwiches, chicken stir-fry, chicken burritos or chicken salad using the meat you removed from the carcass following Dinner No. 1. Dinner No. 3: Chicken soup made from the carcass of the bird.

Roast whole chicken. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, remove everything from the cavity and rinse it inside and out. Dry with paper towels or clean cloth. Season well with salt and pepper. Place half a stalk of celery and half of a whole onion inside the cavity. Set the chicken, breast-side-up, in a baking dish or roasting pan. Put the chicken into the oven. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees. Set a time for one hour and do not open the oven door. Check for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of its thigh. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees. If it's not, cook for 5 to 10 minutes and check it again. Let the bird rest for about 15 minutes before carving.

Storing fresh chicken. Fresh chicken should be used within two days or frozen for up to nine months.

How to freeze: Freezing chicken in the original packaging is fine for up to two months. For longer freezing, over-wrap packages with foil, plastic wrap, freezer paper or plastic bags. For ease in defrosting, separate and wrap individual pieces or servings prior to freezing. Then, thaw the quantity you need for the meal you're preparing.

How to thaw: Never thaw poultry at room temperature. Thaw in the refrigerator. Allow approximately five hours per pound thawing time. For faster thawing, use the cold-water method. Put the poultry in an airtight bag and place it in a bowl or sink full of cold water. Change the water every half hour. Never use hot water; it can stimulate bacterial growth.
