The Stretching Chicken

This is as much of a tip as a recipe! This one chicken can now make up to 20 servings done in different dishes. Make chicken enchiladas with some, add some to plain stock with veggies and seasoning , wonderful for Mexican recipes and also some Oriental dishes. I have just made enchiladas for 6 and there is still enough meat for at least 14 servings. You can make chicken stew with dumplings, or chicken ala king. The jellied consumme can be the base ingredient for a wonderful soup, again stretching this versatile chicken. It is tender and not dry. The list is as long as your imagination.

• Ready In: 9 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 1  large stewing chicken (as Large as your crockpot will hold)
• 1  large onion
• 2  cups water or 2  cups  chicken stock
•  salt & pepper
• 1 -2  bay leaf

Directions

1. Put your old hen, onion, & bayleaf in the crock pot (cut up if necessary to fit but left whole is best), salt & pepper,add water (or chicken stock)& bay leaves.
2. Turn on crock pot to low and cook for 9-10 hours, do not open the crock pot.
3. Take out and cool the chicken.
4. Pour the stock through a strainer.
5. Remove fat, you can do this by pouring the sauce in a large flat bowl& refridgerate, leave for a couple of hours and spoon off the fat.
6. Save the jellied consumme. You may portion it into freezer bags and freeze it for future use
7. Remove skin& bones from the chicken (You can reboil this and get more stock for chicken soup or discard).
8. Leave in chunks or shred the chicken Keep out what you are going to use now and portion freeze the rest.
9. If possible vacuum seal before freezing or get out as much air as possible befor freezing