How to make the most out of the whole chicken

Oct 4 2011 Advertisement Feature

A century ago, the average Briton consumed just 25kg of meat a year - a figure which has since tripled. Health experts have long advocated eating meat in moderation, and the World Health Organisation has suggested we cut back on fat, but this is perhaps harder in practice than in theory.

Chicken is, however, very low in fat compared to a lot of other meats, as well as being highly versatile. Many chicken recipes require minimal preparation, which could be why poultry is such a popular choice.
There do, however, remain a few debates surrounding the humble chicken, like how long to cook it for and what to do with the left-over carcass. Thankfully, after you've enjoyed the best bits with your meal, there are lots of quick ideas around which mean you won't waste anything.

The New York Times published an article this year about an innovative way to use up the whole bird when cooking. Boil the back bone and wings to make a stock, in which you can braise the thighs and vegetables, and on top of these roast the breast. Put the skin and fat in the oven until it's brown for a snack or crumbled into salad with vinaigrette.

This technique can of course be stretched to turkey – celebrity cook Nigel Slater suggests smearing leftover turkey breasts with pesto and cheese and grilling until it melts. Cook any leftover lumps with a knob of butter, tarragon, cream and water and eat with bread and wine. For ideas and inspiration for chicken recipes, take a look at Waitrose's online collection.