One chicken two meals

There are times when the budget is tight, time is at a premium, but you still need to put dinner on the table. Carry-out isn't economical, nor is eating out. You want something that can be prepared quickly, yet a meal that is tasty and healthy. Here's an idea to make two meals that fit into any budget, are healthy and nutritious, and both can be made from one 3-4 pound roasting chicken.

Not to be a brand name dropper, but Sam's Club sells packages that contain two whole roasting chickens for 87 cents per pound. That means you can get about eight pounds of chicken for just over seven dollars. One chicken will easily serve two people for both meals. The only requirement is that you have an electric crock pot. If you don't have one, you can pick one up for about 25-30 dollars for the large version. Given the wide variety of meals that you can cook in a crock pot, it is well worth the nominal expense.

Okay, so you have your roasting chicken and your crock pot. Rinse the chicken thoroughly in cold water and place it into the crock pot. Add five to ten cloves of fresh garlic depending on how aromatic you want to be the next day. Sprinkle a healthy pinch of sea salt and a heaping teaspoon of black pepper or lemon pepper onto the chicken. Of course, I add a teaspoon of Sriracha sauce to kick things up a notch (I know I've heard that expression before). Place the cover on the crock pot and turn it on "low" before you head out the door to work. Total preparation time is 5-10 minutes depending on how quickly you move in the morning.

Seven to ten hours later, when you drag your tired butt in the door, a fall-off-the-bone, tender and flavorful chicken will be waiting for you. Make some rice or couscous (Near East is the best for me), and a nice green vegetable and you have well-rounded dinner number one.

Place the left-over chicken, and there should be quite a bit, into tupperware for the next day. On day two, separate the chicken meat from the skin and bones and set the meat aside. Saute a couple of your favorite fajita-type veggies in a little olive oil and add the chicken meat before the vegetables are fully cooked. Add some Sriracha, Tabasco, tandoori spice or whatever you like to spice up the veggie/chicken mixture. Take some of that left-over rice or couscous (if there is any), or make some fresh. Take some large flour, corn or whole wheat tortillas, and place a healthy pinch of shredded cheddar cheese, a heaping tablespoon of salsa, a couple tablespoons of the cooked rice and as much veggie/chicken mixture as you like into the tortilla.

Two of these burritos will satisfy even the most voracious appetite. And who do you have to thank for these two very different, yet delicious meals? That one little 'ol chicken from yesterday's crock pot dinner. Of course you can make your two chicken-based meals according to your taste because we all know by now that if you can imagine it, somebody can cook it.