Raw whole chicken $2.99/kg at Aldi.
I am unsure how this compared in value to buying different cuts of chicken because the whole chicken has bones and other inedible parts. My quick logic is that it's still worth it because the price of one tray of chicken breast is equivalent to 3, albeit small, whole chickens.
Any recommendations regarding recipes or methods to cook a whole chicken? I've only ever bought individual cuts.
roast
Not sure it's roast if it's microwaved ;)
He was joking I think
As good as a roast chicken.
Never thought of using the microwave. Does it help with the constipation?
Constipation? Microwave? I don't understand this meme.
No unfortunately not, but helps with a quick dinner with no cleaning up as the casserole dish goes straight into the fridge for leftovers.
I'm not sure if I want to leave my microwave on for 36 minutes with a 1.8kg roast chicken in there haha
That's ok, it's not a roast chicken until after the 36 minutes.
Haha good point 😆
How many minutes in a microwave from frozen?
Will Aldi French onion soup work? Asking for a friend.
Do they sell this?!
Do you cover the chicken while cooking ?
In Alfoil
Covered casserole dish. Not alfoil.
Any recommendations regarding recipes or methods to cook a whole chicken?
It is easier to cook pieces. I usually buy whole thighs. Don't buy breast fillets - no flavour.
Cooking a whole chook is not entry-level cooking, but done right is delicious. Google for recipies an give it a few tries.
A pressure cooker can help. (never slow cooker for chicken)
You might be better off buying a $10 pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
Cooking a whole chook is not entry-level cooking, but done right is delicious
Uh oh, good thing I only bought half my week's chicken in whole chicken form.
As long as you vaguely know what to do, I don't think cooking a roast chicken is especially hard. Hard to get perfect, but you get pretty close, pretty easily.
No, not rocket science :-)
Just saying that it is easier to get even cooking, moisture etc with pieces, skin on.
Once you've mastered that …
Rotisserie chickens are at least twice as expensive and way overcooked.
Chop up some vegetables (carrot, potatoes, celery and whatever else) throw it in a slow cooker and put the whole chicken on top and set to low. 8 hours later you have made chicken soup. Boil some pasta if you want. Then shred chicken for a week of food. Use shredded chicken in wraps, burgers, salad, pasta. Look online for those recipes.
Edit: spelling
Or just butterfly the little guy.
Hmm salmonella, yum
You're meant to cook them.
Chicken professional here, once the bird is dressed (head, feed and other delicates removed), the resultant distribution of cuts is about 29% breast meat, around 15% drumstick and thigh each, and about 10% wing. So call it all up about 70%.
$3/70%=~$4.20/kg - that seems pretty good. That said, if you wanted to cut it up for pieces, you won't cut it up as efficiently, and will leave bits behind.
Another note is that a wholebird that you buy is a much smaller size than those used for cuts, probably only about two thirds of the size.
Never thought Ozbargain would have such a use for my very specific chicken knowledge.
Are you a processor? Can you hook me up with a bag of chicken tails?
I work at a factory, but in the office. So probably not, but I would contact a small poultry processor as they usually don't make enough of the by-products to have a viable wholesale option. Where do you live? I can perhaps work out a small producer near you?
I'm not far from Moorabbin airport. Is there much demand for chicken tails? Despite being the best part of the chicken I have only ever seen them for sale once and thst was at a pet food stall.
@mapax: Yeah, that stuff is usually used for pet food from my understanding. Or else used to create Machine Separated Chicken (google that for a wild ride).
I would start with a poultry shop and go from there, looks like this one wouldn't be far away: https://goo.gl/maps/vjaPR3jGTVxs6nvt9. I would search for wholesalers rather than just butchers.
@[Deactivated]: One does not joke about tails. When cooked correctly they're my favourite part of the chicken.
Any idea who supplies these, Ingham's?
I believe Aldi uses all the major producers for their chickens, depends state by state and product by product. Not sure on this one in particular.
That's what's great about Ozbargain. I always learn so much from the comments. Thanks for lending us your chicken professional knowledge and helping us work out if this is a bargain or not.
I bought chicken breasts from an independent outlet the other day and they must have belonged to something massive. Like Arnie massive.
Love Aldi's range of Chicken Thigh Cutlets. It's all I ever use these days for curries especially … $6.49/kg and skin off.
That seems pretty cheap. Is this price the result of some factory farming operation, or are we kinda cool that it might be ok conditions? I don't know, but just thinking sometimes about the consumer price of food, and what shortcuts were made so that we feel like winners in this game.
Is this price the result of some factory farming operation
No I'm sure all the chickens voluntarily removed their heads and organs, plucked themselves and climbed into the plastic bags of their own accord.
None of the wing bones are broken as often in aldi chicken compared to certain pizza place wings or even KFC.
Australia has pretty strict and well-adhered to laws, doubt you will find anything like that. Low prices are usually driven by the market ie oversupply of specific weight ranges/cuts.
Buttermilk & Salt Marinade Roast Chicken is usually my go too. If I want to get fancy, I might stuff it with a lemon and thyme.
https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermilkmarinated-roast-ch…
Thanks for the link to the recipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcISVmGI4Os
Learn to break down a chicken and these supermarket specials can save you a bit of cash
If you want bigger birds, try Coles this week for $3.XX a kilo
I should have known that YouTube would have a good tutorial.
Had some green meat in the big Coles bird when I got it at half price a few weeks ago. Apparently not a big deal as it's due to them not doing exercise. Tried eating the green flesh, tasted bland.
We buy only whole birds. Wife cuts all the big chunks of meat off for curries and stir fries. The rest is de-fatted and makes soup. Chicken soup everyday. Best vitamin and mineral supplement ever.
Raw Whole Chicken
Come on ScoMo, you can see Tony's onion and raise him a chicken.
Butterfly it
Rub with salt and pepper, little bit of oil, stuff with leftover rice and apricot, bake for 1 hour-1.5 on about 200 degrees. Can use juices to make gravy, viola! Serve with roast vegetables.
If you prefer it a bit more moist put about 2 cups of vegetable stock/vegeta in the pan. It's really hard to stuff this up. Duck is even easier, literally stick in oven for an hour or so and it's done
I like this recipe best because of the simplicity :)
I've slow and pressure cooked chickens too with similar recipes, the results are similar to shop chickens as the bones go soft. With spices less is more
2 x D cell battery rotisserie, fire up the far left and right burners on the bbq, stick a foil container underneath to reduce barbie cleaning time! come back in 2 1/2 hours, crispy skin, juicy, easy to take meat off and does main meal plus sandwiches for lunch and a stir fry later in the week as well. Dont' forget to take the rest of the meat off the bird not just legs/wings/breasts. Don't waste it, it's all delicious!
Sadly I don't have access to a BBQ living in a little studio but I will keep it in mind. I agree, every part of chicken is delicious. I eat absolutely everything when I get those colesworth bbq chickens.
Rub with Coles French Onion Soup mix all over.
Put in a large casserole dish with a cover.
If it's a size 16 (1.6kg) chicken then microwave 16 minutes on high (800W microwave) on one side. Flip the chicken then microwave another 16 minutes on high on the other side.
If it's a size 18 (1.8kg) chicken then microwave for 18 minutes each side etc. If your microwave is 1000W either reduce the time or cook on 80% power.
End up with a very juicy tender roast chicken in a fraction of the time of a traditional oven.