cheap family recipes
feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a month
Ingredients
- 200 g chicken
For the stuffing
- 150 g breadcrumbs
- 160 g onion
- 50 ml oil or 50g lard
- 80 g lemon (1 small lemon) zested and juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
For the gravy
- 240 g onion
- stock
For the bubble and squeak
- 500 g carrots
- 1 kg potato
Serve with
- 160 g butternut squash cut into 1 inch cubes, leave the skin on, it is lovely!
- 320 g peas
Instructions
to poach a chicken
- First bring cold water and the bird to the boil, in a large saucepan, or stockpot, then drain that water and add freshly boiled water, so that the bird is covered. Then simmer for about 2 hours or cook in your slow cooker for 6 hrs. For more flavour add some onion quarters and any herbs you have available.
- Click here to start a 2 hour timer
gravy
- Chop the onions into quarters, drizzle with a little vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and roast for approximately 25 mins until dark golden brown. Place in a saucepan with about a pint of stock, or (for better flavour) use the stock to deglaze the pan. Mix 20g flour with a little cold water to make a paste and add this to the gravy, stirring all the time to combine all the ingredients.
- Click here to start a 25 minute timer
- Cut up the butternut squash, and roast these at the same time, but keep them separate from the onions, as the onions are for the gravy.
stuffing
- In a food processor, finely chop 160g onions and 150g bread to make fine crumbs, with the juice of the onion, this will combine to make a dough. Add the fat and the juice of the lemon and it’s zest. Pulse until well mixed, and season with salt and pepper and dried herbs. Form into 12 balls/patty shapes and bake for 15-20 mins.
- Click here to start a 20 minute timer
bubble & squeak
- Cut potato and carrot into inch cubes and boil for 15-20 mins until tender, don’t peel the potato, just wash it. Drain and mash coarsely (bits of carrot still visible). Shape into burger shaped patties about 2 cm thick, and fry in a non-stick pan until the top and bottoms are crispy.
- Click here to start a 20 minute timer
Serve With
- peas and butternut squash
After lunch
- If this is the first use of your chicken this month, carefully strip off all the remaining meat for use in other recipes this month and store in the freezer.
- Use the carcass to make more stock, (even though the chicken was poached, you will still get a good stock) and store away ready for use in your next soup
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
Why Not Try....?
Vegan Tomato and Basil Soup
cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthVegan Tomato & Basil SoupThis fresh and delicious tomato and basil soup is offered as an alternative option in the Celebration Week Planner, but can be enjoyed at any time, and as it uses tinned...
Creamy Parsnip Soup
cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for (just over) £100 a monthCreamy Parsnip SoupCreamy parsnip soup, such a classic Christmas flavour. Easy to make, warming and comforting How Do I Make Creamy Parsnip Soup? This recipe uses frozen parsnips. If you prefer to use...
Tomato Relish
cheap family recipes feed a family of 4 for less than £200 a monthTomato RelishIf you are following the vegan monthly meal plan, this tangy homemade tomato relish is used as a condiment whenever you would like to use it. There is no particular use specified in the...
Take care of your family and your budget
Before putting together our meal planners we surveyed over 600 people to ask when faced with a tighter budget, which things they would struggle to give up.