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
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