If you’ve ever opened your fridge at 6pm and thought, “Not spaghetti again…”, this one’s for you.
Cooking for one (or just trying to keep weeknight dinners interesting) can easily slide into a routine of toast, pasta, or whatever’s quickest. But in the spirit of smarter cooking – and stretching your grocery rand – I decided to take one simple ingredient and see just how far it could carry me. Enter: the humble whole roast chicken.
Budget-friendly, versatile, and surprisingly generous, this single bird can become four very different meals across the week – with minimal effort and maximum flavour.
How to cook your whole roast chicken
- Start with one medium whole chicken. Pat it dry with paper towel (this helps the skin crisp up beautifully). Place it in a roasting dish and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper – that’s all you really need.
- Pop it into a preheated oven at 180°C and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on size. You’ll know it’s ready when the skin is golden and the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh.
- Once out of the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes (this keeps the meat juicy). Then carve what you need for dinner – and shred the remaining meat while it’s still warm. Store it in a container in the fridge for the rest of the week.
Oh, and don’t toss the carcass… you’ll need it later.
Here are 4 weeknight meals you can make with one roast chicken
Monday: Chicken Wings with Broccoli Rice
Chicken wings with broccoli rice
Tuesday: Creamy Chicken Pasta
Wednesday: Roast Chicken Burrito Bowls
Thursday: Chicken Yaki Udon
Remember that chicken carcass you saved? This is its moment.
This nourishing chicken and spinach broth is the kind of supper that’s filled with comfort… make it when you are feeling a little under the weather and you need something warm and nourishing.
ALSO SEE: HOW TO CARVE A WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN LIKE A PRO
