How To Save Money On Chicken

Learn how to save money on chicken with a few shopping and storage tips, as well as some tasty and affordable chicken recipes.

Chicken lovers, get excited. Chicken recipes have been underrepresented on my blog… until now. In all honesty, I don’t eat a lot of chicken. But that’s no reason to make you guys suffer.

Which is why I’m devoting an entire week’s worth of posts to the humble chicken!

Over the next week or so, I will be posting three cheap chicken recipes that I think you’re going to love. They’re full of flavor and a little out-of-box.  To receive notifications of the posts as they are published:

• Like my Facebook page
• Follow me on Twitter
• Check back over the next few days to see what cheap chicken recipes I come up with!

5 Ways To Save Money On Chicken

Chicken doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg (or a wing and a drumstick) – especially if you abide by a few simple shopping rules:

• Buy a whole chicken – Buying a whole chicken and cutting it in to pieces is usually cheaper than buying chicken pieces that are pre-cut. Retailers increase price based on how much labor put into butchering and packaging.
• Buy dark meat – Boneless, skinless chicken breast is probably the most popular type of chicken. But you can save a lot of money by purchasing dark meat, namely chicken legs and thighs. Learn how to make the best baked chicken thighs.
• Stock up when prices are low – If you can find chicken on sale, purchase a larger amount and freeze it for future use.
• Know when to use the grocery store salad bar – When you need a small amount of chicken for a recipe (1/2 cup for a Chinese chicken salad, for example), it may be more cost-effective to buy chicken from the grocery store salad bar than cooking it yourself.
• Make your own chicken stock – If you cook a whole chicken from scratch, or if you buy a whole rotisserie chicken, save the carcass, skin, and bones and make your own chicken stock and freeze for future use.

Obviously, you’re going to spend more if you buy free-range, hormone-free, vegetarian-fed chicken. I’m not going to get into the health benefits or risks associated with eating chicken that has been raised a certain way. Rather, if saving money is your primary objective, these tips will serve you well.

And with that… let Chicken Week festivities begin!

Cheap Chicken-Based Recipes

Get the recipe: Mango habanero chicken chili

Get the recipe: Crockpot sesame chicken

Get the recipe: Lentil and chicken sausage soup

Get the recipe: Sticky honey curry chicken

Saving Money On Chicken FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions I get about saving money on chicken:

What are the cheapest cuts of chicken?

Chicken thighs and drumsticks are usually the cheapest cuts of chicken at the grocery store. 

What is the most economical way to buy chicken?

Typically, purchasing a whole chicken is the most economical way to buy chicken. Learning how to roast a chicken at home is an invaluable cooking less that will help you save a lot of money over time.

How do you make cheap chicken taste better?

If you purchased cheap chicken and it just doesn’t taste good, there are a few things you can do to make it taste better. Try adding it to a recipe where a lot of spices are used – or a dish with strong, bold flavors (like mango-habanero chicken chili). You can also try marinating or brining the chicken for several hours or overnight to infuse the chicken with flavor. Another option is to top the chicken with a bold, flavorful sauce to take the focus away from the chicken.

How long can chicken be frozen?

Buying cheap chicken and freezing it can be very economical. If properly stored (in original packaging and then placed in an airtight plastic bag) the chicken will be good for 9 months to a year – or even longer.