One Bird. A Week of Delicious Family Meals.

When people think about value at the butcher’s counter, they often look at price per kilo. But true value is about much more than that — flavour, quality, nutrition, less waste, and how many meals you can create from one purchase.

At Prendergast Butchers, we always encourage customers to consider buying a whole free-range chicken instead of individual cuts. Not only does it taste far better, but with a little planning, one chicken can comfortably provide 4–6 meals for a family across an entire week.

A quality free-range chicken gives you:

  • Succulent breast meat
  • Rich dark meat from the legs and thighs
  • Carcass bones packed with flavour for stock
  • Better texture and deeper taste than intensively farmed birds
  • Outstanding value for money

Here’s how one full chicken can become a full week of comforting, homemade meals.

Meal 1 — Traditional Sunday Roast Chicken

There’s nothing better than the first roast of the week.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole free-range chicken
  • Butter or olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • Garlic cloves
  • Fresh thyme or rosemary
  • Roast potatoes
  • Seasonal vegetables

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
  2. Rub chicken with butter or oil and season generously.
  3. Stuff cavity with lemon halves, garlic, and herbs.
  4. Roast for approximately 1 hour 30 mins (depending on size).
  5. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Serve With

  • Crispy roast potatoes
  • Yorkshire puddings
  • Carrots, parsnips, greens
  • Homemade gravy

Tip

Don’t strip every bit of meat from the carcass yet — save some for later meals.

Meal 2 — Chicken & Bacon Sandwiches or Wraps

Monday’s lunch practically makes itself.

Ingredients

  • Leftover roast chicken breast
  • Crispy bacon
  • Lettuce
  • Mayo
  • Bread rolls or wraps

Method

  1. Slice leftover chicken thinly.
  2. Layer with bacon and salad.
  3. Add stuffing or cranberry sauce if you have leftovers from Sunday.

Why It Works

Using leftovers properly is where a whole chicken becomes incredible value.

Meal 3 — Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Pasta

Perfect for a quick midweek dinner.

Ingredients

  • Leftover chicken pieces
  • 250g pasta
  • Mushrooms
  • Garlic
  • Cream or crème fraîche
  • Parmesan
  • Parsley

Method

  1. Cook pasta.
  2. Fry mushrooms and garlic in butter.
  3. Add cream and simmer.
  4. Stir through shredded chicken.
  5. Toss with pasta and parmesan.

Budget Bonus

A small amount of chicken goes a long way in pasta dishes.

Meal 4 — Homemade Chicken Curry

Dark meat from the thighs and legs is ideal for curry.

Ingredients

  • Leftover chicken meat
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Curry paste or powder
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Coconut milk

Method

  1. Fry onion and garlic until soft.
  2. Add curry paste and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk.
  4. Add shredded chicken and simmer.

Serve With

  • Rice
  • Naan bread
  • Mango chutney

Tip

Curries are brilliant for stretching leftovers into another full family meal.

Meal 5 — Proper Homemade Chicken Soup

Now it’s time for the carcass to shine.

Ingredients

  • Chicken carcass
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Bay leaf
  • Noodles or rice

Method

  1. Place carcass in a large pot.
  2. Cover with water and simmer for 2–3 hours.
  3. Strain stock.
  4. Add chopped vegetables and cook until tender.
  5. Add any final scraps of chicken meat.

Why Free-Range Matters

Free-range bones produce richer, more flavourful stock packed with nutrients.

Meal 6 — Chicken Fried Rice

An easy Friday-night fakeaway.

Ingredients

  • Last bits of chicken
  • Cooked rice
  • Frozen peas
  • Spring onions
  • Soy sauce
  • Egg

Method

  1. Fry cooked rice in a hot pan.
  2. Add vegetables and chicken.
  3. Push rice aside and scramble egg.
  4. Stir together with soy sauce.

Result

A delicious meal created from ingredients that might otherwise go to waste.

How Many Meals Can One Chicken Really Provide?

A medium-to-large free-range chicken can easily provide:

MealServings
Sunday Roast4–6
Sandwiches/Wraps2–4
Pasta Dish4
Curry4
Soup4–6
Fried Rice2–4

That’s potentially 20+ portions from one bird.

Better Value. Better Flavour. Less Waste.

Buying a whole free-range chicken isn’t old-fashioned — it’s smart cooking.

You’ll enjoy:

  • Better tasting meat
  • More versatility
  • Less food waste
  • Better nutrition
  • Excellent value for money

At Prendergast Butchers, we believe good food starts with quality ingredients and making the most of every purchase. A whole free-range chicken is one of the best-value items you can bring home for your family.

So next time you visit us, ask about our fresh free-range chickens — and turn one bird into a full week of fantastic meals.