Recipe: Chicken Stock in the Oven

5 weeks into quarantine and the weather is foggy and overcast. In my house, we are being as thoughtful as possible about our groceries - trying to limit our trips to the store and farmer’s market, and cooking things that make great leftovers.

Something that seems to have nine lives in our house is a roasted chicken. We cook it the Zuni method (key here is to salt it very well at least 24 hours in advance and cook it in an incredibly high oven) for a cozy dinner. It’s great with a panzanella salad (lots of leftover bread here - yes we, like many, are on a bread making craze) dressed in an acidic mustard vinaigrette, or with smashed potatoes or honey roasted carrots. Then, we save our bones and pick the leftover meat off the carcass.

The next day we make chicken salad or sandwiches or a number of other things. Then, before bed, we throw the roasted chicken bones into a pot and toss it in the oven overnight. The next morning we have a rich stock to keep for future soups, risottos or whatever else we might need it for.

One chicken has become multiple meals. While I always appreciate using every last bit of meat from an animal, it feels particularly important right now to do more with less.

Chicken Stock in the Oven