Save on the cost of high-priced tortilla chips-it is easy to make your own. Coat both sides of fresh corn tortillas with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F. for about 5 minutes. Cool and process into crumbs.
You get the most chicken for your money when you buy a whole cut-up fryer instead of select pieces. Use the breast for this recipe, then refrigerate the thighs and legs up to 3 days for another meal.
Shallots are usually priced three to four times higher than onions. You can easily substitute less expensive minced green onions or regular yellow onions for the shallots in this recipe.
If you do not have paprika, thyme and parsley on hand, there is no need to purchase them separately-use poultry seasoning instead. This blend includes all these spices plus a hint of sage.
For best flavor, use fresh parsley and lemon juice along with the highest-quality olive oil you can afford. Just 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil added to 1/3 cup of lesser-quality oil will give full flavor.
A lot of the flavor in this recipe comes from a little high-quality olive oil. If you don't use much olive oil, buy and store a small bottle in the refrigerator to ensure maximum freshness.
Most supermarkets have special sales on frozen chicken pieces, which can be frozen for up to 6 months. To defrost, separate as many pieces as you need and place under running cold water for 10 minutes.
You can save the high cost of canned chicken broth by using 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water. Remember to reduce the amount of salt since the bouillon cube contains salt.
Although homemade chicken broth is the most economical way to prepare this dish, bouillon cubes or granules are convenient as well as economical. You'll save money over canned chicken broth.
Save the stems of the broccoli and cauliflower to create an inexpensive low-fat soup. Peel, chop and simmer the stems in chicken broth until tender. Purée in a blender, adding additional broth if needed.
Cooking wine can be somewhat costly. For a less expensive alternative that will still provide a full, rich taste, consider using fresh apple cider instead of the wine called for in this recipe.
You can save a bit on the budget by visiting the local Asian grocer and purchasing the crisp chow mein noodles in larger packages. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container.
