A New Feature - Hen House Bargain Meal of the Week

I am participating in a great new venture over at Erin's 5DollarDinners.com. Every week, bloggers from all over the country join in and scour local grocery ads for great deals. Each person then puts together at least one "bargain meal" for that week, one that anyone can put together without having to use coupons or analyze the specific deals. It's a GREAT concept, and while it has little to do with utilizing leftovers, it definitely contributes to lowering the cost of groceries, which is what this blog is all about!

Hen House can be tricky. They don't often have great sales on meat, so some weeks it's going to be quite difficult to make the meal below $5. However, this week, they do have boneless/skinless chicken thighs on sale, and I have a family favorite recipe using chicken thighs. It's based on a recipe I found in Taste of Home, and it is a delicious one-skillet meal. I'm assuming that you have basic staples in the pantry that will be needed for the recipe, and some of the ingredients are not in the ad, so I am providing my best estimate of the cost based on my regular shopping trips.

Skillet Chicken Supper

1/2 c. flour - .10
1/2 t. garlic powder - negligible
1/2 t. pepper - negligible
3/4 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thighs - $1.72 (on sale this week)
2 T. vegetable oil - .15
1 3/4 c. water, divided - 0
1/2 c. soy sauce - .75
1/2 t. dried oregano - negligible
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1" chunks - .50
3 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces - .30
3 celery ribs, cut into 1" pieces - .30
10 oz. bag frozen peas - .85 (based on Best Choice 16 oz. bags on sale: $1.36)

In a plastic zip-top bag, combine flour, garlic powder and pepper. Add chicken in small batches and shake to coat; set remaining flour mixture aside - do not discard!

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil till lightly browned on all sides; drain oil.

Combine 1 1/4 c. water, soy sauce, and oregano and pour over chicken, Add vegetables and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165° or more. Remove the chicken and vegetables and keep warm.

Combine reserved flour mixture and remaining 1/2 c. water until smooth; pour into the pan with the cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or till thickened. Serve with the chicken and vegetables.

Serve with a can of Pillsbury Biscuits, which are on sale this week in a 4-pack for .99, or splurge and get the Grands or Crescent rolls! :-)

Total entree cost: $4.67
Cost of biscuit can: .25
Total cost of meal: $4.92

Enjoy, and come back next week for a new bargain meal. And make sure you visit the Bargain Meal of the Week for lots of wonderful budget recipes!!!!