Disclosure: I am part of the BJ’s Wholesale Club Blogger Ambassador program. The following is a sponsored post. Although I was supplied products and/or compensated for writing this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I only recommend products or services I believe in, and use myself.
The past eight weeks or so we have been in a bit of a dinner rut. I’ve been working a lot and attending events, and the kids are prepping for EOGs, finals and summer vacation. I never seem to have enough time to make a proper trip to the store to buy groceries. While I happen to love it, you can only serve breakfast for dinner for so many nights in a row before the kids threaten to call Child Protective Services. Usually to avoid this I’d either run down to the local market and pick up some pre-made, frozen food to cook for dinner that night or grab takeout. Not only is this extremely expensive, it’s also not very healthy.
Somehow the stars were aligned and our very empty pantry coincided with my one “free” morning. So I decided to pop over to BJ’s Wholesale Club to stock up on our household goods like toilet paper, paper towels, water bottles, etc. Boy was I surprised when I discovered BJ’s is not only the best place to shop for household goods, but they also carry tons of ORGANIC foods at great prices.
BJ’s stocks more than 150 organic options and their assortment is growing! These are well-known brands like Back to Nature to Betterbody to Stonyfield to Horizon! In fact, BJ’s is expanding its own brand, Wellsley Farms, in this category, too. Twenty-five percent of Wellsley Farms items unveiled this year will be organic! Currently, BJ’s carries organic dairy, bakery, produce, prepared foods and more.
I browsed the aisles and picked up chicken, milk, frozen and fresh fruit and vegetables, soup, pasta, rice, school snacks, yogurt, eggs, bread, and cereal. No more last minute trips to the corner store! And I saved a ton of money, too. I spent what I normally would for multiple stops at the grocery store over one week, and I have enough food, snacks, and other household items to last at least two weeks!
I knew this week was going to be busy with late afternoon meetings, conference calls and school functions. With a little of that “work smarter, not harder” ingenuity, I came up with the perfect menu for the next three days.
Using one main ingredient, PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® fresh organic whole chicken, I could make three quick, HEALTHY and delicious dinners. And the best part?!? It took me less time to cook all three dinners than it would for me to run to the store to pick up and cook a frozen chicken parm!
And you can do it too!
The first night I cooked the most amazing roast chicken using PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® fresh organic whole chicken.
PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® fresh organic chickens are raised free-range on certified-organic farms. They are fed an exclusively organic diet, including non-GMO grain grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. They are never, ever given antibiotics, even in the egg. And they’re processed in certified-organic facilities.
I’m not kidding when I tell you it was the best chicken I have ever made. My kids devoured one entire chicken within minutes. Good thing I cooked two (when you have seven people to cook for, you have to double pretty much everything)!
The next night I cut up the leftover chicken thighs and legs, and I made my yummy Tortilla Soup. It’s so easy to make, just throw all the ingredients in a stockpot and cook until hot.
And on the third day I used the last bit of the chicken breast to make my Copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Market Salad.
I can’t tell you how nice it was to not have to stress about what I was going to make for dinner. And a big plus… I spent less money on all the ingredients for those three dinners, than for one night of takeout! And because BJ’s accepts manufacturers coupons (unlike other clubs) and offers tons of in-store coupons each month, I saved even more money! (HINT there is an awesome coupon for the PERDUE® HARVESTLAND® fresh organic whole chicken in the May savings book.)
In addition to chicken, BJ’s carries USDA certified organic produce, bakery, and dairy items that represent more than 150 organic products in club – the most of any warehouse club. BJ’s plans to introduce other exciting certified organic options this month such as the Wellsley Farms Organic Greek Yogurt. BJ’s will also bring in more organic options throughout 2015 including expanded certified organic produce and traditional grocery items. BJ’s offers a growing assortment of organics, including certified organic proteins, on bjs.com, too.
Check them out for yourself! You can get a FREE 60 day membership here.
Easy Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup table salt (if using kosher salt increase to 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 whole chicken, chicken rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 lemon cut in half
- Salt and ground black pepper
- McCormick Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper Seasoning
- Vegetable oil for brushing v-rack
Instructions
- Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in a large container (I used a Kitchen Aid mixing bowl, it's the perfect size.)
- Submerge the chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Place shallow roasting pan in oven and heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and Perfect Pinch seasoning.
- Stuff the lemon halves in the cavity of the chicken.
- Remove heated pan from oven and set oiled V rack in it.
- Place chicken on rack, wing side up.
- Roast 20 minutes, then rotate chicken, other wing side up. Roast 20 minutes, then rotate chicken, breast side up.
- Roast breast side up until instant-read thermometer inserted in breast registers 160 and in thigh registers between 165 and 170, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
- Transfer chicken to cutting board; let rest 20 minutes.
- Carve and serve.
Disclosure: I am part of the BJ’s Wholesale Club Blogger Ambassador program. The following is a sponsored post. Although I have been supplied products and/or compensated for writing this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I only recommend products or services I believe in and use myself.
When I cook a chicken, there are no leftovers. I have a house full of boys who eat me out of house and home.
I hear you! I swear we have 10 kids to feed instead of 5. They eat constantly!
Great idea for making three easy dinners. I love your tips on making great roast chicken.
Thanks so much. I had never used a brine before and wasn't sure what to expect. It was so easy and really made a difference in the flavor and juiciness of the chicken.
I love making whole chickens in the crockpot. It's a great way to make several easy meals.
Me too! It comes out so juicy and the last time I cooked a chicken in the crock-pot the meat just fell off the bones!
Great minds think alike because I was just thinking about roasting a whole chicken earlier this week. BJ's definitely has one of the best organic food selections around. Between BJ's, Publix and Aldi, finding more food options that my kids can enjoy has gotten a lot easier!
You have to try the brine! It really does make the chicken so flavorful and extra juicy.
I love these great ways you shared to make leftovers tasty. The problem I have is that there ARE NO leftovers. LOL.
We usually have that same issue here. I learned quickly to cook two whole chickens if I want to have leftovers, and even then sometimes there aren't any. The trials of having a large family, I know, lol.
Great dinner ideas. I've been buying the HarvestLand, too. I like it.
BJs is definitely a great place for all sorts of groceries. That chicken does sound really good!
Great, delicious ideas for reusing chicken! I love being able to do something new with my leftovers….I just need to be more creative with it.
I love tortilla soup. This is such an interesting way to cook a whole chicken.
In early March my husband and I took a trip to San Antonio and I had a cup of tortilla soup at practically every meal. Soooo yummy!
The roasted chicken looks DELISH!!! I need to find some good freezer meals for when baby girl gets here! I don't think my husband can cook this good! lol
These sound delicious! Gotta try these recipes soon!
I love roasting chicken! It's a great way to feed my brood on a budget! This looks like a tasty recipe to try!
Great meal ideas. Always looking for new ways to fix chicken
You're killing this pregnant woman with these recipes! They all look so delicious.
Sounds great! We rarely have leftovers. Even when I cook whole chicken. 8 people in my house and everyone is a piglet!
I wish I could be home more for dinner. I would love to have more family dinners.
Making a roasted chicken is my favorite meal. We eat the chicken that night and then we use the leftovers to make chicken stock and then either chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles or chicken and dumplings with from scratch dumplings. We usually get a few meals from that too.
It sounds like there are a ton of great offerings at BJ's. With it being barbecue season, I need to stock up.
Great leftover ideas! I love that salad from Chick Fil A too!
The roasted chicken looks really good! I never cook a whole chicken, but maybe I'll need to try one.
I didn't even know Perdue made an organic chicken! What a great way to use up all of the chicken, love the soup!
If I roasted my chicken using your recipe their would be NO leftovers! Tortilla soup is a staple in our house, we eat it like twice a month.
Those are some great meals. Can I come over for dinner?
Great meals. I would love some of that roasted chicken. Looks delicious!
Chicken is one of my favorite things to cook. I will have to try this recipe it looks delicious and simple to make.
These all look good. I love Tortilla Soup. It is one of my favorites!
Yum!! These recipes look so good, and I'm all for easy dinners! I didn't know BJ's carried Organic food. That's where I get my tires. I will have to plan a visit soon.
Whoa! Who knew BJ's sold so many organic items! My son is allergic to so much stuff and his dr recommended we use as much organic ingredients as possible. I'm so happy I can find a lot of options at BJ's and saving money is always a positive!
As Rachel Ray would say, YUMMO! That chicken looks amazing. I've never tried a brine before but my SIL swears by it for her turkey at Thanksgiving. I'll have to give it a try. Starting with a chicken sounds less intimidating.
There are never enough chicken recipes in this world! I love 3 ways to use one bird, so awesome. Thanks so much for sharing, adding this to the rotation stat.