One of my budget tips is to keep a spreadsheet of the items that you use regularly to prepare your favorite meals.  List the ingredient, the average price along with the store you like best.  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are on my list!  I can find them at my wholesale club for $1.99 a pound. 


One of the biggest eye openers for us was when it came to deli meat - used mostly for lunchtime sandwiches.  Most medium to high end deli meats start around $7.99 a pound ... that’s $6 a pound difference ... so by substituting chicken in place of deli meat - you’re not only saving $$$ - but you are in control of your salt intake!


Since I’m always looking to save money on the energy I use to prepare budget-friendly proteins - I looked to my pressure cooker to get the job done.


This recipe comes from another one of my most treasured pressure cooker cookbooks, “The Easy Pressure Cooker Cookbook” by Diane Phillips.


Simply place your chicken breasts inside the pressure cooker with chicken stock (or even water will work).  I used just shy of 1 pound of chicken for the photos.  This yielded us 2 cups of diced/shredded chicken.


The basic recipe I’ve worked with says 1 1/2 cups chicken stock for 8 chicken breasts - giving you about 6 cups of cooked chicken.


Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and set the timer for 5 minutes.  I cooked mine for 4 minutes because they were thin to begin with.


Allow the pressure to release naturally, and open the lid away from you to avoid getting a little steam burn.


Remove the chicken to a cutting board.  You can strain the broth and reserve for a later use.  Blot off any unwanted water or chicken ‘scum‘ with paper towels.


Chop into 1/2 inch for diced chicken.  Or shred it for something like a Mexican dish or even a dip!


The broth will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days and the freezer for 6 months.


The cooked chicken will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days or the freezer for 3 months.


Check out the Leftover Makeovers page if you need inspiration on using cooked chicken.


Happy New Year!