Lisa Mateo’s shortcut for turning 2 chickens into 6 meals

PIX11's Lisa Mateo knows how to stretch a dollar.  Her secret weapon for saving money and time in the kitchen — purchasing premade chicken at Costo for $5 a piece.  She can turn two chickens into three dinners for her family of four and three lunches for herself.  Here are a few of her recipes:

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe: (feeds more)

- 2 tsp olive oil

- 1/2 cup chopped onion

- 2 cups chopped celery

- 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth

- 3 cups shredded chicken

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 tsp chili powder

- salt/pepper to taste

Toppings:

- crushed tortilla chips

- cilantro

- lemon wedge

Baked Chicken with Brown Rice

Black beans:

- can black beans (low sodium)

- 1 tsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp vinegar

- 1 tablespoon Sofrito seasoning

- 1/2 packet of Sazon seasoning (low sodium)

- sprinkle oregano

- salt/pepper to taste

- 1/4 cup water

Penne Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables

- 2 tsp olive oil

- 1/2 cup chopped onion

- 1/2 cup chopped red pepper

- 1/2 cup chopped zucchini

- 2 cups chopped chicken

- 1 cup chicken broth

- sprinkle Italian seasoning

- salt/pepper to taste

- 1 tbsp of flour to thicken sauce

- whole wheat penne pasta