Open-Faced Chicken Sandwiches | For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters…

This is a recipe that I concocted recently and that we’ve been using frequently, especially since finding limits on meat and many other items at the grocery store. It’s budget-friendly, very filling, and tastes like Thanksgiving. 😊 This is a great recipe for involving multiple family members when it’s time to get it on the table as a couple people can work on the chicken while another makes up the stuffing, another toasts the muffins, another tends the gravy, and so on. Serves 12.

Ingredients:

6 chicken leg quarters
4 boxes of stuffing (6 oz. each), chicken or turkey flavored
12 English muffins
3-4 tablespoons of butter, melted, used for toasting the muffins
1 envelope of chicken or turkey gravy mix (approx. 0.88 oz.)
a splash of Gravy Master (optional browning seasoning)
a few spoonfuls of flour
7-8 cups of water
3 cans of your favorite vegetable as a side

Rinse the chicken leg quarters and place them in a 7-quart crockpot. Pour 6 cups of water over them and cover. Cook on high for several hours and then turn back to low for several more hours until the meat is cooked through and falls easily from the bones. Once the meat is done, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a plate for “picking off.” Using a couple of forks, pick through the chicken to separate the pieces of meat from the bones and skin, etc. Set the meat aside in a bowl, discard the rest (but not the stock!).
Prepare the stuffing according to package directions. [Note: we drastically cut the amount of butter called for in the stuffing directions as the stuffing will be covered in gravy and have plenty of flavor anyway.] Lightly butter and toast the English muffins. Heat a vegetable of your choice.
Pour the chicken stock (from the crockpot) through a strainer and into a roasting pan and put it on a large burner on the stovetop. Sprinkle the gravy mix over the top and use a whisk to stir it in. Bring to a boil. While you are waiting for it to boil, fill a small (clean) pickle jar 2/3 full with cold water. Spoon several large spoonfuls of flour into the water, cover, and shake vigorously. Once the stock comes to a boil, stop shaking the flour/water mixture and pour it slowly into the stock, stirring continually. If the gravy is not thick enough, repeat the water/flour mixture using less water and more flour and again waiting for the gravy to come to a boil before whisking it in. If you wish to add a splash of Gravy Master, it does give the gravy a nice color and a little extra flavor. Once the gravy is done, stir in the chicken you had set aside.
Place two halves of an English muffin on each plate and put a large spoonful of stuffing on each half. Use a ladle to cover them generously with the chicken gravy. Serve each with a scoop of your favorite vegetable and enjoy!

CHrist —	“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.” (Isaiah 9:6a) Remember it’s His birthday. Put Christ first in your heart and in your holiday plans.
CHildren —	“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD.” (Psalm 127:3a) Spend more time with your children than money on them. Worry more about making memories than piling up presents.
CHarity —	“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD.” (Proverbs 19:17a) Look beyond your own walls. See who needs a meal, a gift, a call, an invitation to join the festivities, encouragement. Do what you can to meet the need, and pray for God to supply the rest.