Chicken has become a staple in America cooking for the past few decades, and for good reason. Chicken is a good source of protein, and is one of the less expensive cuts of meat to buy.

You can find a whole chicken in your grocers that is ready to use for less than $5, a price that goes down even further when you only purchase thighs or legs.

Chicken is also a favorite among kids, so you won't have to worry about your picky eater refusing to eat your frugal recipes.

There are also many recipe ideas for those inexpensive cuts of chicken that your family will love, that do not include a long list of expensive ingredients.

Chicken is very versatile. It can simply be boiled with a few herbs, or whatever your family likes, or shredded to make a meal the whole family will enjoy.

You can also use chicken to replace other meats in your favorite recipes. Chicken soup is an easy, inexpensive meal for a hectic evening and can be made with almost any ingredients you have on hand.

Chicken is best when it is used fresh, but you may find that frozen chicken is easier to store and cheaper to purchase than fresh chicken from the butcher.

Frozen chicken can be thawed easily in the microwave right before cooking, or you can store it in the refrigerator for a day before you want to use it.

When you want to add shredded chicken to a soup or stew, you will need to boil or saute the chicken before you can shred it.

This usually works best if you have a few seasonings to throw in, but you will find that the chicken will turn out well even if you only add salt and pepper.

Pre-cooking your chicken, especially if you are working with inexpensive cuts, will also help to remove the fat from this poultry.

Caryn Murray is a mother and frugal food shopper