Extra Meat Recipe

Prepare and season meats

Pat the chicken thigh pieces dry with paper towels. Place the ground beef, chicken pieces, and crumbled Italian sausage in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes over the meat. Use clean hands or a large spoon to gently but thoroughly combine the meats and seasonings until evenly distributed. Do not overwork — just mix until uniform.

Preheat pan

Place a heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and allow it to heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 1–2 minutes).

Cook the meat

Add the seasoned meat mixture to the hot pan, spreading it into an even layer. Let it sear without stirring for 2 minutes to develop browning, then break the meat into pieces with a spatula. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the ground beef and sausage are browned and no pink remains — about 6–8 minutes total. If the pan releases a lot of fat, tilt the pan and spoon off excess or blot with paper towel, leaving enough to coat the pieces.

Finish and adjust seasoning

Taste a small piece and adjust seasoning as needed, adding up to 1/4 teaspoon more salt or 1/4 teaspoon more pepper if desired. If using, stir in the lemon juice to brighten flavors and sprinkle chopped parsley over the cooked meat.

Serve or store

Serve the extra meat immediately as an add-on (for tacos, bowls, pastas, or sandwiches). For storage, cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat or in a microwave until warmed through.