Cooking Tips
10 Ways to use Leftover Chicken
Here are 10 ways to use leftover chicken without actually cooking. With
most ideas, you could round out the meal by serving a salad, a good piece of
bread or a hard roll, a piece of fresh fruit and a couple of cookies. Most of
the suggestions are quick versions of more complicated dishes.
Omelet or Scrambled Eggs: Combine small cubes of chicken, cubes of cream
cheese and some chopped herbs (parsley, chives and tarragon make a good
combination). Toss into an omelet or scrambled eggs and let heat through until
the chicken is warm and the cream cheese is oozy.
Pita Sandwich: Spread pita pocket bread (whole wheat or sesame) with
mayonnaise to which you've added a pinch of curry and a few drops of fresh
lemon juice. Add slices of cooked chicken. Stuff in a few slices of mango or
avocado for a surprise and finish with a good spray of watercress or crisp
lettuce. If you have some chopped nuts handy, toss them in.
Mexican Pizza: Scatter shredded leftover chicken on a flour tortilla
within a half inch of the edge. Generously shake mild or hot pepper sauce onto
the chicken. Top with some shredded mozzarella or jack cheese. Run under the
broiler until the cheese melts and browns and the edges of the tortilla turn up
like a saucer. Reach for additional hot pepper sauce.
Fajitas: Sauté a little sliced onion and green pepper in olive oil.
Place on a warm flour tortilla. Add strips of warm cooked leftover chicken.
Spritz with lime juice. Top with a dollop of sour cream, shredded lettuce and a spoonful of salsa. Roll up into a package.
Stir Fry: You don't need a wok. A skillet will work just as well. Toss
sliced onion, garlic, red pepper, zucchini, broccoli florets and
bean sprouts with olive oil until soft. Toss in cubes of leftover cooked chicken
to heat. Season with stir-fry sauce and heat through.
Fried Rice: Sauté onion and garlic. Add a portion of leftover rice.
Add chopped scrambled egg, minced leftover vegetables and diced
leftover chicken. If there's a little piece of ham or shrimp in the fridge,
chop it and add. Season with soy sauce, heat and serve.
Kebabs: Alternate cubes of leftover chicken, pineapple and red pepper on
a skewer. Brush with melted butter or spritz with olive oil cooking spray and
heat briefly under the broiler to brown.
Soup Helper: Reinforce any canned vegetable with pieces of chicken.
Cobb Salad: Top salad greens with strips of leftover chicken,
ham and cheese. Make other strips of red onion, crumbled bacon, bleu cheese and
diced tomatoes. Add avocado and hard cooked eggs if you like.
Pasta Salad: Bolster almost any homemade or store-bought pasta salad with
chunks of chicken.
