You’ve got to love your leftovers. Not only does it save money but it also saves time and energy. There’s lots of things you can make with leftover roast chicken that take little effort and will taste fab!
Using your leftovers to create a new meal is a great thrifty way to cook.
What to do with leftover roast chicken
- Pasta – Stir a few handfuls or roast chicken through hot pasta with a couple of tablespoons of garlic & herb Philadelphia and some chopped spinach for a super quick midweek meal. Eat straight away.
- Quick Pie – Fry and onion and some celery, add the leftover chicken, handful of frozen peas, pour over enough milk to cover everything, season with salt and pepper and add a tsp of dried tarragon, warm gently – to thicken use a tsp of cornflour mixed into a drop of cold water and stirred through the pie filling. Tip into a pie dish and top with ready rolled puff pastry – bake for 20 minutes.
- Savoury Rice – Ping a couple of bags of lemon & herb flavoured rice in the microwave, stir through the leftover shredded chicken, some chopped spinach and a handful of pine nuts. Eat straight away.
- Pizza – Top shop bought or homemade pizza base (or use muffins, pittas or naan) with tomato base sauce, scatter over the leftover chicken, add a handful of olives, some chopped mozzarella, bake then scatter over fresh rocket.
- Jacket Potatoes – Use the leftover roast chicken to make delicious chicken fajita topped baked potatoes.
- Soup – Boil 500ml of chicken stock, add tbs soy sauce, tbs fish sauce, 1 tsp five spice powder, nest of rice noodles, leftover shredded chicken, a couple of handfuls of shredded greens, heat through and serve.
- Fajitas – Mix the leftover chicken together with a tin of spiced salad beans and use to fill tortillas, add guacamole, salsa and fresh salad.
- Chicken Fried Rice – Briskly stir fry a chopped onion, add the leftover chicken shredded, add a cup of frozen peas, tip in a couple sachets of quick cooked rice (that just needs reheating) add a splash of soy sauce.
- Chicken Caesar Salad – mix the leftover roast chicken with Caesar dressing, cos lettuce, a handful of black olives and toss in some homemade crispy herbed croutons, top with Parmesan shavings.
- Chicken Melt – Top a thick slice of granary bread with a good melting cheese, add a handful of leftover shredded roast chicken, top with cranberry sauce and more cheese and another slice of bread – then cook each side slowly in a frying pan weighted down to get a nice melty sandwich.
You might also like 10 ways to use up leftover stew, casserole & curry.
NOTE – when reheating chicken always make sure it is thoroughly piping hot throughout – for more advice reheating chicken safely – check out the food standards agency guide here