Left over food ideas: Making the most of your kitchen leftovers is a very effective way to recycle and reuse discarded food. "All You" suggested some recipes that you can prepare to re-claim residual chicken.
We listed three ways from "My Recipes" for you:
1. Chicken and Red Bean Tostadas
Leftover: Chicken
When you're cooking chicken, it's worth throwing a few extra pieces on the grill (or under the broiler) so you can enjoy these easy, crispy tostadas the next day.
Ingredients
4 10-inch flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 grilled chicken breast halves, chopped (about 12 oz. total)
1 15-oz. can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce (from 1 head)
1 1/2 cups tomato salsa
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
Preparation
- Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 400ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Place tortillas on baking sheets and brush with oil. Bake until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Divide chicken, beans and cheese among tortillas and return to oven. Bake until cheese has melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven, top each portion with 1/4 of lettuce, salsa and sour cream. Serve immediately.
2. Chicken Salad Club Sandwiches
Leftover: Chicken
If you start with a store-cooked rotisserie chicken, these sandwiches come together in a snap. Customize the taste by adding sliced onion, bacon, roasted peppers, sliced cheese or coleslaw.
Ingredients
1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken (about 3 lb.)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
24 slices sandwich bread, toasted
16 length-cut dill pickle slices, drained and patted dry
8 large green-leaf lettuce leaves (from 1 large head)
16 thin tomato slices (from 2 large tomatoes)
Preparation
- Remove meat from chicken and cut into large chunks. Mix chicken with lemon juice and 1/4 cup mayonnaise in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Making 1 sandwich at a time, spread 3 slices of toast with mayonnaise. Top 1 slice with 1/2 cup chicken salad; season with salt and pepper. Top with second piece of toast, mayonnaise side up. Add 2 slices of tomato, 2 slices of pickle and a lettuce leaf. Top with a third piece of toast, mayonnaise side down.
- Lightly press sandwich down and cut in half diagonally. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. White Bean and Chicken Chili
Leftover: Chicken
This slow-cooker favorite calls for two bone-in chicken breasts. To make it with leftover or rotisserie chicken, skip the step where you brown the meat, and simply add the leftover chicken to the mixture as is.
Ingredients
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts (3 lb.)
teaspoon salt and black pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 oz.) cans roasted green chilies, drained
1 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Preparation
- Place beans and broth in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, 2 hours.
- Warm oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken skin side down in skillet; cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; remove and discard skin. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add onion mixture, chilies, 1 cup water and cumin to slow cooker. Stir; add chicken.
- Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring twice. Remove 1 cup beans plus 1/2 cup liquid from slow cooker. Puree in a blender; return to slow cooker. Remove chicken, shred it and return to slow cooker. Spoon into individual bowls and serve.
