What can I make with leftover chicken?

You have (Leftover chicken)

• 400g leftover roast chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces

You’d add

• 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
• 30g butter
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 350ml hot chicken stock (a cube is fine)
• 100ml double cream or crème fraîche
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
• salt and pepper (store cupboard)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Melt the butter in the pan over a medium heat and cook the leeks gently for 8 minutes until soft but not browned.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually pour in the hot stock, stirring all the time, until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the cream, mustard and chicken, and season well with salt and pepper. Spoon the filling into the pie dish and leave it to cool for 10 minutes so the pastry does not go soggy.
4. Lay the pastry over the top, trim the edges with a knife, press them onto the rim of the dish and cut a small slit in the middle to let steam out. Brush with the beaten egg.
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deep golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Check the centre is piping hot before serving.

You have (Leftover chicken)

• 200g leftover roast chicken, shredded

You’d add

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 100g grated cheddar
• 100g tinned sweetcorn, drained
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• ½ tsp smoked paprika or a pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 tsp oil (store cupboard)

Method

1. Warm the chicken and sweetcorn with the paprika in the frying pan for 3–4 minutes until steaming hot, then tip into a bowl and mix with the cheese and spring onions. Wipe out the pan.
2. Spread half the mixture over one tortilla, leaving a small border, and press a second tortilla on top. Repeat with the other two tortillas.
3. Brush the pan with a little oil and set it over a medium heat. Fry one quesadilla for 3–4 minutes, pressing it down with the spatula, until the underside is golden.
4. Slide it onto a plate, put the pan over the top, flip both together and return it to the heat for another 3 minutes until the cheese has melted and the filling is hot. Repeat with the second.
5. Cut each into wedges and serve straight away, with salsa or soured cream if you have some.

You have (Leftover chicken)

• 200g leftover roast chicken, shredded

You’d add

• 800ml chicken stock
• 2 nests (about 100g) dried egg noodles
• 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 handfuls of spinach or sliced pak choi
• 1–2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Pour the stock into the saucepan, add the ginger, garlic and carrot, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes so the ginger flavours the broth.
2. Add the noodles and cook for the time on the packet, usually 4 minutes, stirring once to separate the nests.
3. Stir in the chicken and greens and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the greens have wilted and the chicken is steaming hot.
4. Season with soy sauce to taste, ladle into bowls and scatter over the spring onions.