Ways to Use Up Leftover Chicken

 

 

Because of it’s versatility, cheap cost and nutritional value, chicken is one of the most common meats people purchase in order to prepare their meals. Compared to beef, chicken is considered a lean meat, which makes it perfect to prepare countless meals without having any guilt. What happens when you’ve prepared a big amount of chicken and you don’t know what to do with the leftovers? We’re going to teach you different tasty and quick meals to fix up using this white meat.

 

First Off.. How to store leftover chicken?

If you want to use your leftover chicken the first thing you want to do is to make sure you’re storing it correctly to preserve the flavor and texture. After you’ve cooked or eaten your chicken, allow it to completely cool off, then wrap it up with plastic wrap and store it in the top shelf of the fridge. Stored leftovers only last two to three days in great conditions so make sure to use them quickly.

 

How to rehydrate chicken

When you store chicken in the fridge, it’s possible that it’ll dry out, and if you don’t know how to reheat it correctly it might even dry up further. To rehydrate chicken correctly there are two different ways: You can heat a small amount of chicken broth then slowly pour it over the chicken to moisten it without removing the flavor. You can also separate it into small pieces and extend the chicken on a flat plate, then add a wet paper towel over it and heat it in the microwave.

 

Let’s check out different ways to take advantage of leftover chicken:

 

Chicken salad

This is probably the most popular recipe that can be prepared with leftover chicken. To create this recipe you can actually use any other leftovers, so there’s no exact set of ingredients. Simply shred some leftover chicken, add some fruits or vegetables and add the dressing of your choice. This meal is perfect for a quick lunch or a lazy dinner.

 

Chicken sandwich

The best thing about leftover chicken is that it can actually be eaten cold and right out of the fridge. Simply shred the chicken into very small pieces, season it with some mayonnaise or dressing and place it on a soft butter bread along with some vegetables such as tomatoes or avocado.

 

Chicken quesadillas

If you’re up to a warm and zesty dish, you can start by lightly warming up your chicken leftovers. Take a set of flour tortillas and spread them with beans, then place the shredded chicken and toss some of your favorite grated cheese. Heat up the quesadillas and serve them with some sour cream and guacamole to season.

 

Cheesy pasta

There’s no one who doesn’t love a good cheesy pasta. There’s just something about this hearty meal that makes us feel home and comforted. To create this dish, you can cut up your leftover chicken in small pieces or cubes, cook your favorite pasta then create a thick, creamy and cheesy sauce and mix all of the ingredients together.

 

Which one of these recipes are you going to try first?