Left Over Meal Ideas for Chicken

Are there covered dishes with left overs filling your refridgerator? Are you at odds wondering what you can do with remnents of meals not eaten? If you are looking for a way to use your left over food without eating the same meal twice here are some simple recipes that you can make with your left over chicken.

Spicey, Cheesy, Chicken Macaroni

This is a quick and easy favorite around my house. It does not take much chicken to make, yet makes enough to fill everyone up.

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup salsa
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package processed American cheese, cut into strips
Left over chicken, shredded

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On your stovetop bring a pot of water to boil; add macaroni noodles and cook for 8 - 10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile in a second pot melt the cheeses with the milk and butter. When cheeses are fully melted stir in the salsa and shredded chicken. Combine macaroni and cheese sauce in a 2 quart baking dish, bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chicken Salad

This is another easy to make dish that does not take a lot of time to make and can be made with only one or two left over chicken breasts.

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
2 eggs
1-1/2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Place eggs in a saucepan of water, bring to a boil then remove from heat. Let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10 minutes. Peal off shell and slice the eggs. In a large bowl mix the chicken, sliced eggs, onions, relish, mayonnaise, celery, and cilantro. Store in refridgerator for 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Often this is what I call a "day after meal". I like to use the left over chicken from baked chicken in this simple recipe the next day. Served with warm rolls it is a huge hit, and very easy to put together.

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
Cooked chicken, cut into pieces
2/3 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, or left over vegetables
1-1/3 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup crushed buttery round crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl combine the soup, chicken, vegetables, rice and water. Mix well and spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle crushed crackers on top and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Spicy Chicken Stew

This is a hot dish that is perfect for not only using up any left over chicken, but also for warming you up on chilly days. This is a great recipe because there is so much already in the stew if you do not have much chicken it does not take away from the stew's quality.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
2 cups water
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 potato, cubed
Chicken, cooked and shredded
4 ounces Spanish chorizo sausage, casing removed and sliced

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and garlic, cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent. Pour in tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and water; season with paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir in carrots and potatoes, then place chicken on top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove chicken from the stew and set aside. Stir in the chorizo slices, then pour the stew into a glass baking dish. Place the chicken on top. Bake in preheated oven until the stew has thickened and the chicken skin is crispy, about 15 minutes.

Chicken Divan

This is a quick and tasty meal that everyone will love.

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen broccoli florets or chopped broccoli
Cubed cooked chicken
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Cook the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute; drain. Transfer to a greased 11x 7 baking dish; top with chicken. Combine soup, mayonnaise and lemon juice; spread over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F (162 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I hope these recipes gave you some great ideas of what to do with your left over chicken. With a little creativity you can change your left overs into new and exciting meal ideas, and no one has to know that they are eating yesterday's dinner remains.