Cooked Chicken Recipe Ideas

Everybody loves chicken grilled or slow-roasted in the oven. However, there are times when we end up cooking too much and are faced with leftovers. The problem is that when that chicken shows up on the plate again as “leftovers,” nobody wants to eat it. So how can that leftover chicken be used in ways that give it new life and doesn’t look and taste like leftovers?

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cooked broccoli, rough chopped

2 cans cream soup, mix and match flavors (chicken, mushroom, broccoli, celery, onion)

1 lb. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. First layer: half of the chicken, half the broccoli, 1 can cream soup, and half of the cheese.
3. Top layer: the remaining chicken, the remaining broccoli, and the remaining can of cream soup
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
5. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes

Serve with rice. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Chicken, Gravy and Noodles

In a skillet, add cooked chopped chicken and leftover gravy to warm through. To expand gravy add chicken broth and thicken with a little dissolved corn starch. Gravy can be tweaked with mushrooms or white wine and any herbs that your family enjoys (tarragon, poultry seasoning, rosemary). Serve over fettuccini or other wide noodles.

Chicken Enchiladas

There are several varieties here. Either corn or flour tortillas will work here, it all depends on personal preference. The sauce varieties include: Verde sauce with or without Monterrey Jack cheese or Mexican queso fresco; mole sauce with Monterrey Jack or queso fresco; or a sour cream sauce (mix these ingredients to taste: mostly sour cream mixed with a bit of cream soup, either chicken or onion and a little copped jalapenos from a jar along with a little of the juice).and topped with Monterrey Jack Cheese. All of these can go into an oblong baking dish and baked at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes to heat all the ingredients through.

Chicken Salad

There are two ways you could go with this one. Either add some sliced grilled chicken to a green salad with some other salad toppings (example: mandarin orange slices, Chinese fired noodles, sesame seeds, and a soy sauce based dressing) or chopped grilled or roasted with hard boiled eggs, chopped onions and celery and a little light mayo.

Chicken Quesadillas

Top nacho chips with Rosarita fat free beans, chopped grilled chicken and some light cheese or melted queso cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 19 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with light or fat free sour cream, jalapenos (optional), lettuce and tomatoes.

Chicken Mock Stir Fry

Use either grilled or oven roasted chicken, rough copped for this recipe. In a skillet heat up some toasted sesame oil and sauté copped onion and minced garlic just until the onion is translucent, Add the chicken and a bag of Asian style frozen vegetable mix (thawed) and soy sauce and heat through. Serve with rice.

Chicken Fried Rice

Family sized minute rice, cooked and drained

Toasted sesame oil

½ cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, chopped

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

2 scrambled eggs

1 cup cooked chicken, chopped

Soy sauce (lite) to taste

1. Prepare all the ingredients and set them aside.
2. In a skillet, warm the sesame oil. Sautee the carrots, onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and the carrots are beginning to soften.
3. Add the chicken to warm it through.
4. Stir in the rice, peas, scrambled eggs and soy sauce on low heat until the ingredients and flavors are well mixed.

Variations: add corn, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, pineapple, ham, cooked shrimp.