Leftovers- what to do with them?

I know I promised this info about... a month ago, but we've been a little busy around the house ( baby prep, holiday prep).  Today I'm focusing on leftover chicken and a couple pasta recipes.  It specifies rotisserie chicken, but any kind of leftover chicken (roasted whole, cooked pieces, what have you) can be sub'd in.  And you can use any kind of leftover pasta you have, I have specified my preference, but it is up to you (and your cupboard!)

Looking into your refrigerators, sometimes there is just a sea of Tupperware containers. LEFTOVERS. Eating the same thing over and again can be a bit boring. Here a few ways you can “re-purpose” leftovers.

Rotisserie chicken- who doesn’t love it? It’s a quick, easy way to serve your family a yummy dinner. Pair it up with a salad and crusty bead and butter, and you are set. But what if you can’t finish the whole chicken in one sitting?

Chicken Soup- Remove the remaining chicken from the bone. Boil the carcass in water, add spices, herbs, and some veggies to make a nice hearty stock, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the carcass and the veggies after cooking the stock down and discard them. Add about 1 cup of the chopped meat and 2-3 cups of veggies (carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, whatever you have), and some egg noodles. Cook until the veggies are al dente and the noodles are done, about 15 minutes, serve up with corn bread or rolls.

Chicken enchiladas- use approx ¾-1 cup of the chicken meat that had been removed from the bone and layer it with corn tortillas, cheddar or jack cheese and your choice on red or green enchiladas sauce. Baked in a greased pan for 30-45 minutes until heated throughout and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

BBQ Pulled chicken sandwiches- Shred 1-2 cup of chicken removed from the bone, add a bottle of BBQ sauce, cook on the stove until heated throughout. Serve on warned buns or in whole wheat pitas. Team up with veggies or salad.

 

Pasta- I always over estimate the amount of pasta that we need. I like to make pasta salad with the leftover pasta, here’s how I make it:

2-3 cups of cooked pasta ( rotini, small rigitoni, shells, what have you) If you have more pasta, use all of it.
½ c chopped cheese (I use moz. But if we are out, I’ll use string cheese, cut into small pieces)
2 chopped bell peppers (any color)
1 cup pepperoni or salami, chopped into bite sized pieces
½ cup Italian salad dressing

Mix all together in a large bowl, refrigerate at least over night before serving. Add extra dressing as needed. It makes a great side dish, or serve with bread or rolls for a light entrée (also makes a really nice potluck dish).

If you’re not in the mood for pasta salad, turn leftover pasta into mac and cheese, or mix up a batch of Chicken Tetrazini (you can use some leftover rotissierie chicken!)

1 lb pasta, you choice, cooked al dente (if you have less, that’s ok)
1-2 c cooked shredded or cubed chicken
1 can Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup (if you can’t find it, stick with Cream of Chicken)
I can of water
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
½ cup cheese (you favorite kind- I like sharp cheddar!) You can use more cheese if you like.

In a saucepan, combine chicken, soup, water, Italian seasoning. Cook until bubbly, stirring to combine ingredients. Add cheese and stir until smooth. Add pasta and stir to combine. Serves 4-6. You can add leftover veggies, such as broccoli, peas, or asparagus.