Introduction
Leftover chicken can often be found in our refrigerator…planned and unplanned. Whether from leftover grilled chicken breasts, a whole roasted chicken or boiled chicken prepped and ready for the week ahead. Chicken is an easy protein to work with. It’s lean, healthy and very versatile, taking on whatever flavors you season with. These 5 super simple, quick and easy dishes will come together in less than 10 minutes.
Meal Plan and prepare chicken for the week or use leftover chicken that needs to be eaten to whip up some of these quick and tasty dishes!
1. Chicken Salad stuffed Tomatoes
These stuffed tomatoes make a perfect light lunch or dinner. Creamy Classic Chicken Salad in a delicious, juicy ripe tomato. The creamy chicken salad and the acidity of the tomato blend in harmony to satisfy your taste buds. Top with salt, pepper and a little fresh basil or parsley for the full symphony.
2. Leftovers Salad
This may be dish better later in the week. It’s exactly that- leftovers on a salad. It may be more appealing to lay out leftovers as if they were an intentional diverse variety of toppings you can add to your bed of lettuce, much like a Whole Foods Salad Bar. (drooling!)
You ever get to the end of the week and have 1/4 cup of leftover peas, a 1/2 a potato, a smidge of pasta salad and 1/2 chicken breast? These are perfect toppings to take a “meh” salad into a “Darn that was good!” salad.
And don’t forget about your condiments! I hate when there is 1 scoop of hummus left in the tub or a spoonful of salsa, a waste right? Not enough to really enjoy on a chip. Add it to your salad as a dressing.
I have surprised myself when this salad has come together without a plan yet very harmoniously in flavors and textures. The salad pictured was a combination of leftover pineapple salsa from fish tacos from Tuesday, shredded leftover BBQ chicken breasts from Sunday, lettuce wraps that were on their last leg and leftover corn from Sunday. It was deeelicious!
3. Tostadas
I ended up using 2 leftovers with this dish. A black bean burger and leftover chicken. I made the black bean burgers on Monday (for Meatless Monday- yes, I often meal plan using the catchy alliterative phrases…it helps me think of ideas). We had one burger leftover, so I split it in half and spread it across each corn tortilla. Then I topped the beans with leftover shredded chicken (unseasoned) and cheddar cheese and baked it in the oven for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, just until the cheese melted. From the oven, I topped the tostadas with diced red onion, shredded lettuce and fresh jalapenos and done. This was a perfect 10 minute lunch. My only regret was I wish I made more.
4. Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
This Thai Peanut Chicken Salad is so tasty! The creamy and slightly spicy peanut sauce is so delicious I could eat it all on its own. Simple, easy and quick to make. Make the peanut sauce, mix it in with a bag of premade cole slaw mix, add your shredded chicken then lay it on top of some organic salad greens.
5. Veggie & Chicken Quesadillas
This is a great way to use up leftover Oven Roasted Vegetables or Grilled Summer Vegetables or any vegetables that are going bad in the fridge. Lightly oil a baking sheet, then lay out tortillas. Top each tortilla with a layer of cheese, cooked veggies, leftover chicken and top off with another layer of cheese. Cover with another tortilla, lightly spray the top then cover with a baking sheet. Bake quesadillas for 10-15 minutes and done.
