3 things to make leftovers more exciting

Buying or roasting a whole chicken is very economical but being single, after 2 days you’re thinking “what the heck do I do with the rest of this?”. Same goes for just about anything you buy in bulk. Sure, you can save it for salads for the week but that can get a little boring. 

Inspired by my I-have-a-lot-of-chicken-leftover supper earlier this week I thought up 7 different, easy, ways to make the chicken leftovers a little more exciting. Butter or Boston lettuce is a healthy alternative to putting these on bread or in a wrap (sound the alarms, I have chosen something over a carb). I do love love love butter lettuce though. All of these ingredients can be found at a grocery store and the whole process of minimal chopping, heating, mixing, and topping takes less than 15 minutes. 

A personal favourite: buffalo chicken wraps. Heat chicken (I usually do it in a non-stick pan on the stove top) and then toss in buffalo sauce. Nestle blue cheese into lettuce cups and and top with warm, saucy chicken. Serve with celery and carrot sticks. 

Laura is likely cringing that I am ruining one of her favourite sauces, but, let’s take a trip down south for some BBQ slathered chicken topped with pimento cheese and some bread and butter pickles. It sounds odd, but it works. Promise. 

A great option for lunchtime; heat chicken in the oven topped with a layer of fig jam and brie, place into lettuce cups with thinly sliced green apples. Craving carbs? Try this in a croissant. No warming necessary for this one; mix chicken with tzatziki (I love this one from PC, the blue menu alternative is not nearly as good) and top with crumbled feta and sliced cucumbers. Craving carbs? Put it in a pita. Carb free chicken parm? Who wouldn’t love that? Place a thin layer of marinara and parmesan cheese on top of leftover chicken and broil till warmed through and the cheese is melty. Top with fresh basil and wrap in butter lettuce. I’ll admit, this isn’t something I’ve tried but I’m surprisingly good at pairing food that I wouldn’t typically eat. I’m thinking this would work hot or cold. Chicken + tomatillo salsa + corn (mmm, trying roasting it first) + cotija. I think Bobby Flay would approve. Craving carbs? Have some chips + guac on the side. Think tiny fajitas. Sub teriyaki with salsa if you’d prefer. This is one of my go-to lunches. Open and drain white tuna in water, add small pieces of cubed cheddar (for me, the sharper the better), some toasted slivered almonds, and balsamic vinegar (fig is my fave. A warning, if you aren’t used to just vinegar it can be strong, you may want to use a balsamic vinaigrette instead), scoop into lettuce cups or use thickly sliced peppers as a scooper. Craving carbs? Try pretzel thins as a scooper. 

 

What flavour combo am I missing? What are you trying first?

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