9 Recipes That Make The Most Of Leftover Chicken

Start by making the white sauce for your pie filling. In a large pan add 100g of butter and allow it to melt. When the butter begins to foam, add the plain flour and use a wooden spoon to stir it in and create a paste. Cook this for couple of minutes until it begins to smell biscuity.

Take pan off the heat and add a splash of the milk, use a whisk to immediately stir this in to avoid lumps. As soon as the milk is absorbed, add another splash making sure to whisk it in fully. Alternate doing this and placing the pan back on the heat to allow it to bubble and thicken between each addition. Keep going until all the milk has been added and you are left with a thick, creamy, and smooth sauce.

Turn the heat off the white sauce and stir in the wholegrain mustard, Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Check the seasoning and then set aside.

In another pan, add the lardons and cook until they are beginning to turn crispy. Now add the sliced leeks and diced onions. Keep cooking these until they are fully softened and translucent.

Once the leeks and onion are soft, add the garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes. Then add the leftover shredded chicken and warm through.

Finally stir this mixture into the white sauce and add the chopped tarragon.

Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Take a small pie dish and pour the filling in.

Take one sheet of filo pastry at a time and lay it onto your board.

Brush both sides with the final 100g of melted butter, and then use your hands to scrunch the filo up and place on top of the pie filling. Continue to do this with the remaining filo sheets until the whole pie top is covered.

Place it into the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the filo is golden brown and crispy on top.

Remove from the oven and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before serving alongside your favourite green vegetables.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok, add halved shallots and cook for 10 minutes until the softened and slightly charred. Add in the cooked chicken and stir to heat through. Remove to a plate.

Meanwhile, put a medium size pan of water onto boil. Once boiling, add the ramen noodles and cook according to pack instructions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Toss with a teaspoon of oil and put to one side.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the sliced shallots. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for a further two minutes.

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk and fish sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, divide the noodles between two deep bowls, ladle over the broth and top with the chicken pieces and halved shallots. Finish with the coriander.

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and add vermicelli noodles. Cook for 2 minutes until soft. Transfer the noodles to a bowl with a strainer to completely drain out any water.

Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water, about 1-2 inches high. Take one rice wrapper at a time and quickly dip it into the warm water for one second, or according to package directions. Shake off excess water. The wrapper will start to soften and feel a bit sticky. Transfer the wrapper onto a clean dry flat surface.

Place some cucumbers and carrots in the centre of the rice wrapper into a log shape, leaving 2 inches of space on each side. Top with about 2 tablespoons of vermicelli noodles, a few basil leaves, and 2-3 tablespoons of chicken.

Roll the wrapper up tightly from the bottom but gently so that you don't tear it. Roll it up halfway over top of the noodles. Then fold over the left and right sides inward. Then continue to tightly roll the wrapper to seal the mixture inside. If the wrapper doesn’t feel soft and pliable, apply some water to your fingers and to the wrapper to help it soften.

Make the peanut sauce: Combine hoisin sauce, peanut butter, water, lime juice, and honey. Stir well with a spoon until smooth and uniform. Sprinkle some chopped roasted peanuts on top.

Begin by making your chicken broth. Make sure any remaining meat has been stripped from the chicken carcass and then place it in a large stock pot and cover with water (you want to add lots of water and then allow it to reduce down).

Add the onion, and one of the carrots roughly chopped. Then add 2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped. Add a pinch of Maldon Salt, black peppercorns and then the sprigs of parsley and thyme.

Place the pot onto the hob and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the temperature to a very low simmer and allow this to bubble away for 1-2 hours. Occasionally checking the water to make sure it hasn’t reduced to rapidly, adding more if needs be. If there is scum rising on the surface, make sure to skim this off.

After an hour or two you should be left with a wonderfully flavoursome broth or stock.

Drain the broth through a sieve and discard the carcass and vegetables. Set the clear broth aside.

To make the soup, start by cooking the angel hair pasta according to the packet instructions. Then drain, rinse off the starch, and set aside tossed in a little olive oil to stop it sticking together.

Place the clear broth back into a pan and bring to a simmer. Peel the carrot and then finely slice, along with the remaining celery. Place these into the broth and allow them to boil for a few minutes to cook. Add any leftover chicken to the broth now and the handful of kale or cavolo nero, cooking for a further minute.

Finally add the chopped parsley and check the seasoning, adding some more Maldon Salt or cracked black pepper if required.

To serve, arrange the angel hair pasta at the base of two bowls. Then ladle over the hot broth with vegetables and chicken.