These are my recipes that use chopped-up chicken - either already cooked, or cooked in the dish.
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Chicken Pot Pie
Gravy: In 1/3 cup butter, sauté 1/3 cup chopped onion. Make a roux* with 1/3 cup flour, add salt and pepper. Add 1 ¾ cups chicken broth and ½ c milk, stirring until very thick. Or use 2+ cups chicken or turkey gravy.
Filling: To the gravy, add 2 ½ cups shredded chicken or turkey and 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (or use cooked onions, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots).
Pie: Place filling in a pie plate, dutch oven or casserole and heat until bubbling. Top with biscuits or dumplings and cook as required. Or make a top pie crust using a frozen or Pillsbury crust in a 9” plate, and bake at 425 for 30 to 40 minutes.
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Chicken a la King
Heat a few tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and sauté any fresh veggies you'd like — sliced mushrooms or Brussels sprouts or a chopped pepper or carrot — for a few minutes, or until they soften. Add a couple of cups of chopped or shredded chicken and sprinkle over 2 Tbsp. flour. Stir to coat, then pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and 1/2 cup cream; bring to a simmer, seasoning with salt, pepper and thyme, and stir in a handful of frozen peas, leftover steamed or roasted veggies or some torn spinach, letting them warm through.
Serve on toast, buttered noodles or biscuits.
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Stove Top Chicken Bake
Add 1 cup hot water to Stove Top stuffing mix; stir until moistened.
In a dutch oven, combine 2-3 cut up chicken breasts, 1 can Cream of Chicken soup, 1/3 cup sour cream and 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained) and top with the stuffing.
Bake uncovered 30 min. at 400 until chicken is done and casserole is heated through.
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Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Cook 1 ½ cups fettucini or other pasta and add 1 ½ cups broccoli florets for the last few minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
Prepare 1 ½ cups shredded chicken.
In the pasta pot, melt 3 Tbsp butter [optional: brown mushrooms, onions, peppers, celery] and stir in 3 Tbsp flour to make a roux*. Add garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk in 2 ½ cups milk or cream. Stir in ½ c cream cheese and 2/3 c parmesan.
Add pasta, broccoli and chicken to the pot, or pour into a greased casserole.
Sprinkle with 1/3 c parmesan and top with 2/3 c bread crumbs mixed with melted butter.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
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Bacon and Chicken Pasta
Cook 6 slices bacon in large pot until crisp. Add two cut-up chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside chicken and bacon.
In pot, cook a chopped onion and some garlic until soft, then add a package of spinach. When spinach is wilted add 5 cups milk and bring to boil.
Add a box of spaghetti or other pasta and cook the pasta until done.
Return chicken and bacon to sauce.
Add some pesto and parmesan.
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Chicken Tetrazzini
Cook 1 lb (approximately one box) of spaghetti or other long pasta. (If using macaroni or smaller pasta, double the amount.) Set aside.
In a large pot over high heat, melt 4 Tbsp butter and cook 1 lb (20-24) thickly-sliced mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 chopped onion. Cook for additional 3 minutes.
Add 4 Tbsp flour to make a roux*. Add 2 cups milk and stir until thick, then add 1 cup heavy cream and 2 cups chicken broth, plus salt and pepper. Don’t let the sauce get too thick.
Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or Colby), plus the pasta and 2-3 cups cut-up or shredded chicken breasts or thighs.
Pour into 9 X 13 pan and top with additional 1 cup shredded cheese.
Bake 25 minutes at 325.
Cooking chicken pieces to use in a casserole
In a casserole you can use leftover chicken or turkey, or buy a rotisserie chicken, or you can cook breasts or boneless skinless thighs then cool and shred.
Poaching breasts: For 2 cups of shredded chicken, place two large chicken breasts in 4 cups cold water. Add 4 tsp salt. Bring to boil. Turn breasts, cover and take off the heat. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, until chicken is at 150.
Poaching breasts from frozen: Start as above but then keep the breasts on simmer for 5-10 minutes until chicken is at 150.
Cooking boneless chicken thighs: In a large pot over high heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute 1-2 minutes each side. Rest 5 minutes then chop into pieces or shred.
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Jambalaya
Slice into rounds 10 oz Andouille sausage (or substitute Chorizo or Italian smoked sausage), season with Cajun seasoning* and brown.
Cut into pieces 2 chicken breasts, season and brown. Set aside.
In large pan, sauté 1 diced onion, 2 small diced peppers (red and green) and 2 ribs chopped celery. Add 4 cloves garlic.
Stir in 2 cups (1 can) crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (or cayenne powder), 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and additional Cajun seasoning.
Stir in 1 c sliced okra or green beans, plus the sausage and chicken, and cook 5 minutes.
Add 1 ½ c uncooked rice and 3 c chicken broth. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until rice is cooked.
Place 1 lb (8-12) raw, peeled, deveined shrimps on top of mixture, stir through gently and cover.
Simmer until shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes.
Correct seasoning and serve.
*Cajun seasoning substitute: combine 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried thyme and ½ tsp cayenne pepper.
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Heat 2 Tbsp oil (plus 1 tsp minced garlic, optional) Brown 8 or more pieces of chicken (I usually use legs and thighs), adding salt and pepper. Remove chicken from the pot.
In the oil, saute 2 or 3 chopped onions until browned. Add 2 sliced carrots and a cup of chopped mushrooms, plus 1 tsp of lemon juice. Cook this mixture gently a few minutes until all the vegetables are soft. To the vegetable mixture add 2 Tbsp flour to make a roux* and pour in 3 cups chicken stock to complete the gravy. Correct seasonings. Return chicken to pot and cook an additional 30 minutes until the chicken is finished. Top with dumplings* (or cook Pillsbury biscuits on top).
You can also use this recipe as the basis for a Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie, using cooked chicken or turkey meat.
Dumplings (makes 6 dumplings - easy to double if you want)Whisk 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt. Stir in ½ cup milk and 1/8 cup oil (2 Tbsp)
________________________________________Using an ice-cream scoop, drop on bubbling stew. Cover and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes.
Chicken Pot Pie
Gravy: In 1/3 cup butter, sauté 1/3 cup chopped onion. Make a roux* with 1/3 cup flour, add salt and pepper. Add 1 ¾ cups chicken broth and ½ c milk, stirring until very thick. Or use 2+ cups chicken or turkey gravy.
Filling: To the gravy, add 2 ½ cups shredded chicken or turkey and 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (or use cooked onions, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots).
Pie: Place filling in a pie plate, dutch oven or casserole and heat until bubbling. Top with biscuits or dumplings and cook as required. Or make a top pie crust using a frozen or Pillsbury crust in a 9” plate, and bake at 425 for 30 to 40 minutes.
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Chicken a la King
Heat a few tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and sauté any fresh veggies you'd like — sliced mushrooms or Brussels sprouts or a chopped pepper or carrot — for a few minutes, or until they soften. Add a couple of cups of chopped or shredded chicken and sprinkle over 2 Tbsp. flour. Stir to coat, then pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and 1/2 cup cream; bring to a simmer, seasoning with salt, pepper and thyme, and stir in a handful of frozen peas, leftover steamed or roasted veggies or some torn spinach, letting them warm through.
Serve on toast, buttered noodles or biscuits.
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Stove Top Chicken Bake
Add 1 cup hot water to Stove Top stuffing mix; stir until moistened.
In a dutch oven, combine 2-3 cut up chicken breasts, 1 can Cream of Chicken soup, 1/3 cup sour cream and 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained) and top with the stuffing.
Bake uncovered 30 min. at 400 until chicken is done and casserole is heated through.
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Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Cook 1 ½ cups fettucini or other pasta and add 1 ½ cups broccoli florets for the last few minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
Prepare 1 ½ cups shredded chicken.
In the pasta pot, melt 3 Tbsp butter [optional: brown mushrooms, onions, peppers, celery] and stir in 3 Tbsp flour to make a roux*. Add garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk in 2 ½ cups milk or cream. Stir in ½ c cream cheese and 2/3 c parmesan.
Add pasta, broccoli and chicken to the pot, or pour into a greased casserole.
Sprinkle with 1/3 c parmesan and top with 2/3 c bread crumbs mixed with melted butter.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
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Bacon and Chicken Pasta
Cook 6 slices bacon in large pot until crisp. Add two cut-up chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside chicken and bacon.
In pot, cook a chopped onion and some garlic until soft, then add a package of spinach. When spinach is wilted add 5 cups milk and bring to boil.
Add a box of spaghetti or other pasta and cook the pasta until done.
Return chicken and bacon to sauce.
Add some pesto and parmesan.
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Chicken Tetrazzini
Cook 1 lb (approximately one box) of spaghetti or other long pasta. (If using macaroni or smaller pasta, double the amount.) Set aside.
In a large pot over high heat, melt 4 Tbsp butter and cook 1 lb (20-24) thickly-sliced mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 chopped onion. Cook for additional 3 minutes.
Add 4 Tbsp flour to make a roux*. Add 2 cups milk and stir until thick, then add 1 cup heavy cream and 2 cups chicken broth, plus salt and pepper. Don’t let the sauce get too thick.
Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or Colby), plus the pasta and 2-3 cups cut-up or shredded chicken breasts or thighs.
Pour into 9 X 13 pan and top with additional 1 cup shredded cheese.
Bake 25 minutes at 325.
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*Roux: A "roux" is the basis for a gravy or sauce.
In a small saucepan or in a roaster after the meat is removed, melt 1 Tbsp butter or other solid fat over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp flour over the hot fat, then stir to combine and to cook the flour for a few minutes. Slowly pour in 1 cup liquid, and stir or whisk until the flour is incorporated, and the liquid is bubbling and thickened. To make more gravy, just increase all of these amounts proportionately.
For flavour: brown some chopped onions or sliced mushrooms in the fat before adding the flour; dissolve a boullion cube in the water before adding it; stir in 1 tsp Worchestshire Sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp of soy sauce, and/or several drops of tabasco or hot sauce. Add 1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet to deepen the colour.
If your gravy gets too thick, add more liquid.
If it's too thin, sprinkle a little flour over the surface and whisk it in -- if its really too thin, then use a small jar to mix ½ cup cold water with 1 Tbsp flour, shake vigorously, pour it into the gravy and let it come to the boil again.
If the gravy turns out lumpy because the flour didn't incorporate as well as it should have, you just have to rise above it -- strain the gravy into another pot or a cup measure and carry on! I'll never tell...
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