5 Recipes to Make the Most of That Leftover Roast Chicken

Roasting a chicken takes time, so getting two or three meals from it makes sense. The chicken is already cooked, already seasoned and ready to turn into something completely different. Instead of repeating the roast, you can take the chicken in a completely different direction.

1. Chicken, Leek and Potato Galette

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40–45 minutes

Ingredients
300g leftover roast chicken, shredded
1 sheet ready-made shortcrust pastry
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
½ cup grated Gruyère or cheddar
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the leeks over medium heat until soft. Season with salt, black pepper and thyme.
Roll the pastry out on the prepared tray and arrange the sliced potatoes in the centre, leaving a border around the edge.
Scatter the chicken and cooked leeks over the potatoes, then sprinkle with cheese.
Fold the edges of the pastry loosely towards the centre, leaving the filling partly exposed.
Brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake for 40–45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the potatoes are tender.

2. Chicken and Cornbread Cobbler

Serves: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30–35 minutes

Ingredients
350g leftover roast chicken, shredded
1 cup sweetcorn
1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup cream
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the cornbread topping
1 cup flour
1 cup maize meal
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
¾ cup milk
3 tbsp melted butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Melt the butter in an ovenproof pan and cook the leek and carrot until softened.
Stir in the flour and cook for one minute before gradually adding the chicken stock.
Add the cream, thyme, salt and black pepper, then simmer until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the chicken and sweetcorn and remove from the heat.
For the topping, mix the flour, maize meal, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Whisk the egg, milk and melted butter together, then stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Spoon the cornbread mixture over the chicken filling and bake for 30–35 minutes until the topping is golden and cooked through.

3. Roast Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35–40 minutes

Ingredients
350g leftover roast chicken, shredded
250g ricotta
150g fresh spinach
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 garlic clove, minced
12 cannelloni tubes
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 cup grated mozzarella
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ tsp dried oregano

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Wilt the spinach in a pan, allow it to cool slightly and squeeze out any excess liquid.
Chop the spinach finely and mix with the chicken, ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper.
Spoon the mixture into the cannelloni tubes.
Spread a little tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish and arrange the filled cannelloni on top.
Pour over the remaining sauce and cover with mozzarella.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pasta is tender and the cheese is bubbling and golden.

4. Chicken and Butternut Hand Pies

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30–35 minutes

Ingredients
300g leftover roast chicken, shredded
1 cup roasted butternut, cut into small cubes
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh thyme
½ tsp ground cumin
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion slowly until soft and lightly caramelised.
Add the thyme, cumin, salt and black pepper, then stir in the chicken and roasted butternut.
Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Cut the pastry into six rectangles and place some of the chicken mixture in the centre of each piece.
Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
Place the pies on the baking tray, brush with beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes until puffed and golden.

5. Chicken, Brie and Apple Toasties

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
200g leftover roast chicken, shredded
4 slices sourdough bread
100g Brie, sliced
1 small apple, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chutney
1 tbsp butter
A handful of fresh rocket

Method
Butter one side of each slice of bread and place two slices butter-side down.
Spread the chutney over the bread, then layer on the chicken, Brie, apple and rocket.
Top with the remaining bread, keeping the buttered sides facing outwards.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and toast the sandwiches for 3–4 minutes on each side until the bread is crisp and the Brie has melted.
Allow them to rest for a minute before cutting in half and serving.

A Second Meal Worth Making

A roast chicken doesn't have to be a one-meal affair. Once you've got cooked chicken ready to use, you can turn it into something flaky, creamy, cheesy or crisp without doing the whole roasting process again. These recipes give those leftovers a new role, so the second meal feels like something you chose to make rather than something you had to finish.