I'm lazy

[Tangerine LaBamba]

I whitecooked a five-pound chicken today, got a seriously wonderful stock, and shucked the meat from the carcass.

Now I have a few pounds of moist, beautiful light and dark chicken meat.



I'm not hungry.

I have absolutely no idea of what I should do with it. Chicken Tetrazzini comes to mind, but it doesn't knock me out.

What would you do with all this lovely chicken?

[Warpy]

1. Chicken sandwiches tonight, just because they're easy

Tomorrow think about chicken pot pie, chicken and noodles, chicken salad, chicken stir fry.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Dinner's over

That's why I'm lazy and not hungry.

No one here likes pot pies. Chicken and noodles will never work here, either - too bland.

Chicken stir fry? It's already cooked.

I'm back to tetrazzini.

Maybe chicken club sandwiches tomorrow? Too bad the tomatoes suck.

Or tossing it with some hoisin sauce - I make my own - and fixing a white pizza with that and some scallions and water chestnuts on top.

Naw, that doesn't sound very good, either.

I hate to freeze it - it'll turn to mush.

Where's a cat when you need one?

[pengillian101]

8. A thought or two.

"Chicken stir fry? It's already cooked."

Stir fry everything first and add cubed chicken at the very end until it's just warmed up.

"I hate to freeze it - it'll turn to mush."

Not really, I do it all the time, in an airtight container.

"pizza "

Pizza dough, BBQ sauce and chicken with Burmuda onion slices is tasty pizza.


And my always favorite when making a chicken stock is oh so obvious, lol. I just did this a few days ago - chicken noodle soup!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. I can freeze it?

I never did that before. So, wrapped tightly, air-tight, and it doesn't come out as - ugh - chicken mush?

I'm a purist with Chinese cooking, having lived in China, and I cannot bring myself to throw in cooked chicken when marinating and coating and cooking the chicken is part of the process. Just habit.

OK, I'm gonna keep some out for chicken salad when I come up with a really toothsome recipe, and then freeze the rest.

Thank you very much.

And, say, that's a NICE chicken.................

:toast:

[pengillian101]

11. And, say, that's a NICE chicken.................

HA!

Chicken is so versatile and forgiving in whatever you do with the leftovers. It'll be good.

Just a last thought. Make chicken gravy with some of your stock. (Make a roux and add chicken stock.) Add cut-up chicken and some sauteed mushrooms and onions perhaps to go into the gravy. Make it up as you go with spices, that's always fun.

Serve over mashed potatoes. Add a side vegie - you are good to go!

[Warpy]

17. The Chinese themselves use a technique called "velveting"

wherein chicken is tossed with an egg white, cornstarch and wine marinade and deep fried for a few seconds to precook it before it goes into a stir fry. It's mostly a restaurant technique since folks at home don't have the wherewithal to have a separate wok for pre frying. This technique really does change the texture of chicken in a stir fry. It also keeps it from welding to the sides of the wok. I use it when I'm cooking for a crowd.

Baked chicken isn't the best thing to use in a stir fry, but it's far from the worst. I just use a light chicken stock at the end when I thicken the sauce. It's just a way to use up all the bits and pieces that are too small for sandwiches and when I've gotten sick of chicken salads.

Freezing does work. Just wrap it very tightly in foil and stick it in an air tight freezer bag with as much air pushed out of it as possible.

[eridani]

3. Salad--whatever you like in the line of greenery and veggies

Dump shredded chicken on top.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. See, that's the easiest thing

And a lot of the chicken will go that way tomorrow. That's good. Thanks.

You've made me think of chicken salad, something rare around here.

Mayo, some sour cream, onions, pickle relish, shredded carrots, raisins.

What else?

What's good in chicken salad?

Besides, of course........................

[Tsiyu]

12. Was just thinking about my favorite chicken salad

Mayo, bit of sour cream, seasoning salt, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, celery if you like.

So good you'll cry.

With the rest of the chicken, Right now? :think:

I'd make quesadillas; put a bit of southwest seasoning with the chicken (you can marinate it overnite, too), throw it on a tortilla in an oiled hot frypan, cover with whatever (guac, tomatoes, refried beans, rice, jalepenos) and top that with cheese, another tortilla, flip and brown and slice and yum eat that with salsa and sour cream - with the cat and a beer. And another beer.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Barbecue or Buffalo

Or Buffalo Barbecue.

Your favorite barbecue sauce on the chopped up or chunked or however you prefer it chicken. Serve on a platter with some of your Lexington Slaw. Maybe with some nice rolls. From which you could make sandwiches instead of the platter thing.

Or the salad, like eridani said.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

7. I got chicken........

.. not buffalo.

Sheeeeeeeesh.

[sandnsea]

5. chicken cobb sandwiches

blue cheese dressing, avocado slice, bacon, tomato, chicken and watercress or spinach - on sourdough or your favorite hearty bread roll.

[Lucinda]

10. I would do tamales or enchiladas, or maybe chicken and dumplings.

Or possibly egg rolls. :D Depending on our mood.

I made enchiladas tonight from chicken I had precooked yesterday. The take no time at all to bake. And I can made black beans while the enchiladas bake. Super easy dinner. I also made tamales from pork we had roasted earlier. Also quick and easy to prep, they just take a bit of time to steam.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

13. You threw a switch in my brain!!!

And I thank you!! I had forgotten about one of my all time favorite dishes - Enchiladas Suizas

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
1 cup purchased green chile salsa
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons ground cumin

salt and black pepper
12 to 15 7-inch flour tortillas
10 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chicken broth

Garnish:
chopped avocado
chopped tomato
chopped fresh cilantro

Place chicken in pan of boiling water to cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, cool, and shred chicken. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and bell peppers until just soft, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add chicken, cheddar cheese, green chiles, salsa, cilantro, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10x15x2-inch baking pan or 2 smaller pans. Place 1 flour tortilla on flat surface and place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture along 1 edge. Roll up from filling side, and place, seam side down, in prepared pan. Repeat process with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle Monterey Jack over enchiladas.

Combine cream and chicken broth and pour over enchiladas. Cover pan with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish individual servings with avocado, tomato and cilantro, if desired.

[Lucinda]

14. Oh my gosh that sounds sooooo good!

I'm getting hungry reading this one.
Sounds like incredible flavor without a lot of fuss. A win/win in my book! Thanks for posting it. I definitely want to try it sooooon!

[hippywife]

15. You already settled on something but

I was going to suggest the Italian Wedding Soup since it starts off with a boiled chicken to make stock.

[Tesha]

16. Curried Chicken Salad

with green grapes and walnuts....

Or a layered Italian casserole - doesn't have to be lasagna, any thick pasta's good

or a Chicken and Spinach Casserole With Parmesan Cheese

or Chicken and Gravy over Toast with peas

so many things can be done once you've done the hard work of cooking the chicken... have fun!

[grasswire]

18. tortilla soup

Mmm...love tortilla soup.

[catnhatnh]

19. Chicken salad idea...

if it was me...Chicken, mayo, crumbled blue cheese and bacon bits...maybe some thin sliced celery for crunch...needs a bulky roll or sourdough bread...