Waste not, need not, they are saying! The artwork of cooking with leftovers shouldn’t be solely a savvy manner to economize but additionally a superb behavior for decreasing meals waste. In the event you’re a house prepare dinner trying to make use of up moderately than throw away leftovers, why not begin with one thing many people discover lurking within the fridge—leftover hen?
Why Lowering Meals Waste is a Massive Deal
Yearly, a staggering quantity of meals goes uneaten. Tossing leftover hen could appear small, however collectively, it quantities to an enormous environmental subject. By discovering artistic methods to make use of leftovers, you not solely assist the planet but additionally stretch your meals finances a bit additional.
Lowering meals waste helps preserve your sources, too. Consider all of the water, power, and labour that go into making meals that results in the bin. And let’s face it, nothing’s extra satisfying than crafting a tremendous meal from one thing you thought was previous its prime.
Whether or not you’re a guardian educating youngsters about sustainability or a pal sharing suggestions, your actions can encourage others to assume twice earlier than binning these leftovers. Each little bit counts, and collectively we will make a distinction.
Storing Leftover Hen
Earlier than you begin to think about using leftovers, correct storage of leftover hen is crucial. Begin by refrigerating your hen inside two hours of cooking. If it’s been sitting out on the counter longer, it’s finest to discard it to keep away from any nasty surprises or meals poisoning.
When storing hen, use an hermetic container or wrap it in foil or cling movie to maintain it contemporary. Hermetic containers assist protect moisture and cease the hen from absorbing different odours within the fridge. In the event you received’t be utilizing it inside three to 4 days, contemplate freezing it to increase its shelf life as much as 4 months.
Meals security is essential, so keep in mind to both eat your hen straight from the fridge or reheat your hen totally earlier than consuming. Goal for an inner temperature of 74°C (165°F) to make sure it’s secure. Whether or not you’re microwaving, baking, or frying, that is essential.
Well being Advantages of Utilizing Leftover Hen
Leftover hen isn’t just an financial selection—it’s a wholesome one too! Full of lean protein, it helps muscle progress and restore. Protein additionally retains you feeling full, serving to with weight reduction.
Hen is wealthy in important vitamins like nutritional vitamins B6 and B3, which enhance mind well being and power ranges. These vitamins are retained even after reheating so your meal from leftovers could be simply as nutritious because the preliminary recipe was.
Utilizing leftover hen additionally lets you add selection to your weight loss program. Plus, you get the satisfaction of realizing you’ve cooked a scrumptious meal from what’s available, and little question saved time too.
Fast and Simple Leftover Hen Recipes
1. Leftover Hen Stir-Fry
This dish is a vibrant medley of flavours that’s fast and simple.
- Elements: Leftover hen, combined greens (like peppers, onions, mushrooms, beansprouts and broccoli), soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a bit oil or spray oil. For an additional twist add some chilli flakes.
- Technique: Toss every part right into a sizzling pan together with your oil. Add soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Stir till the veggies are tender-crisp and the hen is a minimum of 74°c.
- Prime Tip: This can be a nice recipe to make use of left over bits of greens too so if in case you have a carrot within the fridge, slice it into skinny sticks and chuck it in!
2. Hen and Sweetcorn Soup
Heat and hearty, this soup is ideal for cold nights.
- Elements: Leftover hen, sweetcorn, hen broth, spring onions, soy sauce, cornflour.
- Technique: Boil hen inventory and sweetcorn, then add hen and spring onions. Thicken with a bit cornflour combined in water and season with some soy sauce. Examine the temperature of the hen earlier than serving.
- Prime Tip: Use small items of hen for the very best soup or shred the hen.
3. Hen Quesadillas
Best for a household night time, these quesadillas are tacky and enjoyable.
- Elements: Leftover hen, tortilla wraps, cheese, salsa, jalapeños.
- Technique: Layer hen, cheese, and jalapeños on half of a tortilla. Fold, prepare dinner on a sizzling pan till cheese melts. Serve with salsa.
- Prime Tip: Guarantee hen is shredded or small so it hits totally because the cheese melts.
4. Hen Caesar Salad
A basic that’s all the time in style.
- Elements: Leftover hen, romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing.
- Technique: Toss all components in a bowl, guaranteeing hen is coated with dressing. Prime with extra parmesan for further zing.
5. Hen Fried Rice
A takeaway favorite you may simply make at house.
- Elements: Leftover hen, rice, peas, carrots, soy sauce, scrambled eggs, spring onions.
- Technique: Cook dinner rice, then stir-fry with hen, peas, carrots, and soy sauce. Stir in scrambled eggs and garnish with spring onions.
6. Tacky Hen Casserole
Final consolation meals.
- Elements: Cooked hen, cooked potatoes, cooked broccoli and creamy cheese sauce. Prime with breadcrumbs.
- Technique: Combine all cooked components with cheese sauce to coat properly, prime with some breadcrumbs and grated cheese for an additional tacky style then bake till bubbly.
- Prime tip: Add something that wants utilizing, leeks work properly too!
7. Creamy Hen Pasta Bake or Hen Alfredo
A simple to make restaurant model meal you can also make with pasta, cheese and a few leftover hen.
- Elements: Cooked hen, cooked pasta (fettuccine works properly however any is ok!), do-it-yourself alfredo sauce or cheese sauce, parmesan cheese.
- Technique: Warmth by means of your leftover hen with the cheese sauce, pasta and prime with some chopped parsley for an additional model!
- Prime Tip: Make it nonetheless you want, if in case you have some peas to make use of up then why not pop them in too!
8. BBQ Hen Pizza
A simple and fast manner to make use of leftover hen to get pleasure from a pizza!
- Elements: Pizza base (both do-it-yourself, store purchased or one thing like a naan bread or pizza bread additionally work properly), BBQ sauce, onions, and cheese.
- Technique: Prime your pizza base with BBQ sauce, shredded hen, pink onions and cheese.
- Prime Tip: Peppers additionally go properly on the pizza or combine the leftover hen with some cooked bacon for further flavours.
9. Hen sandwich filler or jacket potato topping
A simple combine for sandwiches or jacket potatoes to make use of up that leftover hen on a potato or in your work lunch.
- Elements: Leftover hen, low fats or fat-free Greek yoghurt, a spoonful of mustard, diced apples, and grapes.
- Technique: Combine the cooked hen with Greek yoghurt, diced apples, a small quantity of mustard to style and halved grapes.
- Prime Tip: Get pleasure from this by itself on a mattress of lettuce if you would like a smaller meal.
10. Hen Lime Tacos
Hen tacos are an effective way to make use of leftover hen with my straightforward hen lime taco recipe.
11. Mexican Hen Burritos
I like making straightforward Mexican hen burritos with leftover hen. I merely use Mexican rice, leftover hen, onions, peppers, BBQ sauce and cheese for my fast straightforward Mexican burritos recipe.
12. Hen Fajita Pasta Bake
I usually use leftover hen in a hen fajita pasta bake and easily combine cooked hen with fajita spices, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese for a fast straightforward pasta bake!
Conclusion
Cooking with leftover hen isn’t nearly saving cash and decreasing waste, it’s about saving time too. With these storage suggestions and engaging recipes, you may flip yesterday’s hen into a brand new meal immediately. Whether or not you’re a busy guardian or simply don’t need to spend ages cooking, these concepts supply one thing for everybody.
Do you make leftover hen into the rest? Let me know within the feedback under.
