Ways to Use Leftover Chicken
When you roast chicken, you get a great meal. You also will likely get leftover chicken. While this is often a good thing for some, for others it can create a challenge. For fear of hearing “Chicken again?” at the dinner table, getting creative with chicken leftovers can be crucial. For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band bariatric weight loss patients, chicken can be a great source of protein that is often easily digestible.
Dr. Shillingford and his staff offer you the following list of creative ways to use leftover chicken that can add variety to your meals.
- Curried chicken salad in lettuce cups
- Chicken and white bean soup
- Chicken salad with grapes
- Chicken, black bean, and sweet potato soup
- Chicken tacos
- Chicken and avocado quesadillas
- Wild rice and chicken soup
- Chicken Cobb salad
- Chicken and cashew stir fry
- Chicken, black bean, and corn stuffed peppers
- Chicken Avocado salad
Chicken Avocado Salad
- 2 cups leftover roasted chicken
- 2 medium ripe avocados, diced
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, divided
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup cilantro, minced
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
Directions:
Dice the avocado and add 1 tablespoon of lime juice to prevent browning. Shred or dice the chicken, add to the bowl with avocado. Add minced onion and cilantro. In a separate bowl, whisk mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Add dressing to the bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut back on lime juice if you aren’t a fan of lime. Add more or less cilantro based on your taste preferences.
These creative ways to use leftover chicken are provided by Dr. Shillingford, M.D., P.A., a board certified general surgeon specializing in laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. Dr. Shillingford’s gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and adjustable lap band patients come from all over South Florida, from Miami, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Hialeah, to West Palm Beach, and as far away as Orlando, Jacksonville, and New York. His bariatric surgery patients often ask for meal planning advice to fit their post bariatric surgery diets. Meal planning depends on your stage after surgery and the type of bariatric procedure, as well as any other medical condition that affects your food selection. Use our ideas as inspiration and customize your meal planning to suit your needs.
