Leftover Roast Chicken, Three Ways

Cajun Chicken Sliders

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (skillet). Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Stir in the tomato purée, Cajun seasoning and honey. Fry for a further minute.

Stir in the roast chicken, frozen sweetcorn and half the water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and simmer, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the water is absorbed, breaking up the chicken gently with a wooden spoon as you stir.

Stir in the remaining water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for another couple of minutes until the water is absorbed and the chicken is heated through.

Place the bottoms of the brioche buns on a baking tray. Divide the chicken between them. Top with grated cheddar and place the lids on the buns. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the buns are beginning to crisp.

Tips and Swaps:

You can swap the Cajun seasoning for fajita spice mix if you have any.

Finish the sliders in the air fryer. Cook them at 190°C/375°F for 4 minutes until the cheese has melted.

I always seem to have brioche hotdog buns left after a barbecue, so you can use them instead.

BBQ Chicken Fried Rice

First make the sauce. Mix together the ingredients in a bowl with 50ml (1¾fl oz) water.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan (skillet), add the roast chicken and fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the sauce until the chicken is fully coated. Fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Set aside.

Add a good glug of oil to a wok or large, non-stick frying pan (skillet). Once spitting hot, add the frozen peas and spring onions and fry for 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice and soy sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Move the rice around the pan as little as possible. Leave to fry for a minute, then turn the rice over with a spatula and again leave it for 3–4 minutes or until it is heated through and coloured in parts.

Make a well in the centre of the rice so you can see the bottom of the pan. Add the beaten eggs to the well and leave for a few seconds until they start to cook. Use a spatula to move the egg around, breaking it up quickly. When the egg is still half runny, mix it into the rice, moving it around quickly for a minute until it has coated the rice and is cooked.

Stir the barbecue chicken into the rice. Briefly heat through and serve.

Tips and Swaps:

You can use ready-made barbecue sauce (approx. 180g/6¼oz) in this instead of homemade.

You can use the leftover roast chicken carcass and any leftover vegetable peelings to make a delicious chicken stock.

When you’re short on time, just microwave 3 pouches of basmati rice following the packet instructions and add to the pan with the beaten egg.

Cheesy Chicken and Sweetcorn Pot Pies

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/410°F/Gas mark 6½.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (skillet). Add the leeks and fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat until soft. Add the flour and stir for a minute until it’s been absorbed into the oil.

Make up the chicken stock in a jug and stir in the milk until combined.

Slowly add the liquid to the pan, a little at a time, only adding more when it comes to the boil. Stir continuously until it thickens. When all the liquid is incorporated, stir in the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper.

Add the roast chicken, frozen sweetcorn and grated cheddar. Give everything a good stir and simmer over a low heat for 3 minutes.

Divide the filling between 4 individual pie dishes.

Unroll the pastry sheet and cut out four shapes to cover the tops of your pie dishes (mine were rectangle). Lay them over the top of the pie dishes, folding the corners over the rim and pressing the pastry gently down.

Brush the tops with the beaten egg, then use a round-bladed knife to score a few hatched lines across the surface. Place the pie dishes on a baking tray and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown and the filling is cooked through.

Tips and Swaps

If you don’t have individual pie dishes, make one big pie. Wait for the filling to cool a little before topping with the pastry lid, otherwise it will sag in the middle. Bake at 190°C fan/210°C/410°F/Gas mark 6½ for 20–25 minutes.

Add more veg to this if you like. Try frying finely chopped or grated carrot with the leeks, or stir in fresh spinach when you add the roast chicken to the pan.

If you want to freeze the pies, do so before they’re baked. Defrost thoroughly, brush with beaten egg and bake as in the recipe.