(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)
Chicken, Leek and Tarragon Gratin (Serves 3-4)
Such a good way to use up leftover cooked chicken but so delicious that it’s worth cooking a couple of chicken breasts to simply make it! Serve with peas or green beans.
*if you haven’t any leftover chicken simply add 2 chicken breasts to a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to poach for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
800g potatoes (such as maris piper)
400g leeks
4 spring onions
30g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)
200ml white wine
400ml milk
400g cooked chicken (see note above)
A large bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves chopped
- Peel and boil the potatoes, drain and allow to cool before thinly slicing.
- Quarter the leeks lengthways, then hold them together and slice them across into small pieces. Chop the spring onions.
- Melt the butter with a tablespoon of oil in a deep frying pan, stir in the leeks and spring onions, cook over a medium heat until soft and patched with gold. Sprinkle over the flour, stirring until it has been absorbed, increase the heat a little and add the wine, stirring until thick, then stir in the milk. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Tear the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir through the leek sauce along with the chopped tarragon. Pour into a baking dish and arrange the sliced potatoes , overlapping, over the top. Brush with olive oil.
- Bake in the oven, 200’c fan, for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes a golden and crisp.
Leek and Chicken Risotto (Serves 4-6)
This is a fantastic recipe for using up leftover chicken. It is a lovely unctuous, satisfying supper dish. The recipe originally called for twice as much cheese but I really think that it overpowered the flavours of the dish so I have halved the amount and suggested that you sprinkle over more cheese at the table. As I like this risotto to be more substantial, I have doubled the amount of chicken the recipe originally called for – but feel free to reduce or increase the amount to taste (and depending on the amount of leftover chicken you have!). This recipe is taken from Rachel Allen’s cookbook ‘Recipes From My Mother’, as the name suggests it contains lots of homely recipes.
1.5 litres chicken stock
25g unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium leek, chopped
500g risotto rice, such as Carnaroli or Arborio
75ml dry white wine
40g Parmesan Cheese, finely grated plus more to serve (see note above)
2-3 generous handfuls of leftover roast chicken, chopped (see note above)
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
2 tablespoons of parsley
1-2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Sea salt and black pepper
- Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile melt the butter and oil in a large pan – I like to use a deep frying/sauté pan. Add the leeks and season with salt and pepper, cover and sweat gently until soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add the rice, stirring to coat it in the oil. Then add the wine, turn up the heat and let it bubble to evaporate (about 2 minutes).
- Lower the heat and now add a ladle of the hot stock, stirring continuously until it has evaporated. Continue to add ladle after ladle in the same manner until the rice is cooked and it has a creamy consistency. It should take around 16-18 minutes.
- When you are happy with the texture (the rice should be al dente, retaining a little bite), stir in the cheese, chicken, parsley, thyme and some lemon juice to taste. Check the seasoning and serve with more cheese sprinkled over according to your individual tastes.
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