Lots of uses for leftover chicken

I have some leftover chicken in the house. I had baked two whole chickens, but didn't get very far through the second one, so I put it in the fridge for later use. Yes, I like to eat cold chicken, but that doesn't leave much to write about. My go-to is making up a chicken salad for making up some sandwiches later. If I want to make up a hearty dip for chips and crackers, I'll lightly process the cubed chicken in a food processor so the meat is in small fragments. This makes dipping so much easier.

HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (4 pound) whole roasting chicken

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, and herbs and spices. In a baking dish, place chicken breast side down after removing the giblets and neck from cavity. Brush chicken well with seasoning mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, if possible. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove baking dish from refrigerator and allow to warm slightly at room temperature before placing in a hot oven. Bake for about 90 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees; be careful to not touch any bone while doing this. Allow to cool before serving or placing, uncovered, in the refrigerator. Chicken can be covered after becoming fully chilled.

DAN'S CHICKEN SALAD

• 2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, cut into small cubes
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and shredded
• 1/3 cup seedless green grapes, quartered
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, though 24 would be better, before serving.

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped bell peppers
• 2 minced chile peppers (to taste)
• 3 chopped roma tomatoes
• Olive oil for frying
• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken
• Salsa
• Sour cream

In a medium skillet sauté the onions, garlic, and peppers in the oil until soft. Add the peppers and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more. Add the chicken and stir well to combine. Heat a thin layer of oil in a medium sized pan over medium low heat, Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Add about a quarter of the chicken mixture and top with another 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into wedges. Keep warm while frying the remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

CHICKEN POT PIE

• 1 whole chicken, cooked, boned, meat cut into small pieces; reserve cooking juices
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 large stalks of celery, washed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 4 medium carrots, peeled, quartered and sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into half-inch pieces
• 1 bag white pearl onions, peeled and left whole
• 1 package frozen corn, thawed
• 1 package frozen peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooking juices
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• About 1 cup flour
• 1 beaten egg

Place carrots, beans, celery, and onions into a large pot of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 30 minutes (or until tender). Cook cubed potatoes for 15-20 minutes in a separate pan of lightly salted water. Combine all of the fresh, cooked vegetables with the thawed corn and peas, and the cooked potatoes. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well. In a saucepan, heat juices, milk, and water to near boiling. Reduce heat and stir in flour until thickened. Lay out one piece of pastry into pie dish. Pour some gravy into the bottom and start layering meat with the vegetable mix all the way to the top. Be sure to add more gravy to the middle and then to the top when dishes are full. Place the pastry over the top and carefully fold in the dough to give a raised edge to the pie. For effect, the tines of a fork may be used around the edge for decoration. Leftover dough can be cut into strips and used to form the initials of family members or friends who will eat the pies. Brush the beaten egg over the pie and poke a number of steam holes in the tops.