Rotisserie chicken is a fast, fuss-free and finger-licking good cheat for dinner. We show you how to turn this blank canvas into four fab suppers.
Chicken pot pies
Serves 4 • Total time 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 roll (400g) puff pastry, defrosted overnight
2 Tbsp oil
¼ cup butter
1 packet (300g) leeks, sliced
2 packets (250g each) brown or button mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Salt and milled black pepper
1 egg, whisked
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 6 large ramekins or mini pie dishes.
- Roll pastry out slightly thinner to about 4mm. Cut four circles about 2cm larger than the ramekins or dishes and refrigerate until needed.
- Add oil and butter to a frying pan over medium-low heat and cook leeks for 3 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and herbs and fry for a minute.
- Add flour, stir to cover vegetables and cook for 30 seconds.
- Gradually add milk in a thin stream.
- Add chicken and season. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes to thicken and cook the flour.
- Spoon filling into ramekins or dishes. Remove and discard herb sprigs.
- Pierce the middle of each chilled pastry lid twice with a sharp knife.
- Place lids on top of pie filling and brush with whisked egg.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Serve hot.
Sourdough pizza toast
Serves 8 • Total time 25 minutes
Ingredients
8 thick slices sourdough bread
¼ cup canola oil or melted butter
½ coil (150g) chorizo, sliced
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
½ punnet (100g) mixed medley tomatoes, halved
1 cup (100g) grated white cheddar
1 cup (100g) grated mozzarella
To serve
1 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced (optional)
Fresh basil
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking tray.
- Brush bread with oil or butter and bake for 3 minutes until golden. Remove from oven.
- Top each slice of bread with cheese, chorizo, chicken and tomato.
- Bake for another 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Top with red onion, avocado and basil just before serving.
Also read: BBQ chicken and bacon pizzettes
Coronation chicken pasta salad
Serves 4 • Total time 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp mild curry powder
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp chutney 400g fusilli pasta, cooked
1 can (400g) peach halves, diced
Salt and milled black pepper
Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
Squeeze of lemon
Method
- Add chicken to a bowl and toss with half the spices and 1 Tbsp of the oil.
- Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and brown chicken for 3 minutes (add an extra splash of oil if it starts to catch).
- Combine buttermilk with remaining spices and chutney to make a dressing.
- Toss chicken, pasta and peaches together in a serving bowl, then coat with dressing and season.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon just before serving.
Pizza braai pie
Serves 6-8 • Total time 30 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup passata sauce
½ sachet (25g) tomato paste
1 clove garlic, grated
½ punnet (10g) fresh parsley, chopped + extra for serving
2 store-bought pizza bases, defrosted
¾ cup (100g) grated Emmental or mozzarella
¾ cup (100g) mature cheddar
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 small red onion, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, sliced
Method
- Combine passata sauce, tomato paste, garlic and parsley.
- Spread evenly over one of the pizza bases.
- Top with cheeses, chicken, red onion, cherry tomatoes and red pepper. Season well.
- Place second pizza base upside down on first pizza base to enclose.
- Brush edges of pizza with a little water and press closed.
- Place in a folding braai grid and grill over medium coals for 10-15 minutes, until charred and cheese has melted, turning regularly.
- Slice into triangles, top with parsley and serve hot.
Words: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine
Also read: Use your leftover meat for this spicy chicken with pea patties
