You know the drill. It’s the end of a long day. Maybe you have a bunch of kids who have a bunch of activities and you’ve been shuffling everyone around all afternoon. Maybe you’ve worked out of the house all day and have no time to even think about cooking, let alone make a gourmet meal. And on top of that, maybe you just can’t afford take-out again, though it’s the most tempting option.
Enter: the rotisserie chicken. Grocery stores have certainly gotten on the bandwagon to help in a pinch. Currently a rotisserie chicken costs only five or six dollars and opens up a whole new world for the I-don’t-know-what-to-cook busy mom or dad. Take a few minutes to pull the meat off of the bird and choose one of these easy meal ideas that will feed a family of four. If you have teens, double the recipes. We know how much they eat. *wink*
4 Ways to Quickly Prepare a Rotisserie Chicken
- Dressed-Up Chicken salad- cube enough for three cups of chicken, slice up four stalks of celery, halve two cups or more of red seedless grapes. Mix together with a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise (or plain yogurt) and add a cup of walnuts, salt and pepper to taste, and a touch of lemon juice. Serve on a leaf of romaine lettuce with some crusty bread and sliced cantaloupe for a pretty summer meal.
- Asian Lettuce Wraps- finely dice two to three cups of chicken, chop a clove or two of garlic and a large carrot. Saute in a saucepan or skillet with a teaspoon of sesame oil, two tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of honey or agave nectar, hot pepper flakes and powdered ginger to taste. Saute until the carrots are just softened a bit. Add any or all of the following: chopped water chestnuts, sliced green onions, chopped peanuts, diced cucumber. Open up a head of Bibb lettuce, or use romaine leaves. Spoon mixture into lettuce and wrap. Serve with quick cooking rice and canned mandarin oranges.
- Not-Quite-Thanksgiving Sandwiches- assemble sandwiches on bakery white bread (you can use store-bought white bread, but it won’t have as much substance) with pulled chicken, lettuce leaves, mayonnaise, and whole cranberry sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a fresh salad and chips.
- Chicken and Hummus Wraps- slice a pint of cherry tomatoes in half and place in a food processor along with a cup of jarred roasted red peppers. Pulse until it is chopped and chunky. Add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a touch of salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for as long as you can; fifteen or twenty minutes if possible. While the mixture is marinating, slice cucumbers, pull chicken into small pieces, and grate a carrot or two. Spread hummus generously on a hearty wrap (I love using multi-grain Flat-Out wraps for these). Add chicken, tomato/pepper mixture, cucumber, carrots, and any other fresh crunchy veggie you have on hand. Top with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese. Ooooh, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
I hope these well-tested recipes will make busy nights a little easier in your home!
