I was talking to a friend recently when we got on the subject of making dinner.
“I hate it so much,” she said. “Coming up with dinner every night can be a real struggle.”
I considered her dilemma. She’s a single mom with two kids in school and a job that keeps her busy. Without a strategy of any kind, it can be a real challenge coming up with something fast and nutritious for dinner.
Finding easy dinner ideas can get overwhelming, especially with the holidays just around the corner.
I shared with her a few things I like to keep on hand to make it easier to whip up a quick meal on short notice. In the pantry, a couple containers of chicken stock are essential.
A few bags of frozen stir-fry vegetables are always good to have too, as well as a bag or two of frozen mixed vegetables that can work well in a soup. Add a rotisserie chicken to your shopping list and you will be able to get dinner on the table in no time.
The frozen stir-fry vegetables can be used with the chicken to make a fast stir fry; a few basic pantry ingredients like soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch can be mixed together to add flavor.
I made this dish last week and served it over a wild rice mix (my favorite) and used the leftover rice the next day in a chicken soup. The soup was made from the leftover rotisserie chicken and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables along with a few other ingredients.
Of course, you can also use the leftover chicken to make chicken salad for sandwiches.
Just whip up a dressing with a little mayo, garlic powder, red wine vinegar and some salt and pepper, and you can have dinner (or lunch) ready in minutes.
Rotisserie Chicken Stir Fry
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
14-ounce package frozen stir-fry vegetables, defrosted and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil
2 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. fish sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
cooked rice for serving, if desired
sesame seeds for garnish, if desired
Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
Add the olive oil to a large skillet or sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is warmed, add the garlic and cook for one or two minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned.
Stir in the vegetables and chicken and cook for about two minutes to heat the chicken and vegetables throughout. Once heated, pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently to coat the chicken and vegetables.
Remove from heat and serve over rice, if desired, and garnish with sesame seeds.
Quick Rotisserie Chicken Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 Tbs. flour
2 cups frozen peas and carrots
2 potatoes, diced
8 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup rice, cooked
Add the butter to a stock pot and set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion.
Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is softened, then add the flour and stir.
Cook for an additional minute, then stir in the chicken stock.
Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaves and chicken, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. Add the rice just before serving.
Rotisserie Chicken Salad
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 cup purple onion, chopped
3/4 cup peas
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
sub rolls for serving
lettuce or spinach for serving, if desired
Add the chicken, celery, onion and peas to a bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic powder, celery salt and pepper.
Add the mayonnaise mix to the chicken mix and stir to combine. Serve in rolls with lettuce or spinach leaves, if desired.
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