Recycling leftover meals need a little imagination and a lot of ingenuity. Anumita tells us how she inherited how to make the best use of leftover meals from her mother. Here she shares recipes of Chicken Roll and Chicken Croissant Roll from leftover chicken. An exclusive for Different Truths.

Leftover foods make the best meals. During my childhood, I often found Ma making different types of rice, paratha and sandwiches with the leftover dal, vegetable or chicken or mutton curry. She taught us the basics of reusing food and making an equally delicious meal. Kind of like a revamping. My sister and I often wondered what she would come up with some leftover meal!

During my childhood, I often found Ma making different types of rice, paratha and sandwiches with the leftover dal, vegetable or chicken or mutton curry. She taught us the basics of reusing food and making an equally delicious meal. Kind of like a revamping. My sister and I often wondered what she would come up with some leftover meal! 

My sister is the better cook between us two sisters, she has a knack for the exotic and the ethnic in equal balance. I am, on the other hand, the most disorganised and moody cook. I make what my heart wants to. My children have learned to love this whimsical mom’s cooking and they try the guessing game as what I would make with leftover meals.

Last week, I had some chicken leftover. I usually cook bone-in chicken. The leftover amount was not enough for a second meal. I did not have any cooked vegetables and was not in a mood to cook either. Weekend dinners are often a cause of concern, as lunches tend to be a big affair.

Last week, I had some chicken leftover. I usually cook bone-in chicken. The leftover amount was not enough for a second meal. I did not have any cooked vegetables and was not in a mood to cook either. Weekend dinners are often a cause of concern, as lunches tend to be a big affair.

I decided to make the easiest chicken roll. After drying up the gravy and shredding the chicken meat from the bones, I found that there was enough left to make a small snack or maybe the next day breakfast. Patting my own back, I got down to preparing these two dishes.

For: 4                                       Meal: Main course & Snack                         Type: Nonvegetarian

Ingredients:

Frozen parathas or Tortillas 8

Pack of frozen croissant roll

Shredded cooked chicken (whatever way it was made)

Shredded onion 1 cup

Shredded cucumber 1cup

Shredded carrots 1 cup

Sliced green chili 6

Chopped cilantro 1cup

Eggs cracked and whipped 6

Chilli sauce as required

Mayo as required

Tahini sauce as required

Boiled and mashed potato 1 cup

Pepper and salt to taste

Method

Chicken Roll

Toast the parathas or tortillas on a pan and keep aside in a hot box.

Spray oil onto the pan.

Add some salt and pepper in the egg mix and pour in just about 2 tbsp or more if you like thick egg coating.

As the egg sizzles put the paratha or tortilla over it and let it stick on it.

Flip it once and let the other side get slightly fried.

Repeat this process for all the parathas or tortillas and keep them in a hot box.

Then assemble with a row of chicken and all the shredded vegetables.

Drizzle the type of sauce you like and roll up the paratha or tortilla.

To keep it in place, use a toothpick.

Voila, chicken egg roll is ready for dinner.

Chicken Croissant Roll

Open the frozen croissant roll and cut into the marked pieces.

Mix the mashed boiled potato with the left-over shredded chicken.

Add salt and pepper and rest of the chopped cilantro.

Now, spoon some of this goody onto the centre of the croissant triangle.

Gently roll up till the centre of the triangle is resting on the belly of the croissant.

Lightly spray the oven prove tray and place the croissants apart, giving them space to puff up.

Take the remaining egg and give it the croissants a brush on the top.

Bake them for 10 mins at 375 F.

Now, you do not have to fret about breakfast.

Enjoy dinner and breakfast with one-time cooking.

Photos by the author