It’s that time again; another Frugal Tip of the Day (FTOTD)! You know those little money-saving ideas that aren’t quite big enough for a whole post? That’s what this series is all about.
Repurposing Dried Out Chicken
I don’t know about you, but sometimes my kids don’t want to eat leftover chicken that I have until it eventually dries out. Sometimes it has been in the fridge a bit too long (I don’t believe in tossing past a certain day, everyone’s fridge has a different temperature- use the smell test), or maybe I left it uncovered in the fridge by mistake. Sometimes it just is dry because it sat on the hot plate for too many hours. Either way, what was once juicy chicken is now dry, chewy, and basically is unappealing, unintended “chicken jerky”.
But dry chicken does not have to go in the trash.
My go-to trick is super simple: I just boil it. Put the dried out chicken in a pot, cover it with water, and simmer it for a bit. Not only does this bring back some moisture and make the chicken soft again, but you also get a nice homemade chicken broth at the same time. Win-win. Ok, it never gets back exactly to how it was beforehand, but it becomes edible again. It just needs to be repurposed into something that adds moisture to the final dish.
Once the chicken is rehydrated , I debone it, remove the skin, and then pull it apart with my fingers or shred it with a fork. You can use that revived chicken in so many different dishes. Here are just some of the ideas.
- Make chicken salad (add mayonnaise for moisture) for sandwiches or wraps.
- Throw it into a stir fry with veggies and sauce.
- Use it for pulled chicken tacos cooked with some tomato sauce and chili powder, or in chicken chili.
- Turn it into a hearty chicken pot pie.
It is amazing how a bit of boiling can rescue something you would probably have thrown out otherwise.
So next time you find that dried out leftover chicken hiding in your fridge, don’t just toss it, rehydrate it and put it to good use!
Does your chicken ever dry out in the fridge? What do you do when that happens?
