If you are working your way through your pantry like we are, chances are you’ve got some canned chicken on the shelves. If you liked our canned tuna recipes then here are a couple of canned chicken recipes you will enjoy too.
Canned Chicken Is Good
While we love using fresh ingredients, at times like these it may not be possible. That doesn’t mean we can’t make some absolutely tummy warming and delicious recipes with canned chicken, frozen or canned vegetables, and other pantry staples. We’ve done it many times and these canned chicken recipes always satisfy. If you’re watching your sodium, just rinse the ingredients so you can get rid of some of the extra salt.
Use What You Have And What You Like
Because we know that what you have in your fridge or freezer and on your pantry shelves may be different than what we have, feel free to substitute different ingredients of a similar nature for the ones we have used here. For example, we’re using frozen mixed vegetables in our chicken cornbread casserole because that’s what we have in our freezer. If you have frozen peas or green beans or corn use those. If you have canned veggies, they work great too. We’re using a little fresh diced onion because we have some left. If you don’t you can use dried minced onions or onion powder or just leave it out. Same for any spices. Anything goes these days, so don’t worry about it.
Chicken And Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
4-5 cups of crumbled cornbread (If you’re looking for a cornbread recipe, try our easy Homemade Cornbread Recipe)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (canned or other veggies are okay too)
1 can (10 ounce) canned chicken, drained (if you like more chicken or are feeding a crowd, add another can)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth or vegetable broth (can also use diluted bullion or if you don’t have any use water)
2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheese you might have or like)
Directions
Grease a 13 x 9 casserole baking dish with oil, butter, or non-stick spray.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
1. Melt the oil or butter in a skillet the sauté onions and celery until soft (about 4 minutes)
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1 to 2 minutes)
3. Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated. Add milk and stock, broth or water, alternating. Stir until mixture begins to thicken. You can also use 1 can of condensed creamy soup (mushroom, chicken, celery) and milk if you want.
5. Add canned chicken and combine.
6. Add 1 cup of cornbread crumbs to vegetable and canned chicken mixture, combine, and pour into greased pan.
7. Top with the rest of the cornbread crumbs and top cornbread crumbs with shredded cheese.
8. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until topping is bubbly and brown.
Canned Chicken Salad
Ingredients
1 can (10 ounce) canned chicken
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup small diced onion (you can substitute 1 Tablespoon dry minced onion)
2/3 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (we use light mayo) to the consistency of your choice
2 slices bread (or you can stuff it into a tomato or put on a green salad)
Some people also like to add diced apple, grapes, or dried cranberries. Others like chopped pickles or just plain mayo. It’s up to you!
Directions
- Drain the canned chicken and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add all the other ingredients and blend thoroughly.
- Place a good amount of canned chicken mixture on one slice of bread and top with the other slice. If you want you can toast the bread, add lettuce and tomato, avocado, spinach, sprouts or whatever you like. If you’re staying away from bread, stuff it into a tomato or serve on a green salad. Goes great with a little ranch dressing too!
Canned Chicken Melt
Ingredients
Same as above for Canned Chicken Salad plus:
2 slices cheddar cheese
4 slices of your favorite toasting bread
Softened butter for toasting bread
Directions
After you have made the canned chicken salad mixture as described above, do the following:
- Place pan on stove and heat to medium.
- Butter two slices of bread on one side.
- Place bread butter sides down on the pan.
- Put chicken mixture on one piece of bread and sliced cheese on the other side.
- Cook on medium until bread is toasty golden and cheese begins to melt.
- Flip the cheese toast on top of the canned chicken toast to make a sandwich.
- If necessary, cook a little longer until the desired doneness on each side.
- Repeat for the second sandwich.
Great to serve with pickles, coleslaw or side salad, chips, or a cup of soup. You’ll feel like you’re at your favorite deli – only better!
Canned Chicken Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
8 ounces of pasta (we like whole wheat, but you can use whatever you like or have)
2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 Tablespoon butter for topping
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed (canned is okay too)
1-2 large ribs celery
1 can (10 ounces) canned chicken, drained (if you like more chicken or are feeding a crowd, add another can)
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (canned or jarred is okay)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken stock or broth or vegetable broth (can also use diluted bullion or if you don’t have any use water)
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (can use regular breadcrumbs, cornflake crumbs, or smashed up potato chips or crackers if you like – buttery style crackers like Ritz are great too)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheese you might have or like)
Directions
Grease a 13 x 9 casserole baking dish with oil, butter, or non-stick spray.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes)
2. Meanwhile, melt the oil or butter in a skillet sauté onions and celery until soft (about 4 minutes)
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1 to 2 minutes)
4. Put sliced mushrooms into the mix and stir until liquid evaporates. If you are using soup add now and skip the following step.
5. Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated. Add milk and stock, broth or water, alternating. Stir until mixture begins to thicken.
6. Add chicken and combine.
7. If using crumbs, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter and mix into crumbs.
8. Add peas and pasta to vegetable mixture, combine, and pour into greased pan.
9. Top with buttered crumbs and top crumbs with shredded cheese.
10. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until topping is bubbly and brown.
Other Tasty Canned Chicken Recipes
You can use the basic filling recipe for the casserole without the noodles to make a variety of other dishes. If you have a pie crust or puff pastry, add whatever vegetables you like to your canned chicken casserole filling. Top with the crust and bake yourself a canned chicken pot pie.
Or mix your canned chicken with a little sour cream or yogurt and garlic and use the dough to make tasty empanadas.
We hope you enjoy these simple and versatile canned chicken recipes. We’ll continue publishing recipes using pantry staples to provide you with ideas for food that you can make at home while we all wait for the coronavirus to pass. Let us know if you have any other ingredients you’d like to use in your pantry cooking.
For a few other pantry cooking recipe ideas try our Lemon Pasta, Easy Chili, and Garlic Mushroom Pita Pizza. You can add a little canned chicken to these recipes too!
These recipes are delicious anytime, so keep them handy for whenever you like!
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