Best Chicken Drumstick Recipes

1. Here is yet another savory way to utilize that leftover chicken breast or turkey — in a Cooked  Chicken or Turkey Loaf. There have been numerous jokes about leftovers, one of the best is the following by Calvin Trillin: “The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. We had a ream of anthropologists looking for the original meal, but it was never found.”

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fine-chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon fine-diced green or red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons fine-diced celery
• 2-1/2 cups fine-diced cooked turkey or chicken
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage, optional
• 1 cup cracker crumbs (we like crushed Ritz brand crackers for their buttery flavor)
• 3/4 cup leftover turkey or chicken gravy
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten water

Cooking Process:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 by 4 by 2-1/2-inch loaf pan well with no-stick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the onions, peppers, and celery about 2 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Let it cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients (except water) well and pack into the prepared loaf pan. Place leftover chicken breast pan in a larger pan on the middle oven shelf. Pour hot water into the larger pan so that it comes about halfway up the leftover chicken breast pan. Bake about 45 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned. Remove from the water bath and unmold the loaf onto a serving platter.  Makes about 6 servings.

*If you don’t have leftover gravy, use a packaged mix or thicken 3/4 cup canned chicken broth with 1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. This is nice served with additional leftover or prepared gravy with some chopped parsley or chives stirred in.

2. Chicken and Stuffing 

This is a great use for leftover chicken breast. It makes a big batch, so you can freeze some for later or if you prefer, cut all the quantities in half.

Ingredients Needed:

• 2-1/2 cups (570 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (40 g) chopped onions
• 1/2 cup (50 g) celery, chopped
• 4 ounces (115 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon (1.3 g) parsley
• 1-1/4 teaspoons sage
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 12 cups (600 g) bread cubes
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) egg substitute
• 10 ounces (280 g) low-sodium cream of chicken soup
• 6 cups (840 g) cubed cooked chicken breast

Cooking Process:

Combine all ingredients except bread, egg substitute, soup, and chicken in saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Combine egg substitute and soup. Stir into broth mixture until smooth. Pour over bread and toss well. Layer half of stuffing and then half of chicken leftovers breast into slow cooker. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low 4/5 to 5 hours. Yield: 12 servings