Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

Ah, the quintessential rotisserie chicken. Humble, versatile, and a life saver when you’re strapped for time or inspiration. Everyone has their favourite store they pick it up from, and very likely as you’re standing in line to pay, you’re thinking about how you can stretch that bird into two meals, or maybe even three.

management team made a trip to Europe in search of inspiration. One taste of European rotisserie chickens and they knew they had to bring them back to Sunterra customers - and now you can grab them at any Sunterra in Edmonton, Red Deer, or Calgary.

Chef Micah Agard, Kitchen Lead at Sunterra in West Market Square, is influenced by Asian cuisine. “I really enjoy the different combinations of flavours, especially mixing sweet with umami.” It’s no surprise then that miso roasted chicken is one of his favourite dishes to

While the rotisserie chicken is easy to pair with a starch and a veggie for a quick, balanced meal, there’s a whole world of chicken dishes out there that you can make in no time, thanks to the pre-cooked poultry. Move over chicken and chips: the recipes shared here by Alberta farmers, producers, and chefs, will leave you clucking satisfied.

While we’re looking at the graband-go roasted chicken, there’s still something to be said about roasting one on a Sunday in your own kitchen. “When roasting any cut of chicken, but especially a whole one, use a meat thermometer,” he advises. “But also try cooking a spatchcocked chicken, too. They cook more evenly and a bit faster.”

Back to Chef Micha’s fave flavour combos with this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken Flatbread.

“This has a complex flavour with the sweetness of the sauce, and the richness of the roasted chicken, the kick from the hot sauce, and the freshness of the vegetables.” Save time and do your prep work first: slicing, dicing and shredding. “It’s a simple tip, but I guarantee this will improve the entire cooking experience, and elevate the enjoyment you get from the meal you create.”

Kung Pao Chicken Flatbread

Serves 1

1 flatbread, naan or thin-crust pizza shell ½ cup (125 mL) Kung Pao sauce or hoisin sauce

20 g green peppers, thinly sliced (about 8 slices)

20 g red pepper, thinly sliced (about 8 slices)

20 g red onion, thinly sliced (about 8 slices)

¾ cup rotisserie chicken, shredded ½ cup provolone or mozzarella cheese, shredded

¼ cup peanuts or cashews, toasted 1 tbs cilantro, chopped 1 tbs sriracha hot sauce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.

2. Spread the Kung Pao sauce evenly onto the pizza shell, leaving about 2.5 cms of space around the edge.

3. Arrange the peppers and onion slices evenly on top.

4. Distribute the rotisserie chicken over the vegetables. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, then the toasted nuts.

5. Place flatbread on a perforated pizza pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp around the edges.

6. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with sriracha, if desired.

7. Cut into quarters and serve.

Chef Michael Noble of Calgary’s NOtaBLE and The Nash says that working in professional kitchens throughout his 45-year career made him a true believer in the magic of making food that adheres to tradition. “I also had two excellent chef mentors who have greatly influenced me,” he adds.

No stranger to a rotisserie chicken –he obviously loves those found at both NOtaBLE and The Nash – he especially loves anything made with the thighs, especially if it has an Asian flair. And if there are any leftovers, Chef Noble says the best way to use it up is in a hot pasta dish, sauce, or soup.

While we’re slowly coming out of soup season, rainy days still call for a warm bowl of goodness, like his recipe for NOtaBLE’s Chicken Soup. “I love a great soup, and I think it’s become a lost art in the culinary profession,” he says. “The process of extracting layers of flavour out of vegetables and aromatics is magic.”

Words of wisdom from Chef? Season the vegetables while they sauté to help bloom their flavours. Next, keep the soup at a simmer instead of a rolling boil. “This helps clarify the stock and keeps the fat from emulsifying.” He also reminds us to have fun at the end with the garnish - something seasonal, from shelling peas, to mushrooms, to cauliflower florets.

“And,” he continues, “don’t add the reserved meat until the end of the preparation of the dish to make sure it stays moist and juicy.”

NOtaBLE’s Chicken Soup

Serves 8-12

4 Tbs (60 mL) olive oil

55 g butter, cut in cubes

1 onion, diced 5-6 mm

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 leek, sliced and washed well

2 carrots, diced

½ red pepper

Sprinkle chili flakes

4 sprigs thyme

To taste salt and black pepper

3 L chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Diced leftover roast chicken

1. Preheat a large soup pot to moderate heat.

2. Place the oil and the butter in the pot, let it melt and become foamy.

3. Add the onions along with the garlic.

Sauté until the onions are translucent then add the rest of the vegetables, chili flakes, thyme, salt and black pepper.

4. Continue sautéing until the vegetables are soft then add the hot chicken stock and bay leaves.

5. Bring to a simmer then cook for another 20 minutes. Add diced chicken. Correct seasoning.

6. Remove from the heat and either serve immediately or chill completely and keep in the refrigerator until you wish to serve it.

Note: Garnish with small cooked pasta, chopped chives or flatleaf parsley, fresh shelling peas or any other accompaniment.

Serve with a hearty grilled cheese sandwich for a great meal!

Hailing from Mexico, Chef Kevin Guillen is used to large parties and cooking for lots of people. “Throughout the year there are lots of Catholic celebrations,” he explains. “The day starts at 4 am with all of the women in the family coming to make sure all the food is ready for brunch, lunch, and dinner, so it means we’re cooking all day.”

Here in Calgary, Chef Kevin cooks at Milpa, where the menu is laden with authentic Mexican dishes cooked with modern flair. And, while some of these dishes can take time to marinate and cook, others come together quickly, and even more so when the chicken is already cooked.

“Tacos Dorados was a really important dish in my childhood,” he says. “This was one of the most flavourful dishes my mom would make. The economy wasn’t the greatest, so we always made sure to use up leftovers.”

“Make sure they’re really crispy,” he advises, “and topped with crema, fresh cheese, tomato, lettuce, and salsa.”

While this recipe is just one way to use up roast chicken, he says being creative is important. “Don’t be afraid to try something different, and to use up things that you already have on hand.”

Tacos Dorados

Serves 4

12 tortillas

Left over chicken, shredded

1 cup (250 mL) oil

½ iceberg lettuce

½ cup (125 mL) sour cream

100 g queso fresco

2 tomatoes

2 avocados

1. Warm the tortillas for 20 seconds in the microwave, then fill them with chicken and roll the tortillas to make a really tight taco.

2. Heat a pan with oil at medium heat and fry your tacos until they get crispy, then place them on a plate and top with chopped lettuce, sour cream, cheese, some tomato slices and avocado slices.

3. You can add salsa on top of your tacos or just keep it on the side.

Salsa Verde

250 g tomatillo

1 small Thai pepper

20 g cilantro

2 garlic cloves

To taste salt, approx. 1 tsp

Wash tomatillos and peppers, and cilantro, then add all the ingredients except the cilantro into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, transfer to a bowl and add chopped cilantro.

Pasta Soup

Canola oil

200 g pasta

3 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

50 g onion

4 cups (1 L) chicken broth

To taste salt, approx. 2 tsp

1. Heat a pot with canola oil for a minute at medium heat, add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes moving frequently. The pasta will be a golden brown colour.

2. At the same time, blend tomatoes, garlic and onion, strain the tomato mix and add it to the pot. Cook for 5 more minutes, and add salt. Add the chicken broth.

3. Once boiling check and adjust seasoning to taste and turn off the heat. Serve in a bowl and it’s ready to eat.

Ron and Sheila Hamilton of Edmonton’s Sunworks Organic Meat Shop confess that they’re not chefs. But as poultry farmers, they certainly cook a mean rotisserie chicken. “We like simple meals, something that can be made after a long day on the farm,” says Ron. “Producing and eating organic food is very important to us, so our home kitchen is almost entirely organic.”

“Our favourite dishes are simple farmers’ suppers,” adds Sheila. “Classic meat and potatoes – in this case, roasted chicken thighs with roasted potatoes, squash, or other vegetables. In the summer, it’s whatever vegetables are fresh from our personal garden.”

When the rotisserie chicken has been picked clean for sandwiches, salads, and wraps, the Hamiltons say it doesn’t stop there. “The bones are a valuable part of the roasted chicken that are often overlooked. Use them to make a good stock – simply store them in the freezer until you have enough to make a batch.”

Their recipe for Chicken BLT

Salad was actually written by Ron and Sheila’s daughter Erin, and her friend Dana. “This is a great salad, which is light but satisfying,” says Sheila. The quantities listed are more like guidelines, she adds, and can be adjusted to your taste.

Chicken BLT Salad

Serves 2

4 cups mixed greens (Sunworks use lettuce and spinach from their garden if they have some)

4 slices of organic bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

¼ long English cucumber, sliced

1 tomato, diced

½ avocado, diced (optional)

1 green onion, sliced

Chopped or shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken

Dressing

1 Tbs (15 mL) balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs (45 mL) olive oil

To taste salt and pepper

Toss all salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together, drizzle over top of the salad and serve.

Keane Straub has travelled from Tofino to Charlottetown, sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.