Cheap chicken chowder

So you've had a chicken dinner and are stumped how to use the leftovers? Let me show you one of my favourite leftover chicken recipes from Jamie's money saving meals. All my kids love this winter warmer when I cook it and to make it go that bit further I make some really simple herby dumplings that my 9 year old usually makes. You need to make sure you strip that chicken of every piece of meat. When I strip a chicken I always joke that it looks like a seagull's been at it! Now the skin comes in handy here too so any leftover skin keep even if it doesn't look too appetising, when you've finished with it you will never throw any skin again that I can promise you. You can make your own chicken stock too and I promise you it's easy, you literally put the chicken carcass in a pan (if you don't have a stock pot it doesn't matter, just break the carcass up so it fits in a regular pan) cover with roughly 2litres water and boil for 30-45 minutes. That's it. Simple. You can add what you want to your stock if you want throw in some veg peelings, the ends of the carrots, that old onion that's good for nothing you were going to throw, some herbs....or just water up to you. When your stock's boiled, just pour the lot through a colander (now don't forget to put a bowl under your colander, I have been known with my baby brain to tip my stock down the sink!) then I seive it back into a container just to make sure all the bits are out and that's that. Stock done. You can do this on the day or in advance, it's up to you, it freezes well too.

(J)Amy's (see what I did there?) chicken chowder

3 rashers streaky smoked bacon

Chicken skin

Leftover chicken 

2 carrots

Large potato

Onion

500g sweetcorn

2 litres home-made chicken stock

Snip the bacon and chicken skin into thin strips and fry over a high heat in a large pan.

When they are very crispy and fat has melted remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon leaving all the fat in the pan. These are for garnish so set aside until you serve.

Chop the carrots, onion and potato (leave the skin on the potato) into small chunks. 

In the same pan and the same fat you cooked the bacon in, add a bit of oil to the existing fat and fry the veg over a medium heat for roughly 20 minutes, until the onions are clear.

Add the stock to the veg.

Put the sweetcorn and leftover chicken in the broth and let it bubble away for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Using any type of blender/ food processor take about a third of the broth and blend it.

Pour the mixture into an oven proof dish with the rest of the broth and stir.

To make the dumplings it really couldn't be any easier.

Thyme (or mixed herb) dumplings

200g self-raising four

Dried thyme/ mixed herbs

Salt and pepper

Water

To the flour add the herbs and season.

Add water slowly and stir with fingers until it forms a doughy ball.

Rip rough lumps and form into balls.

Pop them on top of the chowder and bake in a pre-heated oven on 200 for 25 mintues.

Serve with the bacon and chicken skin garnish. Enjoy!