Here's What You Can Do With Leftover Chick-Fil-A Chicken Strips

Have you ever wondered what to do with all that leftover Chick-fil-A in the fridge? Leftover what? Ok, pick yourself up off the floor. It could happen, you know. Maybe you scored a really sweet coupon or deal, or maybe you just got over-enthusiastic and ordered enough food to feed an army when you knew you'd be dining alone. It could be you're just coming down with a cold. Never mind the reason — should you ever find yourself in the dilemma of having Chick-fil-A leftovers and wishing you could re-purpose them in a more creative way than just throwing them in the microwave, Chick-fil-A feels you.

That is why, back last spring, Chick-fil-A released a series of video episodes called "Nightly Nuggets" meant to provide recipes and cooking demos showing fun new ways to make use of Chick-fil-A menu items. Okay, so it's not really about leftovers, since they don't really have any recipes for repurposing half a sandwich, but so what if they are just trying to get us to order family-size portions chicken nuggets, filets, or strips? It's not such a bad idea: Chick-fil-A planned-overs. You get a yummy lunch of chicken strips, then you get to use the rest to make one of the following delicious dinners.

This is Chick-fil-A's take on everybody's favorite brunch dish. To make it, you'll need not only Chick-fil-A's Chick-n-Strips (four of them) but also the standard baking ingredients to make the waffles, plus bananas since these just so happen to be banana waffles. (Not a banana fan? Substitute your favorite non-banana waffle recipe — pecan might be extra yum — or go ahead and use frozen ones if you're not trying to impress anyone.) Oh, and you'll also need some honey to glaze the chicken

To make this dish, you start by drizzling the chicken strips with honey, then placing them in an oven set at 250 degrees Fahrenheit to stay warm while you make the waffles. Mix flour (not "flower," as the Chick-fil-A spellchecker must have erroneously suggested), baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon, then beat the eggs and stir in milk, melted butter, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Add wet ingredients to dry ones and beat 'til the batter is only a little clumpy — you can never get every last lump out, nor should you. 

Once the batter is set, cook your waffles in a waffle iron (waffle iron on the fritz? Oops, guess chicken and pancakes are now a thing), then serve with the chicken and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. You can add more honey, syrup, or whatever else you like with your chicken and waffles. Mimosas, perhaps? If you want to stick to the Chick-fil-A theme, though, and/or prefer to start your day booze-free, you could accompany your brunch with this lemonade fruit spritzer.

Chick-fil-A presents this as being a particularly child-friendly recipe, and it is based on that proven kid favorite: mac and cheese. Plus that time-tested sneaky mom-approved and White House physician-tested trick of trying to sneak in some veggies wherever you can. (Hint: the smaller you chop them, the more inoffensive they become, not to mention, the harder to pick out and hide under the napkin.)

In order to make this, you'll need a couple of Chick-fil-A mac and cheese sides (kids meal sized), four Chick-n-Strips, and a packet of Chick-fil-A sauce as well as bacon, cheese, milk, and the aforementioned veggies (frozen ones). Start by sautéing a cup of veggies in oil for a few minutes until they're soft, then turn the heat down to low, add two ounces (1/4 cup) of milk, the mac and cheese, and the sauce. Chop the strips into small pieces, then stir those into the mix and heat for a few more minutes. Serve the pasta topped with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon (the better to hide those telltale veggie bits).

Taquito Tuesday? Why not? They're less messy than tacos, after all, since they come all neatly rolled up. To make this fairly quick and easy version, you'll need six of those Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips, which you'll thinly slice, then mix with 3/4 cup of salsa and 3/4 cup of shredded cheese. Spread 12 6-inch tortillas (either corn or flour) with a tablespoon of refried beans each, then fill with 1/4 cup of the chicken mix. Roll up into a taquito shape, then place each one on a greased baking sheet. Grease the bottom of another baking sheet, then place it on top of the taquitos to help them keep their shape as they bake. Place the baking sheet taquito sandwich into an oven that's preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

While the taquitos are baking, mix 1/4 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup salsa to make a sauce. Prepare any additional taquito toppings you wish: Chick-fil-A suggests more cheese (yes please!), also shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, lime wedges, guacamole, and/or hot sauce. Now you actually might want to make sure you have leftovers.