Lovely leftovers: Christmas keeps on giving

Creamy coriander pesto chicken salad. Photo / Assortment

If you’re anything like us, over-catering on Christmas Day seems to be part of the festive fun - but what’s not so fun is throwing away the abundance of leftovers. Here are two tasty salads made with leftover turkey or chicken to help you tackle Christmas food waste this year - plus they are great when you’re feeling like something fresh and light.

Thai chicken salad with coconut and peanut dressing

Thai spiced chicken or turkey 2 Tbsp coconut oil 1 Tbsp green curry paste 2 cups leftover roasted chicken or turkey, shredded 1 Tbsp fish sauce 1 Tbsp tamari Dressing ⅓ cup coconut cream ½ cup coriander 1 Tbsp fish sauce 1 Tbsp grated ginger 1 lemon, juice ½ green chilli 2 Tbsp peanuts, roasted Salad 1 small green apple, finely sliced matchsticks ½ cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and sliced 250g green beans, ends removed and halved 100g vermicelli noodles ¼ cup long thread coconut, toasted ¼ cup peanuts, roasted ½ cup coriander, roughly torn ½ green chilli, sliced (optional)

1. Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Remove the ends from the green beans and steam for 3-4 minutes until they are cooked through, but still crunchy. As soon as they have cooked, transfer them into a bowl of iced water for a couple of minutes before draining and setting aside.

3. Place the coconut oil and curry paste in a large frying pan over medium heat; cook the curry paste for 1-2 minutes. Add the shredded chicken or turkey, stir to coat in the fragrant coconut oil and then cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to get nice and crispy. Add the tamari and fish sauce; stir to evenly distribute, then cook for a further 3 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad. ‍ 4. To make the dressing place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until the dressing is creamy and green. ‍ 5. To assemble the salad place the apple, cucumber, green beans, and noodles in a large bowl. Pour over half of the dressing and toss well. Top with the chicken, peanuts and coconut threads. Pour over the remaining salad dressing and garnish with coriander and fresh chilli.

Creamy coriander pesto chicken salad

Chicken 2-3 cups leftover chicken or turkey, shredded Coriander pesto ¼ cup cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least 10 minutes, then drained 1 cup fresh coriander 1 garlic clove 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 lemon, juice and zest ¼ cup olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar Salad 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted 1 small red onion or shallot, finely sliced ⅓ cup almonds, roasted and roughly chopped 125g mixed leaf lettuce 1 avocado, sliced

1. Place all the coriander pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, creamy and vibrant green.

2. Place the leftover chicken or turkey into a mixing bowl with the dressing. Toss well to coat the chicken. Add the peas, almonds and red onion; toss gently and season to taste.

3. Arrange the salad leaves on the base of a large plate or platter, top with the chicken/ turkey mixture and finally the sliced avocado.

Creamy coriander pesto chicken salad. Photo / Assortment

Laura Bedwell and Nikki Crerar run Assortment. Catch them on Instagram @assortment___ or head to assortmentfoods.com for more.