I used to work at a beachside restaurant in Mallorca called Patiki and we served something very similar to this and everyone went mad for it (I think it’s still on the menu). It’s a reminder of how great it is to have leftover chicken in the refrigerator.
Personally, I love celery and I think it’s a key part of this recipe, providing a delicious crunch, but feel free to replace it with cucumber if it’s not your thing. I’d recommend using a flavoured aioli for this, or even adding a tablespoon of curry powder and a few raisins to mayonnaise to make it more of a coronation chicken bun. It’s also great as a simple salad if you’d rather not have the bun. Shred up a load of lettuce, then toss with the chicken mixture.
Makes 2 buns
leftover cooked chicken 250g, shredded
mayonnaise or aioli 2½ heaped tbsp
lemon juice of ½
mustard 1 tsp, plus extra to serve
celery stick 1, finely chopped
fresh herbs a small handful, such as parsley, dill, chives or tarragon, leaves picked and finely chopped
cornichons 4, or 1 large gherkin, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
brioche burger buns 2 (or any bread or buns you like), halved
lettuce leaves a few of your choice, I like Little Gem (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl to create a creamy mixture. Taste and add more lemon juice, mustard, pickles or herbs if you want.
Toast the halved buns in a dry frying pan over a high heat until lightly golden, then pile on a few heaped tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Slice a few extra gherkins and drape them on top, add a few lettuce leaves, if using, then sandwich with the top bun and enjoy!
From Make More With Less by Kitty Coles (Hardie Grant, £22). To order a copy for £19.36 go to guardianbookshop.com
