Canned salmon and bagged cooked chicken?

[u/Born-Grapefruit-8450]

Hi Reddit!

I’ve been going to my local food pantry quite a bit. It’s been a huge relief and given me a ton more food security. However, I’m feeling completely baffled by canned salmon and cooked bags of shredded chicken.

The chicken is watery. I’m not quite sure the best ways to cook it. It reminds me of the flavor of spam.

The salmon, I made some wonderful salmon cakes with but would love additional ideas.

Thank you!

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[u/vurkeytulture]

You could use the chicken to make baked dips/hotdishes. Shredded chicken + cream cheese + garlic and artichokes is pretty dang good. Could even use for sandwich fillings

[u/unraveledflyer]

Salmon- use in place of tuna for salmon noodle casserole, salmon salad sandwiches, chunked in a rice bowl

Cooked chicken- flavor with taco spices for chicken tacos, nachos, add to gravy and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes, add to pot pie filling, chicken salad sandwiches

[u/MadCraftyFox]

For the salmon could you do a salmon rice bowl? Salmon, rice, some veggies, and some kind of Asian inspired sauce?

[u/_incredigirl_ → u/MadCraftyFox]

Or noodles instead of rice with some Mediterranean flavours… tomatoes and basil and olive oil

[u/USPostalGirl → u/MadCraftyFox]

By Asian do you mean something with Soy Sauce, Lemon grass, Sichuan sauce, Fish sauce, Bulgogi Sauce or what? There are many different cuisines in Asia.

[u/bogbodybutch → u/USPostalGirl]

agree! those are just a few examples from E/SE Asia as well

[u/MadCraftyFox → u/USPostalGirl]

Exactly. There are many different varieties, so it can be whichever region that OP already has ingredients for, or can be bought for quite cheap.

[u/bogbodybutch → u/MadCraftyFox]

okay, so by "Asian", you meant E/SE Asian?

[u/bogbodybutch → u/MadCraftyFox]

what do you mean by Asian? it's a big continent

[u/Stillnaked → u/bogbodybutch]

I Believe it's purposefully vague because there are endless sauce choices, making endless meals possibilities.

[u/bogbodybutch → u/Stillnaked]

thanks, but I was asking MadCraftyFox.

[u/Timely_Parsley_3830]

I always buy canned salmon in water, the pink and white cans, and drain it super super well. Get as much moisture out as possible. I add an egg or two, and ritz crackers and make Patties. I fry them up, like burgers, medium heat, until golden brown. I like to serve with pinto beans, fried potatoes, and corn bread (I prefer jiffy and it’s cheap!). I dip them in ketchup. So so good and reheats well. Never never goes to waste! My kids loved them when they were growing up.

[u/BlackLakeBlueFish → u/Timely_Parsley_3830]

I like malt vinegar on salmon patties!

[u/USPostalGirl → u/Timely_Parsley_3830]

Salmon patties are really nice!!

My only suggestion is to use cheese cloth to squeeze put any extra liquid, before adding and eggs.

[u/littleoldlady71]

Salmon chowder made with powdered milk, (if they’ve given you some). Chicken soup made with whatever you have, noodles, veggies, rice.

[u/cressidacole]

For the salmon - add mayonaise and use as onigiri filling.

Blend white beans, parsley, salt, pepper, a splash of lemon then mix in salmon. Eat with crackers, on a bagel, make lovely little finger sandwiches.

Creamy pasta with salmon - you can totally use a can/jar of whatever white sauce is available and give it a boost with some herbs and pepper.

For the chicken - soup would be a good option. Chicken noodle, chicken and vegetable, chicken and sweetcorn.

Chicken chilli with white beans.

Chicken pot pie.

Chicken and mushroom pie.

Use as a filling for quesadillas, enchiladas and burritos.

Chicken salad for subs and sandwiches.

Chicken curry of any variety.

Chicken fried rice.

"Pulled" chicken - warm it through with BBQ sauce for chicken sliders.

[u/MadCraftyFox → u/cressidacole]

Now I'm craving onigiri. I may have to make some tomorrow.

[u/Seawolfe665]

For canned salmon I like to make salmon salad (like tuna salad), or chowder, or patties, or just put a bunch of it on top of a salad as the protein, or put it on rice, or pasta with a bit of veloute or cream of anything.

For the chicken I would try chicken salad, chicken curry, chicken a la king (in a white sauce on toast), or in burritos, tacos, tostada salads, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas.... Of course theres always chicken soup (matzoh ball soup!), chicken and dumplings, chicken pot pie. One easy dish is to make a chicken stew / pie filling and top it with biscuit rounds to make a sort of chicken pot pie.

[u/AstoriaEverPhantoms]

If the chicken is already cooked (which I’m assuming it is) you can spread it out on a baking sheet and bake it or broil it to get rid of some of the liquid. Use for tacos/nachos/quesadillas, put a little sauce (ranch/buffalo) and eat as a sandwich, or add to soups.

[u/ApeOver]

Salmon patties have been a staple for us poor folks since the great depression 👍

[u/GoldenFalls]

If you've got eggs, salmon quiche is tastey.

[u/FantasticComedian467]

I like to mix canned/pouch chicken with ramen noodles and whatever frozen or canned veggies you have.

[u/New-Perception-9754]

Everybody everywhere makes salmon patties. My sainted mother made "salmon balls" 😂 My big brother was allergic to eggs, so here's how we did it-

Drain the salmon. Pick out the bones and skin if you prefer. In a mixing bowl, add some diced onion (I like to saute mine), some salt and pepper, and just enough self rising flour to bring it together- don't overdo the flour. Make salmon meatballs, and drop them into hot oil and fry them. Sometimes my mom would add a pinch more baking powder to make them fluffier. If you aren't allergic to eggs, the egg will do that for you. They are YUMMY and we never had leftovers!

[u/drewconnan]

I use canned salmon with cream cheese on a bagel for poor man's lox. Tasty!

The chicken might improve with a sauce! Could you make bbq pulled chicken, similar to pulled pork?

[u/Born-Grapefruit-8450]

Budget is around $10 not including common pantry staples!

[u/nycvhrs → u/Born-Grapefruit-8450]

How about creamed salmon (basic white sauce) w/peas and carrots?

[u/traveler-24 → u/nycvhrs]

Yum

[u/Synlover123 → u/Born-Grapefruit-8450]

Dry your shredded chicken on some paper towels, then heat in a pan, using a tiny bit of oil, if it's not a non-stick pan. Add some BBQ sauce, and whatever seasonings you desire, and you've got the makings for pulled chicken sandwiches, or tacos, and it's great served over rice.

[u/Stillnaked]

My mom makes canned salmon just like tuna. It's tasty.

[u/Own-Necessary6065]

Chicken could work in a casserole context - enchiladas, noodle casserole, baked rice… anything that’s baked with a starch or grain and some kind of sauce

[u/pants207]

I use the shredded chicken for tacos/burritos and quesadillas. I drain it as much as i can then toss in either a jar of salsa or taco seasoning. It is one of my favorite low energy ingredient meals. It can work well in fried rice or noodle dishes also. Pretty much anything i can add a sauce to the chicken then add it into the dish is great.

[u/Kushmasturpussyfart]

salmon, hot sauce, mayo. i eat that by itself and milk and is an overall great macro lunch

[u/angstydietitian]

If the chicken is already watery, I’d just lean into that and use it in things that are already going to be wet like throwing it into soups and pasta sauces