Making the Most of Your Rotisserie Chicken Leftovers

Many people always have a rotisserie chicken on hand because it’s easy, tasty, and flexible. But after cutting up the juicy breasts for dinner, you’re usually left with a bunch of chicken scraps and a bare carcass. Stay away from the trash! There are still many things you can do to get more use out of your store-bought rotisserie chicken. This article will show you 10 creative ways to use up leftovers to make new, tasty meals.

1. Make Chicken Salad

One of the easiest ways to repurpose rotisserie chicken is to make chicken salad. Simply shred or chop the leftover meat, then mix it with mayonnaise or yogurt, chopped celery, halved grapes or dried cranberries, diced apple, and your favorite spices and herbs. Spoon it onto bread, crackers, or lettuce leaves for a satisfying lunch or snack. You can also stuff the chicken salad into a pita or wrap it in a tortilla for a portable meal on-the-go.

2. Toss it Into a Leafy Green Salad

Another fast and simple idea is to add shredded rotisserie chicken to any leafy green salad. The chicken will bulk up the salad while providing extra protein and flavor. To make it a full meal, top your greens with the chicken plus avocado, crumbled bacon or cheese nuts or seeds, and a homemade salad dressing.

3. Make Chicken Tacos

Leftover chicken is the perfect protein for easy weeknight tacos. Simply reheat the shredded chicken and serve it in warm corn or flour tortillas along with typical taco fixings like shredded lettuce diced tomatoes cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. You can also experiment with global taco variations using rotisserie chicken.

4. Enjoy on Nachos

Similar to tacos, you can scatter leftover chicken over tortilla chips and melt cheese over top to make hearty nachos. Serve your cheesy chicken nachos with all your favorite accompaniments like pickled jalapeños, black beans, pico de gallo, and a dollop of guacamole or sour cream.

5. Make Enchiladas

Fill corn tortillas with shredded rotisserie chicken, enchilada sauce, beans, rice, cheese, and other Mexican-style foods for another meal. Roll up and place seam-side down in a baking dish. Cheese and more enchilada sauce should be put on top. Bake until hot and bubbly. Top with cilantro, green onion, and other fresh garnishes.

6. Stuff Into a Quesadilla

Quesadillas are a fast and filling option for using up leftover chicken. Spread cheese over a flour tortilla, top with shredded chicken and any other desired fillings like sautéed peppers and onions. Fold the tortilla over and cook in a skillet until the cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream for dipping.

7. Make Pot Pie

Comfort food at its finest, chicken pot pie is a savory way to use leftover chicken. Sauté vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas, and onions. Add chicken, gravy or broth, herbs, and milk or cream. Transfer to a pie dish, top with biscuit dough or puff pastry, and bake until golden.

8. Use in Soups or Chilis

Rotisserie chicken shreds are a quick way to add protein to soups and chili. You can put it in vegetable soup, bean chili, white chicken chili, tortilla soup, chicken noodle soup, or any soup with broth. To reheat the chicken without making it too hard, just add it at the end.

9. Toss with Pasta

To make chicken pasta quickly, just mix cooked pasta with pesto, Alfredo sauce, or any other creamy pasta sauce you like. You can also add spinach, tomatoes, or broccoli that you have sautéed. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

10. Make Stock from the Bones

After you’ve picked all the meat off of the carcass, put the bare bones to use by making homemade chicken stock. This adds flavor and nutrients to risottos, soups, stews, and more down the road. Cover the bones with water, add vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain and use or freeze the stock.

As you can see, a store-bought rotisserie chicken keeps on giving, even after the initial meal is over. With a little creativity, you can transform those leftovers into all sorts of delicious dishes throughout the week. Making the most of your rotisserie chicken will save you money while cutting back on food waste.