When you’re wondering what to do with leftover rotisserie poultry, the following ideas are sure to please. Try incorporating shredded chicken into salads, or use the meat to make enchiladas or soup. Or, shred the chicken and add it to a Caesar wrap or Cobb salad. You’ll be happy you did! The possibilities are endless! But we’ll start with the most obvious: chicken pot pie.
What can you do with Chicken that has been Left Over?
Easy dinners — shred or chop the chicken for tostadas, enchiladas, salads, fried rice, etc.
Appetizers and snacks — creating party dishes like dips and other finger foods with already-cooked chicken saves time.
Soups – whether you use store-bought broth or make your own from the carcass, you’ll have the foundation for a simple and delicious soup dish. And, because you don’t normally need a lot, this is a fantastic way to use up any leftover meat.
Chicken salad is always a safe bet, so we couldn’t leave it off the list. However, chicken salad can be made in various ways other than with mayonnaise. Fruits, nuts, other vegetables, and various seasonings and flavors provide variety to your chicken salad sandwich (or wrap, lettuce wrap, or salad greens).
What to do with Leftover Chicken?
Make a meal out of leftover rotisserie chicken.
Chicken leftovers can be used in various ways, all of which make for a quick mid-week meal.
There’s something about how rotisserie chickens roast gently, basting in their own juices that makes them taste so much better than anything I could make at home.
You can reheat these without worrying about the bird drying out because they are always unbelievably juicy!
It won’t be difficult to find something everyone will enjoy with 25 leftover chicken recipes.
You may skip the prep work and have a wonderful supper on the table in no time.
Tamale Casserole with Chicken
Because of the peculiar dough and the necessity to steam them in corn husks, you may have avoided tamales in the past.
They’re tasty, but they’re not particularly simple to prepare at home.
The good news is that this recipe provides all of the flavors while only requiring half of the effort.
Rather than rolling out cornmeal dough and assembling individual tamales, you’ll be making a tamale pizza!
Enchilada sauce, leftover rotisserie chicken, and cheese are spread on a cornbread crust.
Even if you can’t devour it in a single slice, it won’t last long.
Serve with fresh avocado slices and Mexican Street Corn, if desired.
Chili with White Chicken
White chili is a great alternative to the beefier, darker chili. Now that it’s chilly and dark outside, it’s time to incorporate both types into your weekly routine.
Using rotisserie chicken reduces the amount of time it takes to cook. You’ll only have to cook the vegetables and beans.
After the sauce has thickened, add the chicken and corn for five minutes to allow them to cook up.
This chili, like any other chili, gets better the next day.
Soup with Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s rich and creamy, with tastes transporting you to your grandmother’s cooking.
Carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, corn, and chicken fill this lightened-up version, which uses milk instead of cream.
Similar to chili, once you’ve cooked the base and the sauce is nice and thick, all you have to do now is add the chicken and let it reheat.
You can’t go wrong with a side of Cheddar Bay Biscuits, as filling as it is on its own.
Spinach, Mushroom, and Chicken Lasagna
In my house, lasagna has long been a favorite.
And then there were those no-boil noodle inventions?! It was as if it were Christmas!
It’s wonderful to mix things up now and then, and this take on a classic is one to try.
The flavorful combination of mushroom, spinach, onion, garlic, and a few additional spices creates a light and flavorful layer.
In under half an hour, you can have this dish ready to eat, and it will keep for a few days in the fridge.
Salad with Rotisserie Chicken
I need a lot of extras when it comes to salad!
I’m not interested in boring vegetables.
This delicious salad features juicy rotisserie chicken, celery, toasted almonds, grapes, and an easy-to-make creamy homemade dressing.
For additional crunch, I have jars of homemade salad toppings on hand.
Pizza with BBQ Chicken Flatbread
This pizza comes together quickly thanks to the use of store-bought flatbread and leftover rotisserie chicken.
The classic combo of chicken, BBQ sauce, red onion, and cheese is all you’ll need for a quick mid-week lunch.
If you want to make your own flatbreads, this recipe will take you less than an hour to prepare.
Noodles in a Chicken Pot Pie
Although it may seem strange, adding egg noodles to a chicken pot pie mixture results in a large comfort food dish.
A basic roux of chicken broth, cream, and flour is used to make the sauce and vegetables, with some ranch dressing mix added for flavor.
Simply stir the noodles through and serve in a large dish with plenty of napkins instead of baking with a biscuit top.
Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
When the temperature drops below 40°F, I keep a batch of soup in the refrigerator for those extra frigid days.
However, creating a large quantity might become monotonous after a few bowls, so I like to make a few different quick and easy types.
After the onion, jalapenos, and garlic have softened, the rest of the ingredients are added to the saucepan to finish cooking. It just takes 30 minutes!
The tortilla strips aren’t required, but they add a nice texture variation.
What is the Recipe for Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup?
Ingredients
12 oz shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups egg noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 medium onion diced
2 medium carrots peeled and sliced thin
2 stalks of celery cut
8 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Add the olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots, and celery to a large pot over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat.
Combine the shredded rotisserie chicken, broth, bay leaves, and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Bring the soup to a boil by increasing the heat to high.
Remove the chicken from the equation. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook until the noodles are cooked.
Remove the bay leaves and toss them out. Add the chicken and mix well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve and have fun!
Is Rotisserie Chicken Free of Gluten?
Rotisserie chicken is gluten-free in most cases, and you may eliminate all worries by roasting the chicken yourself and knowing exactly what goes into the seasonings. On the other hand, Costco’s are usually gluten-free (be sure to confirm this at your local Costco).
I’ve bought these from a few different grocery stores, and they’ve all been gluten-free, but check the labels to ensure the seasonings they use don’t contain gluten.
When I don’t have time to roast a chicken, the first meal is usually a more traditional “chicken dinner,” as I mentioned. I’m thinking of serving it with Corn Pudding and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Bacon. We’ll slather it in barbecue sauce and serve it with Easy Baked Beans occasionally. You can’t go wrong with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables in any case.
However, as soon as the meal is through, I begin to consider leftovers.
What is the Shelf Life of Cooked Chicken?
According to the USDA, the cooked chicken will survive three to four days in the refrigerator and two to three months in the freezer. Even at chilled temperatures, bacteria can thrive and cause foodborne disease if you eat cooked chicken beyond this time.
This may make you wonder if you can’t just zap it in the microwave. Microwaves heat food from the outside in, not the other way around; therefore, reheating cooked chicken in the microwave will kill germs on the surface but not the toxins created by bacteria growing beneath the surface.
The basic line is that if your chicken has been sitting out for five days, it is no longer safe to eat, even if it has been reheated.
How to Tell if Your Chicken is Bad?
If you’re not sure how long your chicken has been in the fridge, look for the following symptoms that it’s past its prime:
Color: When chicken goes bad, whether cooked or raw, it takes on a green/grayish color.
Smell: The old smell test can be useful when inspecting your chicken for deterioration. The chicken will develop an ammonia-like odor or a general “odd” odor. You can’t always rely on smell alone because seasonings and marinades can cover these odors.
Texture: Another sign of spoiling is a change in texture. A slimy layer will cover the bad chicken, a powerful deterrent to biting into that week-old chicken.
A word of warning: Never taste your chicken to see if it’s gone rotten, and you may spend a few hours hugging the toilet if you do so.
How to Thaw and Freeze Cooked Chicken?
If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat your chicken within three to four days, freeze it. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to three months if placed in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag labeled with the date. Chicken that has been out at room temperature for more than two hours or kept in the fridge for more than four days should never be frozen.
To thaw the chicken, place it in its storage container in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. You can also use your microwave’s defrost setting.
Is It Possible to Freeze Cooked Rotisserie Chicken?
Meat doesn’t keep well in the fridge for more than 5-7 days before going bad, so freezing it is a fantastic option to extend its life.
However, you may be asking if you can freeze a rotisserie chicken that has already been cooked. The answer is that you very certainly can.
A cooked rotisserie chicken can be frozen for later use in soups, sandwiches, wraps, salads, or even eaten straight from the freezer. You can freeze rotisserie chicken entire, partially eaten but still on the bone, or removed off the bones.
In the Oven, How to Heat a Whole Rotisserie Chicken?
You can warm an entire rotisserie chicken in the oven if you’ve thawed it and want to eat it with crispy skin for dinner. To keep your rotisserie chicken juicy and crispy, follow the steps below to reheat it.
In the oven, reheat rotisserie chicken as follows:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place your chicken in an oven-safe dish and tent it with tin foil to keep the heat in. Fill the bottom of the dish halfway with water or chicken broth.
To warm it up, place it in the oven for around 2 minutes.
Remove the foil after 20 minutes, spray with olive oil, and roast for another 5-10 minutes to crisp up the skin.
Before cutting and serving the rotisserie chicken, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Conclusion
Chicken dishes are essential to have on hand when you need to quickly get dinner on the table. And these rotisserie chicken recipes, which use leftover chicken breast or shredded rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, can help you finish your family lunch in no time. These delightful dishes can transform your drab leftovers into fantastic family-friendly meals, with anything from nutritious chicken recipes to soothing rotisserie chicken casseroles.