13 Genius Ways To Use Leftover Rotisserie Chicken

Cooking a whole chicken is a great way to make a delicious meal for the whole family, with tender chicken breast and juicy legs and wings to keep everyone happy. For most of us, eating a whole rotisserie chicken in one night is unlikely. In the name of reducing food waste and making life easier for yourself, using the leftover chicken for other meals is ideal.

While making a simple chicken salad is a good enough way to use up the leftovers, having a few more adventurous options up your sleeve will allow you to upgrade your midweek meals without spending too much time in the kitchen. From pasta bake to chicken pot pie, your leftover rotisserie chicken can be a tasty addition to so many meals, and save you cooking time as well. Join me as I explore how to use up your leftover chicken in the most delicious ways possible.

Chicken tacos are a wonderful fast food, and there is no reason to go out to find them when you can make a quick, healthy version at home. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, the task is even easier, and the tacos will be on your plate in minutes.

One of the big attractions to homemade tacos is how customizable they are — you can literally add everyone's favorite ingredients, or serve in the middle of the table and let them help themselves. From avocado and jalapenos to cheese and cilantro, with tacos, anything goes.

When you make tacos with raw chicken, you have to prep them in advance by marinating the chicken, as with these mouthwatering adobado street tacos. When your chicken is already beautifully cooked, however, you just reheat the meat, cook any vegetables you are adding, and then serve to a table of hungry mouths.

Shred the chicken and heat it up in a pan, coating it with a variety of flavorings such as garlic powder, chili, and paprika. Cook some bell peppers and tomatoes in the same pan if desired, then add to a large bowl, ready to serve. You can use either crispy yellow corn tortillas or soft flour tortillas — whichever you prefer. Serve all the elements in bowls on the table and allow your family to construct their own tacos with their favorite combination. The succulent leftover chicken allows you to make a crowd-pleasing dish in a short space of time.

Chicken casserole is a comforting meal that is often cooked for hours in a slow cooker to achieve a melt-in-your mouth satisfying dish — but what if you want the indulgence of a casserole without having to wait? With some leftover rotisserie chicken, you can enjoy all the flavor benefits of a casserole without long cooking time.

The key to a great leftover casserole is to make a creamy sauce that will liven up the chicken. Mushrooms and onions are classic vegetables to add to the sauce, but you can include whatever you have in your fridge. Once the sauce is cooked, layer up the chicken with some potatoes or other root veggies in a baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Then, leave the oven to do its magic while you have a well-earned rest.

If you want to take a different slant from the traditional casserole, try our chicken Parmesan spaghetti bake recipe. A pasta dish and meat dish all in one, it utilizes the leftover chicken in an innovative and tasty way.

A good chili is like a warm hug in a bowl, and beef is the most common meat to use in this classic dish. Poultry, however, makes a great substitute, and using leftover rotisserie chicken makes this tasty dish even more straightforward. It is also endlessly customizable, and it can be served with rice, pasta, or even as a topping on a baked sweet potato. 

The key to a delicious chili — whether made from scratch or using leftover chicken — is to get the spices spot on. Chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne are pretty much essential, but you can also add cinnamon or garlic to mix things up a bit. Cooking these spices in the pan with your base of onions and garlic will create a smoky depth for the chili that will complement the chicken well. 

Tomatoes and stock will make up the rest of the sauce, before adding kidney beans and the cooked chicken and simmering for 15 minutes. The result will be a flavorsome meal that will rival any slow cooker chili for depth of flavor, and will be ready in a fraction of the time. 

Chicken fajitas are a wonderful way to create a tasty and healthy meal for your family — did you know that one red bell pepper contains 169% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C? If you have leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge, then making fajitas just got easier. Once the peppers and onions are cooked, the fajitas will be on the table in no time.

To make a dish that is as colorful as it is nutritious, choose a mixture of bell peppers — red, orange, and yellow are all sweet while green is slightly bitter — and slice them thinly along with an onion. Though you may usually buy a fajitas seasoning mix, there is no reason to go to that expense, as you likely have all the spices you need in your pantry. Paprika, chili powder, and cumin will lend a deep and smoky flavor to the veggies. Then, add the cooked chicken to the pan and coat with the spiced vegetable mix.

While the chicken reheats in the pan, gather some tortilla wraps, grate mature cheddar, and spoon some sour cream into a bowl before plating and serving it in the middle of the table. If you have time, make a batch of homemade guacamole or simply add some sliced jalapenos for a bit of zing.

Made with a creamy sauce and flaky pastry, chicken pot pie is a classic dish that is comforting and satisfying, but it can take a while to prepare and cook. Using leftover rotisserie chicken makes the task a little easier and doesn't compromise on flavor.

Making your own pastry will obviously make your pie taste better — it always does — but if time is of the essence, shop-bought pastry will do the job just fine. Make the delicious, creamy filling by sauteing onions, peas, carrots, and any other vegetables until they are just cooked. Flour, chicken stock, and cream complete the filling, which should have a thick and satisfying texture once it's cooked. Again, ideally you would make your own chicken stock, but the point of a leftover pie is to have a quick and easy dinner — don't feel guilty about using a bouillon cube instead.

Add the chicken to the cooked filling, and pour the mixture into an oven-safe dish. Top with the pastry and bake until you have a beautiful golden crust, probably about 40 minutes. This hearty dish allows you to make great use of the leftover chicken with a pie that tastes just as good as the original, but saves you time and money in the process.

If you are looking for a light and aromatic way to use up your rotisserie chicken, you should give chicken pho a try. This Vietnamese chicken noodle soup is nourishing and delicious, and using cooked chicken makes it an easy midweek meal.

The base of a chicken pho is the broth, which should have deep, complex flavors. When using store-bought broth, choose a high-quality one that will taste homemade. If you have leftover juices from roasting the chicken, add them to the broth for a meatier flavor. Include classic Vietnamese spices to the broth such as ginger, star anise, and cloves, and simmer for around 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to infuse. 

Shred your leftover rotisserie chicken and add to the broth towards the end, to allow it to heat up without overcooking. Cook the noodles separately, then place them in the bottom of a bowl, and pour the fragrant chicken and broth over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro or Thai basil, and be sure to serve it piping hot.

If you've been reserving porridge for breakfast time only, you are missing out on a wonderful, savory dish that is much loved in Asian cuisine. Chicken rice porridge, known as chicken jook or congee, is a filling, creamy dish that will have your taste buds tingling. Using leftover rotisserie chicken means this delicious dish can be made quickly and effortlessly, and will be an interesting variation to your usual midweek meals. If you are planning this meal before cooking the chicken, try basting the bird with Asian flavors such as soy sauce and sesame oil to give a more authentic flavor to the jook.

The key to packing flavor into this rice porridge is to create a fragrant base with sauteed ginger and garlic, before adding the rice and chicken stock and simmering for around half an hour – make sure that the rice does not boil dry. Add the cooked chicken and any vegetables you wish — mushrooms and carrots both work well — and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste as you cook, and once you are satisfied that the aromatic flavors have infused and you are happy with the texture, serve with some chopped scallions and fresh herbs.

If you want a twist on your usual leftover chicken salad, try making a tahini dressing to drizzle over the top. The dressing has a wonderful umami hit that will elevate your chicken and go nicely with the crisp leaves and vegetables.

If you are new to tahini, it is a sesame seed paste that is used in hummus. While you can make your own tahini using just two ingredients, most grocery stores sell it, meaning you can buy a jar and keep it in the pantry until you need it. With its impressive nutritional profile including monounsaturated fatty acids and plenty of antioxidants, it makes a great healthy dip or mayonnaise replacement. 

For this salad, mix the tahini with olive oil or sesame oil, lemon juice, and either maple syrup or honey for a touch of sweetness. You can choose any vegetables for your salad, but crispy green leaves, cucumber, and bell peppers will all give a satisfying crunchy texture to contrast the soft chicken. Layer the vegetables on top of the salad leaves, then top with the leftover rotisseries chicken. This dish takes mere minutes to put together, and makes a healthy filling lunch or light evening meal that will use up ingredients that you already have in the fridge.

Loaded baked potatoes are the ultimate in casual comfort food, and one thing that makes them so appealing is how easily customized they are. If you have never stuffed your baked potato with chicken, you are in for a treat, as the tender protein alongside the favorites such as cheese and sour cream is a match your taste buds are going to love.

First, make a restaurant-quality baked potato by choosing the right variety — Russets are an ideal choice. Coat it with olive oil, and cook on a wire rack to allow it to crisp up evenly. As the potatoes are cooking, you will have plenty of time to prepare the rest of your filling. If you love bacon — and most of us do — crisp some up in the oven to crumble over the top. Mix up the leftover chicken with grated cheese, scallions, and ranch dressing or mayonnaise.

Once the potatoes are soft on the inside and beautifully crispy on the outside, slice them open, remove a little of the potato to make room for the filling, and top with your delicious chicken mixture. Return to the oven till the cheese melts, and then add a spoonful of sour cream and some chopped chives. This simple dish makes a fantastic midweek meal alongside a salad, or try making up a tray of them the next time you have friends over.

Matzo ball soup is a Jewish classic, and it's a comforting dish for the cold months or simply need a healthy pick me up. Cooking the chicken takes up the bulk of the prep time, so using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken will make this an easier version to put together.

If you've never had Matzo ball soup before, it is a chicken soup containing wonderful dumplings made from matzo meal. It is often served during Passover, but it can be enjoyed at any time of year. Make the broth for the soup by simmering carrots, celery, and onions in chicken stock. While it is cooking, you can prepare the star of the show, the matzo balls. Combine egg, matzo meal, and schmaltz (chicken fat) for the best flavor, or use vegetable oil as an alternative. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes, and then roll the mixture into small balls. You can then drop the matzo balls into the simmering broth and continue to cook for another 20 minutes before adding the shredded rotisserie chicken.

Serve the matzo ball soup while it's still hot, making sure to distribute the balls evenly between the bowls. This easier version of a traditional dish means you can enjoy a healthy, homemade meal without spending hours at the stove after a long day. Once your family tastes this rich, satisfying chicken soup, it will become a firm favorite.

Pasta is a surefire winner in most households, and when you cover it in cheese and bake it, it becomes a satisfying comfort meal that will save your midweek dinners. Adding chicken to baked pasta gives it a crucial boost of protein, making a well-rounded meal that will keep stomachs full for the whole evening.

The first decision you need to make is what pasta to choose. This classic cheese pasta bake uses ziti, a pasta similar to rigatoni that is popular in southern Italy, but you can use penne, rigatoni, or even conchiglioni, which are large shells. These pasta shapes are the best for catching all the delicious sauce, making sure every mouthful will be a delight.

For the sauce, although you can of course buy a jar in the store, making your own tomato sauce is quick and easy and avoids added sugar and salt. Once your sauce is made, add the shredded rotisserie chicken and coat it to allow it to absorb the flavors of the tomato sauce.

Stir the sauce into the cooked pasta, then top with plenty of cheese — a mix of mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan will give the ideal blend of tangy flavor and gooey texture. Bake the whole thing in the oven for around 30 minutes till the top turns golden. Serve it straight from the baking dish in the middle of the table so that everyone can fight over the delicious crispy bits!

Nachos are the quintessential savory snack — somewhere between nibbles and a light meal, depending on what toppings are on them. While at their most simple they can simply be tortilla chips and cheese, nachos can be upgraded to a mouthwatering, protein-rich meal by topping with chicken, beans, and tomatoes. To make them even simpler to prepare, use leftover rotisserie chicken to save you time in cooking the meat.

The best nachos have toppings on every layer, so consider this when you are building them. Gather all your toppings before you begin — you can customize them however you want, with sweetcorn, jalapenos, red onion, and a mixture of cheeses if you wish.

Add the toppings to the first layer of tortilla chips, making sure to add plenty of cheese. As it melts, the cheese will bind the layers together, making eating them more fun as you have to peel one layer from the other. Continue to build your layers in this way until you run out of tortilla chips. Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes, making sure not to let the edges burn.

As the nachos cook, prepare your dips. Homemade guacamole and a sour cream will always go down well, and provide a cooling quality to balance the chilis. Whether you're serving them as a game day snack, a fun appetizer, or even a light meal, nachos are a great way to use your leftover chicken to create a delicious meal for your family.

When you need a satisfying meal in a hurry, quesadillas are a fantastic option, offering the nutrition of vegetables, with the gooeyness of cheese, all packaged together in a toasted wrap. Adding chicken will give it extra protein, and while you can use canned chicken in place of fresh, if you have leftover rotisserie chicken, it will do the job nicely.

You can add any veggies you want to your quesadillas — bell peppers, tomatoes, and olives are all great options. Chop them finely and add to a flour tortilla in a skillet — the easiest way to assemble these quesadillas is in the pan — then add the shredded chicken. The word quesadilla comes from the Spanish word for cheese, so sprinkle a very healthy handful over the rest of the toppings. 

You can then add another flour tortilla on top as a 'lid' or fold the filled tortilla in half, then cook until the cheese has melted to envelope the filling inside. Serve with a green salad and enjoy!