What To Do With Leftover Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken is arguably one of the most conveniently delicious foods you can get at the grocery store. It is juicy, versatile, full of flavor, inexpensive, and, to top it off, it also makes a pretty healthy addition to your cart. According to Healthline, a rotisserie chicken can add lots of nutrients such as protein and vitamins to your meals, and given that it is roasted, it doesn't pack as many calories from fat as a deep-fried chicken (even more so if you ditch the skin).

Yet, seeing that rotisserie chicken is, for the most part, a whole chicken, you may end up with plenty of leftovers most of the time. Luckily, since it has such a characteristically mild taste that pairs well with almost any flavor, there's no need to eat the same boring meal over and over. Instead, there are plenty of ways to turn your leftover rotisserie chicken around and enjoy a brand-new dish in no time. Plus, converting your leftovers will not only keep a perfectly good chicken from going to waste, but it will also save you money (talk about a win-win!). From pies, salads, and casseroles to traditional Mexican and Indian dishes, these suggestions will help you get the most out of your leftover rotisserie chicken.

Known as a Tex-Mex staple, enchiladas are one of the many dishes of Mexican origin you can easily prepare with leftover rotisserie chicken. According to History Today, enchiladas were readily eaten during the Aztec empire in the 1500s. Yet, their recipe has slowly evolved over the years as it moved toward American dining tables. What started as spicy flute-shaped corn tortillas wrapped around hard-boiled eggs or fish, stuffed with beans and squash, and topped with fresh tomato sauce and a chili pepper paste, has now evolved into a less spicy dish typically stuffed with lettuce, onion, cheese, and pork or chicken, and, in this case, baked into a casserole rather than rolled.

Still, preparing a chicken enchilada casserole is very easy, and you can make it with pretty much anything you have lying around in your kitchen. Simply cover the bottom of a baking dish with corn tortillas, top it with homemade or store-bought tomato sauce, and add a layer of shredded rotisserie chicken, cheese, chilies, corn, and even some sliced veggies if you want to make it more nutritious. Finally, repeat until you reach the top, and since the chicken is already cooked, bake until the cheese has melted and serve with a side of your favorite salad.

Making its way from 19th-century France kitchens to Southern American tables, the chicken salad sandwich is a party staple, and an all-time favorite dish enjoyed all across the country. According to Foodicles, what is known today as a mix of diced chicken, creamy mayo, celery, onion, fresh herbs, and in some cases even sliced grapes, green apples, or dried cranberries, was once made using cream cheese or salad dressing as binding agents instead of mayo, and cold meats or seafood rather than chicken.

Still, whether you enjoy a somewhat less-is-more or conventional approach or appreciate a few extra ingredients like sliced almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts, this creamy yet crunchy, fresh, and mildly sweet recipe is a no-brainer when it comes to putting your leftover rotisserie chicken to use in no time. What's more, you can prepare this sandwich using any type of bread, such as traditional white bread slices or a sliced baguette, ciabatta, or croissant. Or, consider replacing the bread with a couple of romaine lettuce leaves for an equally delicious keto version.

How about turning your leftover rotisserie chicken into a comforting chicken pot pie? Pot pies have been around for what seems like forever, and with good reason: they're delicious and nutritious. You can even make them ahead of time and freeze them until you're ready to enjoy them (in which case, remember to freeze them before baking to ensure the best long-term result). Though today it is known for its crisp pie crust and variety of fillings, this heartwarming dish has evolved since the time of the ancient Greeks, who prepared it without its characteristically flaky top crust. In fact, according to The Nauvoo, this was an ancient Roman addition.

Using your leftover rotisserie chicken to make chicken pot pie is a great way to impress your family and friends while taking advantage of what you've got lying around in your freezer and pantry. In addition, it can also be relatively easy to make, seeing that you can use frozen veggies, boxed pie crusts, and store-bought chicken stock to speed things up. Since chicken pot pie already includes a fair amount of protein, carbs, and veggies, it makes a nutritionally balanced meal even while served on its own. However, having it with a side of veggies never hurt anybody!

Amigo Foods explains that chicken tortilla soup is a traditional Mexican dish dating back to Aztec civilization. Like most Mexican dishes, this soup packs a punch of flavor and spice, and your leftover rotisserie chicken might be the ingredient you didn't know you needed to make a quick yet equally delicious homemade version of this soup.

While a classic chicken tortilla soup is usually made with chicken or vegetable broth, you might want to add some cream cheese or Greek yogurt to the mix for a thicker and more creamy feel. Plus, you can get as creative as you want with the toppings. Whether you stay with the classic crispy tortilla chips, avocado slices, and sour cream or add some sliced jalapeño peppers, sweet corn, and even black beans, this soup never disappoints. To give this delicious soup its finishing touch, serve it with a side of guacamole, pico de gallo, and even more tortilla chips.

Chicken Caesar salad is probably one of the most popular salads of all time, and no, despite what you may have heard, it has nothing to do with Julius Caesar from the Roman empire. As the Encyclopedia Britannica explains, this well-known salad was scraped together by Italian chef Cesare Cardini during the holidays in 1924 when he realized he had run out of ingredients for his traditional salad, which led him to assemble a brand new recipe with what he had in hand.

The original Caesar salad called for lettuce leaves, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and eggs mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce-based dressing, per the Encyclopedia Britannica. Adding some shredded or diced leftover rotisserie chicken turns what started as an appetizer or side salad into a well-balanced main dish packed with enough lean protein to leave you feeling full for hours. Plus, you can always give it your personal touch by adding your favorite veggies to the mix for a one-of-a-kind version of this restaurant staple.

Chilaquiles is a Mexican breakfast dish that originated to keep leftover corn tortillas from going to waste. Thus, in an attempt to bring this key yet stale ingredient back to life, the tortillas are traditionally cut into strips and deep fried, which results in classic and crunchy tortilla chips. Chilaquiles are a staple in Mexican cuisine, yet you can also have them for lunch or dinner. They are commonly served with red or green salsa — made with jalapeño peppers, onions, cilantro, and red tomatoes or green tomatillos, respectively — and topped with cheese, crema, eggs, and shredded chicken (yes, even for breakfast).

As you can see, chicken chilaquiles might be the ultimate leftover dish, as you can use some forgotten tortillas and your leftover rotisserie chicken. Like most Mexican dishes, chicken chilaquiles are a complete meal on their own due to their protein, carb, veggie, and fat content from the chicken and eggs, tortilla chips, salsa, and crema, respectively. Yet again, like most Mexican dishes, you can enjoy your chilaquiles with a side of avocado slices or some fresh guacamole.

Suppose you've got bits of leftover food hanging around in your fridge aside from your rotisserie chicken (think veggies, cheese, and even rice or quinoa). In that case, a couple of bell peppers might be what you need to turn something boring into a delicious and nutritious dinner-time treat that will keep you from wasting any food. For starters, bell peppers contain vitamins and minerals such as A, B, C, E, potassium, and folate. They are also a rich source of antioxidants, which help improve your vision and even fight off cancer (via Healthline).

In addition, their hollow shape allows for countless stuffing combinations that will surely please even the pickiest eaters. All you need to make buffalo chicken stuffed bell peppers is some shredded leftover rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and your choice of shredded veggies for added crunch (such as carrots or chives). Then, thoroughly mix all the ingredients, scoop them inside your bell pepper pockets, top with your favorite cheese, and bake until the cheese has melted and the bell pepper is nice and tender.

Like chilaquiles, enchiladas, or tacos, chalupas are among the selection of authentic Mexican dishes that call for corn tortillas, salsa, refried beans, chili, cheese, and a source of protein such as shredded chicken or minced meat. This means your leftover rotisserie chicken will definitely come in handy if you're craving chalupas. According to Mexicali Blue, records of chalupas date back to 1831, and they were initially comprised of a fried or baked corn tortilla in the shape of a boat, which you could fill with shredded lettuce, beans, cheese, chicken, tomatoes, sour cream, pico de gallo, and salsa.

However, today's chalupas are an infallible Tex-Mex dish that also uses fried corn tortillas as a base but keeps the shape flat rather than like a boat (making it way easier to make at home). Making your own chalupas with leftover rotisserie chicken is incredibly easy. You can add just about any topping you'd like, including guacamole or jalapeño peppers for extra creaminess and spice.

Do you happen to have some leftover rotisserie chicken while also feeling a bit under the weather? If so, you have nothing to worry about, as turning those leftovers into a warm bowl of chicken soup is just what you need to fully recover in no time. According to Healthline, chicken soup may help reduce symptoms of a stuffy nose. The level of collagen, amino acid, and electrolyte content help nourish your immune system while fighting dehydration and being a comforting and delicious meal.

To make this granny-approved recipe at home, you need to boil and then simmer your whole rotisserie chicken (bones and skin included) in chicken broth. Then, simmer your preferred diced veggies for two hours and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving (remember to remove the bones beforehand!). You can add carbs such as rice, diced potatoes, or noodles to turn this dish into a nutritionally balanced meal, and enjoy it with a warm cup of your favorite tea.

While you might think of chicken tikka masala as an all-time classic Indian dish, a Bangladeshi chef in Scotland invented this heartwarmingly flavorful dish, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Per the source, the recipe came to life when the chef added a creamy tomato sauce to a customer's chicken tikka, which is an authentic Indian dish consisting of chicken marinated in yogurt, curry, and spices. This means that chicken tikka masala recipes are actually a merger between two very different cultures. Yet, the dish became so successful that it is now considered Britain's national dish — and you can easily make a homemade version with your leftover rotisserie chicken.

Chicken tikka masala contains a wide range of warm and rich Indian spices, such as gram masala, cumin, paprika, coriander, and turmeric, which means that you may have to hit the store before making this dish. However, once you've got everything you need, you won't believe how easy it is to make this delicious dish from "scratch." Once it is ready, you can enjoy it with a side of fluffy basmati rice and some naan — or just any type of bread you have at hand!

Turn your leftover rotisserie chicken into a creamy, hearty chicken and rice casserole recipe. Casseroles are an all-time American favorite, and with good reason: they're conveniently easy to make, inexpensive, and can be tailored to any taste. The dish has fed hungry American crowds since the 19th century (via Foodicles). Per the source, the word casserole is French for saucepan, yet it now describes the dish used to bake and serve the food and the food itself.

The great thing about casseroles is that you can make them with just about any ingredient you have at hand. For instance, you can make rice-, pasta-, corn-, or even bread-based casseroles, add some protein like diced chicken or minced meat, your choice of veggies, and your favorite sauce or soup as a binding agent. Finally, serve it with a side of baked vegetables, and you've got yourself a crowd-pleasing meal using nothing but your oven.

Lasagna is an Italian dish prepared by assembling three to four layers of broad pasta sheets followed by a creamy white or fresh tomato sauce. It is bulked up with a protein-rich filling such as meatballs, slices of hard-boiled eggs, sausage, or chicken topped with a layer of mozzarella cheese. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, this dish has multiple variations throughout Italy. Yet, the American version resembles that of Naples, seeing that most Italian-Americans migrated from the said southern region of Italy.

Since you can prepare lasagna with just about any type of meaty filling, your leftover rotisserie chicken makes the perfect ingredient for this dish. Besides, not only will it provide plenty of flavors, but it will also help speed up the prep and cooking process. Also, because chicken lasagna already packs plenty of protein and carbs, serving it with a side of veggies will add much-needed vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your meal. Think of a green salad for a fresh summertime lunch or your favorite roasted veggies for a warmer version during winter!