This Supermarket Staple Will Change The Way You Meal Prep
We all live such busy lifestyles that cooking throughout the week can be a tedious task. Finding time in our schedules to prepare healthy meals for ourselves and our families can be difficult, so there is no shame in using some shortcuts to get dinner on the table. One of our favorite meal prep hacks is repurposing a store-bought rotisserie chicken into a tasty and exciting dish that's perfect for any weeknight meal.
At $4.99 a pop, the famous Costco rotisserie chicken, is a great deal and hard to pass up. Because it can be used versatilely with so many other foods, this chicken is the answer for lots of dishes that just need a little extra protein to bring them together. Even if you don't live near a Costco, any of America's best supermarkets' rotisserie chicken will have you saving both time and energy in the kitchen, and we have rounded up our favorite recipes to show you how.
The Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie
An unforgettable chicken pot pie recipe should be on every home cook's bucket list, and now you can cross this challenge off your agenda.
To prep this meal in advance: Replace the 4 cups of oven-roasted chicken with store-bought rotisserie chicken and add it to the pot pie filling following the recipe. Save even more time by using frozen puff pastry for the crust, rather than making it from scratch. These pies can be prepared in advanced and stored in the freezer — when you're ready to enjoy them, just pop them into a 400-degree preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Chicken Ramen Noodle Salad
All you need is five minutes, a packet of ramen, and a few other healthy ingredients to take your package of instant ramen and totally transform it into a healthy meal.
To prep this meal in advance: Cook the ramen and mix with the carrots, cabbage, ginger, and 1 cup of shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Follow the recipe to prepare the dressing: In a separate small bowl, combine lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and the remaining sesame oil, whisk thoroughly and also keep refrigerated. When you're ready to enjoy them, toss the noodle mixture with the dressing, garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro, and scallions — and voilà, instant dinner.
Avocado and Apple Chicken Salad
Low in calories and rich in protein, this salad recipe combines the sweet with the savory using a mix of avocado, red apples, jalapeño, pecans, and other tasty ingredients.
To prep this meal in advance: Cut and prep all the ingredients except the apple, avocado (so they don't turn brown), lemon juice, and oil. Use 2 cups of store-bought rotisserie chicken in place of turkey, and refrigerate all the ingredients together in a container. When you're ready to enjoy, add all the prepped ingredients, along with the apple, avocado, lemon juice, and oil, and toss until combined. For more time-saving recipes that allow you to eat healthy even when your schedule doesn't, check out these 25 salads you can prep on Sunday and eat all week long.