food
By Taryn Pire
•
Published Jan 24, 2022
When it comes to getting dinner on the table as fast as humanly possible, there’s arguably no better shortcut to speed things along than rotisserie chicken. It’s precooked, affordable, long-lasting and can be transformed into a slew of weeknight delicacies, from soup to enchiladas. In case you’re in need of some inspo, here are 34 leftover rotisserie chicken recipes to whip up anytime you’re craving a quick, hands-off meal.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Chicken And Snap Pea Stir-fry
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, dairy free, gluten free
Who knew this 20-minute gem could hit the table even faster? Trade boneless, skinless chicken breast for shredded rotisserie chicken; sautéing it with veggies and the soy-Sriracha sauce will give it all the flavor it needs.
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Do What Feels Good
2. Green Bowl With Chicken, Citrus And Herbs
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, dairy free, gluten free, nut free
Leftovers for lunch doesn’t have to be a downer. Give broccoli, asparagus, spinach and avocado a boost of protein by topping them off with shredded chicken. We’ll take extra green goddess dressing, please.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
3. Spicy Lemon-ginger Chicken Soup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, low fat, dairy free, gluten free, nut free
Ward off the sniffles with this flavorful immunity booster. Even better, using a rotisserie chicken instead of a whole raw chicken will save you nearly an hour of waiting.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Not only will these enchiladas use up your leftover chicken, but they’ll also clear some room in your pantry, thanks to the additions of canned corn kernels and green chiles. The hardest step of this recipe is waiting for the cheese to melt.
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Aubrie Pick/Eat What You Love
5. Buffalo-stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, gluten free
Sure, spuds are typically a side dish. But these are topped with spicy shredded chicken, celery and carrots, so they’re definitely hearty enough to be the main course. Did we mention they’ll keep in the fridge for up to five days?
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. Grilled Peach, Chicken And Ricotta Pizza
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
We can picture it now: the kids playing in the yard on a warm summer night while you whip up this pie that was born to be eaten alfresco. Feel free to pop the rotisserie chicken on the grill for a few minutes if you love that charred taste.
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Erin McDowell
7. Thai Lettuce Wraps
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, low carb, dairy free
The recipe calls for ground chicken or turkey but swapping in shredded chicken is totally fine. These beauties are all about the toppings anyway—most importantly, the quick-pickled cucumbers and fresh herbs.
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Photo: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell
8. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, dairy free, nut free
Since you won’t need to cook the chicken from scratch, this cast iron skillet recipe is basically finished once your vegetables are tender and lightly browned. You can even skip the roasting altogether and sauté the peppers, garlic and onion on the stovetop instead.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
9. The Ultimate Quinoa-avocado Bowl
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, pescatarian
We love you, spicy shrimp. You taste downright delectable and only take five minutes to cook. So, don’t hate us for subbing in rotisserie chicken, which doesn’t need to cook at all.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
10. Classic Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, low fat, gluten free, nut free
Why should ground beef get to have all the fun? Trade jack cheese for mozzarella to take the peppers out of the Tex-Mex arena and into chicken Parm territory.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
11. Turkey Stromboli
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, low fat, nut free
Aka our go-to Black Friday recipe for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Luckily, you can whip this eight-ingredient crowd-pleaser up any time of year with the help of shredded chicken.
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Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
12. Low-carb Zucchini Enchiladas
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, gluten free, nut free
No tortillas here, folks—these tiny pillows of chicken, poblano peppers, black beans and corn are held together by zucchini halves and a blanket of Monterey jack.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
13. Watermelon Poke Bowls
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, dairy free, gluten free
If you want to add meat to this plant-based main, just double up on the ginger-lime soy dressing. Use one batch to toss the chicken in and another to pour over the finished salad as you see fit.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. The Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Behold, the coziest dish your cast iron skillet has ever made. Not only is this recipe positively soul warming, but it also calls for easy frozen puff pastry instead of homemade. Once it’s golden brown on top, it’s ready to devour.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Baked Chicken And Mushroom Risotto
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, gluten free, nut free
You love creamy, cheesy risotto. But the incessant stirring that it takes to make it? Not so much. This alternative thankfully bakes in the oven in a skillet or Dutch oven instead, so you can get your arborio on without the arm workout.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, low fat, gluten free, nut free
These have backyard picnic written all over them. Better yet, the recipe calls for cubed rotisserie chicken to begin with, so they don’t require one second of cooking. The star here is the creamy, tangy dressing made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
17. Buffalo Chicken Mac And Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Can you believe your favorite appetizer and comfort food are soulmates? We definitely can. Zippy buffalo sauce is just the ingredient to liven up the mild mozzarella cheese sauce. (P.S., a drizzle of ranch dressing never hurt nobody.)
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
18. Grilled Lemon-herb Chicken And Avocado Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, dairy free, nut free
Wanna shave 45 minutes off this recipe? You know what to do. You can skip the marinade altogether and just double up on the lemon-mustard dressing, or you can briefly shake the shredded chicken in a bag with the marinade before heating it up on the stove.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. Mini Chicken Shawarma
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Aren’t they adorable? They’re even cuter when you realize how much time you’re going to save by using rotisserie chicken (30 minutes to an hour, to be exact). The marinade is pretty crucial, so be sure to still coat the shredded meat in it.
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Skinnytaste One and Done
20. Spicy Stir-fried Chicken And Shredded Brussels Bowls
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, dairy free, nut free
Shredding Brussels sprouts is way simpler than it sounds, but it doesn’t get easier than buying pre-shredded sprouts and a rotisserie chicken in the same grocery trip.
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The Minimalist Kitchen
21. Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, gluten free, nut free
Even if you start with the plainest precooked chicken on Earth, the bold, puréed chipotle marinade will bring it back to life. Brace yourself for a punch of heat and smokiness, thanks to chipotle peppers in adobo, fire-roasted tomatoes and cumin.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
22. Buffalo Chicken Wraps With Blue Cheese And Celery
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
We present to you the easiest game day appetizer of all time. You don’t need to cook anything, they’re a heck of a lot less messy than buffalo wings and the leftovers make for a great lunch the next day.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23. Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, dairy free, gluten free, nut free
Any dinner that’s topped with crispy tortilla chips is our kind of entrée. But don’t worry, there are plenty of veggies and healthy ingredients to dig into, too, like black beans, corn, red onions, carrots, peas and poblano peppers.
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The Minimalist Kitchen
24. Family Style Chicken Caesar Salad
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Admit it: You’re here for the dressing, homemade croutons and allllll the Parmesan cheese. The protein-rich chicken’s main job is really to turn this side into a meal. Might we suggest making two (or three) batches of dressing to use on any salad you please?
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
25. Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, nut free
Chewy pillows of potato pasta > boring noodles. This mind-blowingly simple recipe proves that chicken soup can be crave-worthy, rather than just a go-to every time you’re sick.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
26. Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
- Time Commitment: 7 hours 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, low fat, dairy free, gluten free, nut free
Rotisserie chicken transforms this recipe from a seven-hour project to a 30-minute conquest. We’re partial to serving the chicken on soft brioche buns with shredded lettuce and sliced tomato, but feel free to plate it over rice instead (or you know, eat it straight from the pot).
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
27. Avocado Chicken Salad
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, low carb, dairy free, gluten free
Chicken salad with grapes, walnuts and gloppy mayonnaise dressing is beyond antiquated. With buttery avocado in the mix, this updated rendition is just as creamy as the original, only loaded with healthy fats and light on the mayo.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
28. Crispy Baked Chicken Burritos
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
Mix Taco Tuesday up with these uber-simple handhelds. Since they’re minis, you’ll still have plenty of stomach space leftover for guac, queso, grilled corn and whatever else is on your menu.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
29. Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup
- Time Commitment: 7 hours 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, high protein, low fat, nut free
Adjusting this recipe is simple. Start by placing all the veggies, wild rice, seasonings and broth in the CrockPot. Once the rice is tender, add your shredded chicken, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Once it’s all heated through, it’s time to stir in your herbs and devour.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
30. 15-minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
You’re seven ingredients away from this satisfying app. Double up on the cheat ingredients by using both rotisserie chicken *and* store-bought buffalo sauce, or make your own from scratch with butter, your favorite hot sauce and seasonings of your choice.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
31. Easy Rotisserie Chicken Ramen
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, dairy free, nut free
Almost as simple to make as the microwave noodles you lived on in college, but a million times more flavorful (and Insta-worthy). The noodles are cooked in a mixture of chicken broth, beef broth and soy sauce so they’re salty and flavorful from the start.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
32. Spicy Turkey Enchiladas With Pumpkin Seeds
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, nut free
A sprinkle of chopped cilantro, thin-sliced radishes and toasted pepitas can make any dish look like you spent all day making it. No one would ever guess they only took you 40 minutes from start to finish.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
33. Baking Sheet Quesadillas
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, nut free
Listen, we have zero complaints about oven-baked tortillas stuffed with shredded cheddar and jarred salsa. But this sheet-pan quesadilla would be way more filling with shredded chicken in the mix. Pass the sour cream, please.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
34. Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
- Time Commitment: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: High protein, dairy free, nut free
Put down the phone and step away from the takeout menu: You can tackle this staple yourself. For a rotisserie chicken shortcut, just simmer the onion, garlic and ginger on the stove in the three-ingredient teriyaki sauce, then add the shredded meat to the mix and stir until combined.
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Taryn Pire
Food Editor
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...
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