13 Creative Ways to Elevate Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken

Soup

Whether you build a soup around chicken as the source of protein, or you just have some leftovers that you need to use up, soup is one of our favorite ways to use rotisserie chicken. You can use every part of the chicken–both dark and light meat can be shredded or cubed and stirred into the broth. You can even save the carcass to repurpose your own homemade chicken stock. Try chicken in one of these soup recipes:

• Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Creamy Lemon-Barley Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Thai Chicken Soup

Tacos, Burritos, and Enchiladas

Where there’s a tortilla, there’s a way to use leftover chicken. Give shredded rotisserie chicken a quick sauté in some oil and spices (taco seasoning or a combination of cumin, coriander, and chili powder) and you have yourself a delicious, meaty filling for tacos, burritos, and even baked flautas. You can use this in recipes that call for ground meat as well. Bulk up either of these dishes with cooked white rice, canned black or refried beans, and any and all taco toppings you can think of. 

To make a quick enchilada filling, toss shredded chicken with tomatillo salsa and shredded Oaxaca cheese. Fold the filling up in either flour or corn tortillas and bake with more salsa and cheese on top. All of these ideas are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Pizza

Pizza Night pulls double duty in terms of store-bought ingredients–you can save even more time by using pre-made pizza dough in addition to rotisserie chicken. There are really no rules when it comes to pizza toppings—you can use any sauces and toppings you like, and chicken goes with just about anything. Keep it classic with some mozzarella cheese, marinara, and basil; lean into Mediterranean flavors by adding fresh toppings like tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and tzatziki sauce; head to the West coast with a barbecue chicken and cheddar pizza; or pair leftover chicken with some of your favorite seasonal vegetables, such as corn, zucchini, and tomatoes.

Salad

Everyone loves a good salad—they are nutritious and versatile, so you can always put your own spin on each one. Leftover chicken adds protein to both cold and warm salads. This includes leafy green salads, chopped salads, noodle salads, etc. 

If you’re not using a recipe, select your favorite greens, grains, and fresh vegetables, then decide on a flavorful vinaigrette (dressings can be creamy or bright and acidic). Otherwise, give one of these salad recipes a go using your leftover chicken in place of another protein:

• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Summer Waldorf With Yogurt-Tarragon Dressing
• California Cobb Salad
• Chicken Taco Salad
• Italian Hero Chopped Salad
• Salade Nicoise

Stir-Fry

Stir-fry is one of the quickest ways to get dinner on the table, especially when you’re not cooking any of the meat from scratch. Any recipe that calls for seafood or ground or bite-size pieces of meat can be made using rotisserie chicken. Start with an assortment of quick-cooking vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, and summer squash, and flavor the stir-fry with your favorite Asian condiments–you can add sauces like tamari, mirin, and fish sauce and pastes like miso and umeboshi to taste.

Grain Bowls

Hearty grain bowls are popular for a reason—they’re delicious, filling, and super adaptable, depending on what you’re craving. With rotisserie chicken as your protein of choice, you only have a few other choices to make:

• Choose the grains: Pick one or more cooked whole grains as the base for your bowl. We like brown rice, farro, and barley for their chewy texture and quinoa and millet for their slightly nutty flavor. 
• Pick the vegetables: A combination of cooked and fresh vegetables will add different textures to your grain bowls. Roasted potatoes, winter squash, and beets are all delicious. We like to use fresh seasonal vegetables when we can–cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes all add fun flavors and textures. 
• Consider add-ons: Choose your toppings depending on the flavor profile of the bowl. Opt for add-ons like crumbled cheese (feta or goat cheese), dried fruit, toasted nuts and seeds, sliced avocado, fresh herbs, and jarred ingredients like marinated artichoke hearts, pickled peppers, and olives. 
• Make a dressing: You can’t go wrong here. Go with a dollop of something creamy, such as a yogurt or mayonnaise-based sauce; or keep it simple with a basic vinaigrette.

Pasta

If it’s one of those days where all you can make happen for dinner is a bowl of noodles with sauce and cheese, that’s when rotisserie chicken comes to the rescue. A handful of rotisserie chicken will immediately add protein to any pasta dish that you’re making. Try adding some to creamy fettuccine alfredo, pasta salad, lasagna, or creamy baked pasta dishes.

Pasta Sauce

When it’s chopped into finer pieces instead of being diced or shredded, rotisserie chicken incorporates seamlessly into meaty pasta sauces like bolognese, that would usually call for ground meat. As it simmers with tomatoes, wine, and other aromatics, it becomes incredibly tender and perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta shape.

Sandwiches

The sandwich opportunities are endless when you have rotisserie chicken on hand. Chicken salad is among the most popular sandwiches, and it can easily be made with rotisserie chicken–if anything, it will just add even more flavor. Warm some up with a tangy barbecue sauce and pile it onto buttered buns with creamy coleslaw and pickles. Chicken can replace cured or smoked meats in sandwiches like reubens or complement the other fillings in picnic sandwiches.

Gyros and Wraps

Gyros are typically made with slow-roasted meat (often lamb or beef), but rotisserie chicken is a good way to make a quick weeknight version. Warm up the chicken in a skillet with some olive oil and spices, such as cumin, garlic, and dried oregano. Pile the meat into pitas with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and white sauce (a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and seasonings). 

Chopped chicken is also an easy way to incorporate protein to a quick lunch wrap. You can add it along with beans, grains, leafy greens, and other vegetables.

Kebabs

A quick turn on the grill or under the broiler with a flavorful glaze can bring new life to chunks of leftover chicken. Thread the pieces onto skewers with quick-cooking ingredients (you want to choose things that cook within a few minutes so you don’t overcook the chicken). Scallions, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and pineapple all fit the bill. Use a simple teriyaki glaze or something sweet like Thai chili sauce to brush over the meat and vegetables.

Nachos

Often thought of as an appeitzer, nachos can be made dinner-worthy with the addition of protein-packed rotisserie chicken. Pile it onto corn tortilla chips with cheese, toppings like beans and sautéed peppers and onions, and garnishes galore—we like to use some fresh accents like cilantro and sliced chiles in addition to cooked salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

Fried Rice

Takeout at home is so easy when you know how to make fried rice. It’s often made with a combination of vegetables, eggs, and proteins such as chicken or seafood. The chicken only needs a minute or two in the hot wok or skillet to warm up.