
Rotisserie chicken is on the menu at my house about once a week and, with only two people in the house, there are usually leftovers. Instead of simply re-heating the chicken, there are many other ways to use rotisserie chicken. Below are a few of my favorite rotisserie chicken leftover meals.
Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken
You can use each of the following ways to use rotisserie chicken as a leftover meal or buy the chicken to make these meals specifically. Here are five of my favorites:
Chicken Salad
One of the easiest ways to use rotisserie chicken leftovers is to make chicken salad. This can be a grilled chicken salad (lettuce, tomato, dressing, croutons, etc.) or it can be a chicken salad sandwich (my preferred leftover meal). All you’ll need is mayonnaise, salt, pepper, grapes (or Craisins) and your leftover chicken.
Chop the leftover chicken that you have into small (almost shredded) pieces. Then take a few grapes and cut them in half (or take Craisins out of the bag if you prefer Craisins). Once you have done that put the chicken in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Then mix in the desired amount of mayo and the grapes (or Craisins). Serve your chicken salad on a lettuce wrap, bread, bagel, wrap or any other sandwich-like food item.
Chicken Pot Pie
Making chicken pot pie from leftover rotisserie chicken is another favorite (especially during the wintertime). All you have to do is chop the leftover rotisserie chicken up and set it aside in a bowl. Add canned gravy, salt and pepper (to taste) and any vegetables you would like (I use corn, carrots and peas) in the pot pie to the bowl. Stir until all of the ingredients are eventually distributed through the mixture.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and then spray a pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Then place a store-bought, pre-made pie crust in the dish. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pie crust and level it out. Place another pie crust on the top. Slice it to vent and put it in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes (or until crust is golden brown).
Chicken and Dumplings
Another wintertime favorite for ways to use rotisserie chicken is chicken and dumplings. To make this easy dish you take your leftover chicken and boil it off the bone. Remove the chicken from the broth you’ve made and bring it to a boil. Then use a thick pancake mixture to make dumplings.
Take the pancake mixture and add water (or milk) until you have the desired thickness for dumplings. Drop the dumpling mixture into the boiling broth by the spoonful. After allowing the dumplings to cook through, add the chicken back into the pot and heat through. Serve with biscuits or cornbread
*To make better tasting broth, add gravy to the water.
Chicken Casserole
This is actually one I recently learned from my boyfriend. His father used to make it for him and it is a great way to use those chicken leftovers. Preheat the oven to 400 and begin making StoveTop stuffing according to the directions on the box. Chop the leftover chicken up and line the bottom of a nonstick baking pan with it. Then pour canned gravy over the chicken and top it with the stuffing. Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes or until the stuffing is golden.
Chicken and Gravy
Chicken and gravy is possibly the easiest of all the ways to use rotisserie chicken. All you need is a can of gravy, your leftover chicken and whatever you would like to serve the chicken and gravy over (I usually use mashed potatoes, rice or biscuits). Chop your leftover chicken up, add it to the gravy and heat. Serve it over your favorite side dish or as a chicken bowl (mashed potatoes, corn, cheese, chicken and gravy).
These are just a few ways to use rotisserie chicken that aren’t the regular run-of-the-mill re-heat and eat. There are plenty of other creative ways to use your leftovers!
Do you have any awesome leftover recipes? Share them with us.
Photo: _hlian