Jump-Start Everyday Meals with Rotisserie Chicken

By Arlene Bascom

Rotisserie chickens are a simple, readily available solution to easy, everyday meals. Most of us don't have to travel far to buy a roast chicken, and they are great for quick meals any time of the day or week. But what do you do with the leftover chicken?

Numerous recipes call for shredded chicken or chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. That's where leftover rotisserie chicken shines! It's easy to take the meat off the bone and use it as an ingredient in any of those recipes. Use shredded rotisserie chicken to top pizzas, add to soups, make chicken tacos, or in any number of recipes, such as the three I offer below, that you might not have time to make if you had to cook the chicken yourself.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad (from Good Housekeeping)

A simple bacon-mustard vinaigrette dresses up romaine lettuce and shredded rotisserie chicken for an easy and satisfying lunch or light dinner. Serve with hunks of warm, crusty French bread.

  4 slices bacon, each cut in half

  2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

  1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

  1 Tbsp. olive oil

  1/4 tsp. salt

  Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

  1 bag (9 oz.) hearts of romaine, chopped

  2 c. shredded skinless rotisserie chicken meat

In 2-qt. saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. With tongs or slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from saucepan. With wire whisk, add vinegar, Dijon, oil, salt, and pepper to drippings in saucepan and heat to boiling over medium heat. Remove from heat. Place romaine in serving bowl. Pour hot dressing over romaine; toss until coated. Add chicken and toss until well mixed. Crumble bacon; sprinkle over salad. Serves 4.

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

This casserole is great comfort food, easily halved, and great for leftovers. Plus, you can use up already-cooked brown rice and hard-cooked eggs. Make it the day before and refrigerate until ready to serve, if desired. Note: If made early, put the crushed corn flakes on just before baking. 

   2 c. diced cooked chicken

   1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup

   1 c. diced celery

   2 c. cooked brown rice

   3/4 c. mayonnaise or Vegenaise

   3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

   1 Tbsp. lemon juice

   1 tsp. grated onion

   1/4 tsp. salt

   1 c. crushed corn flakes

   2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, celery, rice, mayonnaise, eggs, lemon juice, onion, and salt in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to an 8 1/2 x 11 in. baking dish. Mix corn flakes and butter in another bowl; sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas

The fastest enchiladas you'll ever put together...but of course, because it is a slow cooker recipe, add the cooking time into your plans. Any leftover chicken may be used in place of rotisserie chicken, and frozen chopped onion may be substituted for fresh.

  Non-stick cooking spray

  1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained

  1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, divided

  1 can (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

  2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken

  1/2 c. chopped sweet onion

  12 corn tortillas (6 in.), cut into strips

  1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Spray inside of 4-qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. Stir together drained tomatoes, half of tomato sauce and soup in small bowl; set aside. Combine chicken, onion, and remaining tomato sauce in another bowl. Place 1/3 of tortilla strips in bottom of slow cooker; top with 1/3 each of sauce mixture, chicken filling, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of cheese. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours or on LOW 4 hours. Dish up directly from slow cooker for easiest serving.

Sidebar:

Bonus! Make Chicken Stock

If you have time, dump the bones, skin, and accumulated (possibly congealed) juices from the rotisserie chicken into a soup kettle, barely cover with water, and bring to a simmer. In 30 minutes, you'll have a pot of stock that tastes as though it's been simmering for hours, and all you have to do is strain and refrigerate or freeze the stock for future use.