You see that rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and it looks so good! But, what to do with it when you get home?
While you can certainly carve the whole chicken and serve it as is, you might also want to switch things up a bit and serve the tender, cooked chicken meat in other ways. Check out these delicious tips and recipes for what to make with rotisserie chicken.
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Don’t you just love rotisserie chicken? They’re flavorful and tender, ready to go, and — best yet! — so affordable. Unless you find an incredibly good sale on whole chickens, the grocery store bird is a fantastic deal!
Rotisserie chicken is basically a perfectly roast chicken that you didn’t do any work for. It’s an ideal meal prep shortcut. Since the chicken cooks on a spit, it is turned while it roasts, resulting in perfectly browned skin.
A rotisserie chicken is super handy, to be sure, but you may find yourself wondering from time to time, what to do with the blessed thing? For starters, do you even know how to carve a whole chicken? Do you tear it apart with your hands? What?
Well, once you get the chicken cut into pieces, a whole world of delicious opportunities opens up for you. First up: Enjoy a quick and easy meal when you serve rotisserie chicken as your main dish with some carefully chosen side dishes. In fact, you can easily make this a no-cook supper.
Sides for Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie chicken pairs well with any number of sides. Consider these side dish combinations:
- mashed potatoes, corn off the cob, coleslaw, and biscuits
- potato salad, veggie dippers, and cut cantaloupe
- Mexican rice, pintos, tortillas, and salsa
- curried lentils, cachumber, and naan bread
- baked potatoes, roast vegetables, and baguette
- couscous, tzatziki, and pita bread
FAQs
Like other prepared foods, it is good for up to 4 days when properly refrigerated. Promptly refrigerate the chicken as food should not be at room temperature longer than two hours.
You can reheat it in the microwave, in a warm oven, or even in a skillet. Know that reheating the chicken meat on the bone will take longer than if you remove the meat from the bone and gently reheat the chopped or shredded pieces.
Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge.
For longer storage, store the chicken pieces or meat removed from the bone in an airtight container in the freezer. Cooked chicken is good in the freezer for up to 4 months.
The answer will depend on how much chicken your party eats at one sitting. A typical roast chicken should produce at least 8 servings of cooked chicken. This means a family of four could potentially get two meals from a rotisserie chicken, more if you’ve got small children.
Using Cooked Chicken in Recipes
Once you’ve enjoyed the chicken as a main dish, you can use the leftover cooked chicken in other dishes, such as soups, salads, sandwiches, casseroles, and chilis. With the chicken already cooked, meal assembly should be quick and simple.
If you’re prepping meals for the week, starting with a couple of cooked chickens will save you a lot of time. Be sure to scroll down for 40 recipes that call for cooked chicken!
- Remove the chicken from the bone. Chop or shred for your recipes.
- Make chicken stock with the bones and any drippings from the carton the chicken came in.
Save Time with Freezer Meals.
A store-bought rotisserie chicken is the perfect short cut for freezer cooking. With the chicken already cooked, you’re one step closer to getting great meals in the freezer, quickly and easily.
Not sure what to make? Grab your copy of this Freezer Cooking Mini Plan so that you can make 8 meals in about 90 minutes, probably less if you use a couple rotisserie chickens.
More Chick-Inspiration
Check out these delicious recipes that use cooked chicken:
What to Make with Rotisserie Chicken
These delicious recipes all call for cooked chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut to some amazing meals.
Creamy Chicken Stuffed Shells
Cooked shells are stuffed with a creamy, cheesy, chicken filling and topped with your favorite marinara and a gooey top of melted mozzarella.
Overnight Casserole with Chicken or Turkey
There's no need to cook the noodles before assembling this casserole which means that your prep work the night is super simple!
Homemade Curried Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
That vintage curried divan has been updated with a homemade sauce. No canned soups here!
Single Crust Pot Pie with Chicken or Turkey
Pot pie is ultimate comfort food and it comes together quick and easy with a rotisserie chicken.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Roll up some love in these creamy chicken enchiladas. They prep super quickly and are very freezer friendly.
Santa Fe Salad with Chicken, Corn, & Black Beans
Have dinner ready in about 15 minutes with this simple, but hearty Santa Fe Chicken Salad.
Asian Cabbage Salad with Chicken and Mandarin Oranges
No need for fancy cafe salads; you can make your own with a few veggies, a can of mandarins, and a roast chicken.
Poorman's Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
Enjoy a gourmet dinner salad for pennies when you make this quick and simple caesar dressing. Top it off with tender cooked chicken for extra protein.
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is packed with flavor and protein. It keeps well in the fridge making it a great meal prep dish.
Mediterranean Chicken Bowl
Roast chicken, tender veggies, and an olive relish take you on a little trip to the Mediterranean. This is a great make-ahead dish to simplify your nights.
One-Pan Chicken Nachos Recipe
Make nachos extra special and quick and easy too. Build a pan full of cheesy chips and top them with cooked chicken and an array of tasty toppings.
Chicken Pesto Pizza with Fresh Avocado
Enjoy a perfect pizza night with this pesto-doused, chicken laden pie. Fresh avocado added at the end adds a super special touch.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Soup is good food! Especially when it's a bowl chock full of chicken, noodles, and veggies in a creamy broth. Make double because you're gonna want it!
Cajun Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad gets a little kick with a homemade cajun seasoning. This protein-rich salad comes together in minutes.
Easy Chicken and Cheese Flautas
Flautas are similar to taquitos. There's debate about the name, but there's no question that these easy chicken and cheese "tube tacos" taste amazing!
Spicy Chicken Dip
This spicy chicken dip is pretty addicting. It's delicious on chips, but equally good on sandwiches or in wraps.
Chicken Caesar Sandwiches for a Quick & Simple Meal
Can't decide between a salad or sandwich? No problem. Have both! Pile chicken coated in creamy caesar dressing into split baguette for a simple dinner or lunch that's out of this world.
Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Looking for something new and different in the chicken salad arena. Go curry! Studded with apples and the flavors of India, this chicken salad does it up right.
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Bacon & Pineapple
Switch up your pizza night by swapping out the tomato sauce for your favorite BBQ sauce. Top it with chicken, red onion, cheese, and cilantro for an 80s classic that rocks.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Stir up a pan of enchiladas in minutes! Stir? Yes, when you make an enchilada casserole instead of rolled enchiladas, you get all the flavor in a lot less time.
Chicken Salad Club Sandwiches
Smoky bacon and tomato pair well with the chicken salad in this stacked, Dagwood-like sandwich. You won't want to share!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
Ya gotta eat! So why not make it an amazing salad day with chicken, bacon, veggies, and a generous dousing of ranch dressing.
Chicken Chili with White Beans
White beans, white meat chicken, and a cheesy sauce may not be what you expected when you heard the word, chili. But, you'll be glad you met this amazing flavor combination.
Jalapeno Burn Pizza
Layer flavor on your pizza this week with chicken, tomatoes, onions, sliced jalapeños, and cheese. Super yum and super easy!
Chicken Fried Rice
Got leftover cooked chicken and rice? Then you’ve got the makings of a great meal. This chicken fried rice is super easy to make and better than takeout!
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
These Chicken Salad Sandwiches are so tasty! With crunchy bits of celery and savory bites of cheddar, this chicken salad is note-worthy, perfect for sandwich night.
Chicken Bacon Subs for the Freezer
These Chicken Bacon Subs disappear lickety split at my house. They are so easy to assemble, and make a perfect freezer meal.
Chicken Burrito Bowls with Chipotle Crema
Forget the fancy taco shop and it’s high priced burrito bowls. You can make your own — better and for less! Pack these Chicken Burrito Bowls with Chipotle Crema for lunch this week.
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
This Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe is an easy and economical dish that everyone loves! Stir up a pot of chicken stock with tender egg noodles, chunks of chicken, and slivers of vegetables. Soup is good food!
Chicken Gumbo Soup - Better Than the Can
Chicken Gumbo Soup, that childhood favorite from the red-labeled can is now within your reach – homemade, tastier, and better for you!
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Enjoy a simple, delicious chicken salad loaded with apples and almonds in this easy recipe for Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps.
Chicken & Raspberry Salad Recipe & Other Salad Tips
Tender chicken, juicy raspberries, and tangy goat cheese get together to party in this simple yet flavorful Chicken & Raspberry Salad. No need for a cafe salad today when you’ve got this going on!
Chicken Fajita Burritos that You Can Freeze
Chicken Fajita Burritos are filling, flavorful, and packed with peppers, onions, and jalapeños. They make a great lunch, snack, or dinner that you can make ahead and freeze.
Easy Chicken Quinoa Bowl
This Easy Chicken Quinoa Bowl is simple, hearty, and packed with flavor as well as protein. It makes a perfect weeknight dinner or workaday lunch.
Asian Chicken Noodle Salad - Very Make-Ahead
Cool off with this super easy, super make-ahead Asian Chicken Noodle Salad. It’s full of crisp, crunchy veggies, hearty chicken, and a delectable dressing.
Pulled Chicken Sliders for a Quick Easy Supper
Cooked chicken combines with a homemade seasoning blend to make for a luscious and easy dinner of Pulled Chicken Sliders. Enjoy a quick, easy supper with no hassle!
Orchard Chicken Salad Recipe With Apples
Enjoy fresh fruits, spicy scallions, crunchy almonds, and tender chicken in this delicious and refreshing Orchard Chicken Salad recipe with apples. Perfect for sandwiches, salads, or lettuce wraps.
Homemade Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Chiles
Hosting a crowd? Rotisserie chicken makes it easy to serve two big pans of homemade chicken enchiladas with freshly roasted chiles. No crowd? No problem. Stash one pan in the freezer for another time.
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe (Freezer-Friendly)
Chicken Pot Pie is a sure-fire favorite at my house. Flaky, buttery crust surrounds chunks of rotisserie chicken, vegetables, and a delectable homemade gravy for delicious comfort food.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole (63 cents/serving)
Spice up your evening with this hot and cheesy, Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Torn corn tortillas, cooked chicken, and shredded cheese get folded into a luscious sour cream sauce flavored with salsa verde.
This enchilada casserole is one you can whip it up in a flash—and make an extra to freeze.
What’s YOUR favorite recipe to make with a rotisserie chicken?
This post was originally published on March 20, 2019. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Stephanie M.
I love to buy them too mostly to use as a short cut for chicken and veggie stir fry. My store sells rotissieri chicken breasts and I’ve switched to those because for a couple of dollars more ($10.00 total), I get a very large tasty breast that I use as sandwich meat. For $10.00 I can buy 1 lb. of deli style roast chicken or for that same amount I can buy a rotisseri chicken breast and have delicious sandwiches for several days and the meat isn’t processed. We eat it sliced on bread for a few days and after that I usually make chicken salad. I swear by these and buy them on a regular basis.
Jessica Fisher
Isn’t it a great short cut?! Bryan just told me he doesn’t like them because they taste like ham. LOL! Now what?!
Alice E
My most frequent is chicken and pasta, frequently spaghetti, but sometimes noodles or rotini or what is at hand. I do a creamy sauce with broth and milk instead of canned soup. Usually with onion and carrot added, occasionally broccoli or spinach or kale.
I also frequently add it to rice and chopped broccoli with a creamy homemade cheese sauce and usually mushrooms.
Fried rice would also be a good choice or any recipe that calls for chopped chicken or turkey.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds delicious!