Got leftover chicken? Maybe you prepped too much at dinner or bought extra at the store. Whatever the reason, these delicious meal ideas will make you glad you had leftovers!
It doesn’t matter the type of chicken or the seasoning, there are countless healthy options to transform your leftovers into a meal sure to be a favorite!
Leftover rotisserie chicken is a phenomenal meal by itself but let's make some delicious chicken tacos or classic chicken salad for dinner tonight! I'm a big fan of those rotisserie chickens. I especially love the lemon pepper flavor and the already prepared for you chickens are sooo inexpensive.
Maybe you prefer a heartier meal. Turn your leftover chicken breast dinner into a tasty chicken casserole or creamy chicken soup. My personal favorite is a nice juicy chicken sandwich after a busy day.
Read more about these fantastic recipes and the steps needed to make healthy and mouth-watering meals for days.
Great Ideas For Leftover Chicken
There are quite a lot of tasty options for your leftovers. One popular dish is chicken soup. Simply simmer the chicken in broth with your favorite vegetables (maybe leftovers too), and you'll have a delicious and healthy soup in no time.
Another option is to shred the chicken and use it in a salad or sandwich. Chicken Caesar salad is a classic, but you can get creative and add the chicken to your favorite green salad.
If you're feeling lazy, you can always just reheat the chicken and serve it with some grilled vegetables or a side of rice. Whatever you do with it, leftover chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in various dishes.
So, next time you find yourself with some leftover chicken, don't despair. There are plenty of delicious options for what to do with it. Now, let’s take a look at some of my favorites.
1. Easy One Pot Dinner Chicken Soup
A hot creamy bowl of chicken soup can bring you to comfort food heaven! Mix in some leftover shredded chicken and mixed vegetables and a creamy broth for a phenomenal complete meal sure to please guests.
You can also try a delightful homemade chicken noodle soup. This hearty soup alternative has green onions and chicken broth, sure to go amazing with your leftover chicken. Consider these additional ingredients to add richness to your homemade soups:
- Carrot
- Celery
- Dill
- Garlic
- Flour
- Potatoes
- Parsley
- Chicken Stock
- Peppers
These easy one-pot meals make scrumptious meal prep ideas to save you time in the kitchen!
2. Flavor-packed chicken tacos
Take your leftover shredded cooked chicken and stuff it into flour tortillas (or, for a change, make them in hard shell tacos) with chopped-up leafy greens and mixed vegetables for a combination of flavors sure to have the family running to the dinner table.
Other great additions to this Mexican food dish include sour cream, hot sauce, Monterey jack cheese, and your favorite toppings!
3. Leftover chicken enchiladas
This Mexican food favorite is an easy rotisserie chicken leftover dish to prepare. Just shred your rotisserie chicken, stuff some flour tortillas with the chicken and cheese, top with some enchilada sauce or Verde sauce, and bake! An easy, quick meal great for any time of day!
4. Classic chicken salad
Perhaps you desire a fresh, healthy meal with your leftover chicken? You can design your personalized chicken salad with minimal preparation time required.
Some dark leafy greens, skinless chicken breast, and a rich creamy dressing of your choice! The possibilities are endless with this tasty meal idea packed with tons of flavor.
5. Customizable tasty grain bowl
Similar to the classic chicken salad, this tasty grain bowl has countless combination possibilities! Do you like white rice or brown rice? Hot peppers, sweet peppers, or onion and garlic? The choice is yours!
Personally, I love a mild grain bowl packed with deliciously cooked chicken, black beans, and a bunch of sweet bell peppers and green onion.
And some days I go for this delicious chicken, squash, and barley casserole.
6. Hearty chicken casserole dish
Bring the Southwest flavors of a homemade hearty chicken casserole to the dinner table with this leftover chicken recipe idea. Some cubed leftover chicken breast, fire-roasted tomatoes, classic black beans, and sauteed vegetables, topped with a creamy cheese sauce and a nice crusty bread topping.
Transforming leftovers has never been as easy as it is with a classic hearty casserole dish!
7. Quick and easy chicken sandwich
Want a simple yet delicious lunch with your cooked chicken leftovers? Look no further! Take your cooked chicken breast leftovers topped with some lettuce, tomato, and cheese of your choice, topped with a nice buttered crispy bun.
This flavor combination is so easy and tasty that it's fair game for anyone to try! Consider adding a chicken salad on the side, or a baked potato for a more complete meal.
8. Creamy chicken alfredo
This creamy pasta dish is definitely a head-turner! With its creamy cheese sauce, juicy baked chicken, and perfect fettuccine noodles this recipe is definitely a family favorite.
Enjoy the creamy deliciousness packed with tons of flavor using your classic baked chicken breast leftovers!
9. Chicken-topped pizza
Whether you love BBQ pizza, buffalo pizza, or a crisp classic grilled chicken-topped pizza, this chicken pizza recipe idea is ideal for any situation!
Any chicken leftovers you have will work phenomenally with this recipe, it’s all up to your preference! No matter which you choose, this chicken-topped pizza will always be a family favorite that makes great use of last night's leftover chicken dinner!
Need more ideas? Try some of these 90 healthy chicken recipes.
How Do I Know If My Leftovers Are Still Good to Eat?
Think about how you stored your chicken leftovers. Were they kept cold? Maybe you froze them instead. What about your containers?
Were they in proper containers? When stored in a proper airtight, shallow container, your leftover chicken can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and still be safe and fresh.
If you choose to freeze your favorite chicken leftovers, they will taste best if eaten within 4 months. So, you can enjoy your meals stress-free if you follow these simple guidelines for food safety.
Final Thoughts
It's happened to all of us. We cook a big chicken dinner, but there are always a few pieces left over. What do we do with them?
Think twice before throwing out those leftovers! There are so many different healthy and delightful meal ideas you can put together with that leftover chicken dinner. I’ve shown you some of my favorites, but if those don’t appeal to you, there are plenty of others to consider.
Do you have a favorite thing to do with your chicken leftovers that I didn’t mention here? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.