7 really good things to make with a rotisserie chicken
Because it's my fav kitchen shortcut
I love a shortcut in the kitchen. Anything that makes a meal easier, simpler, less stressful — but no less delicious. And my favorite of them all is a rotisserie chicken.
I love to roast a chicken and will be the first to tell you that it’s actually quite easy and doesn’t take as long as you’d think, but also the first to suggest picking up a good ol’ rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. It’s easy, it’s cheap, it’s delicious, and it can be used in sooooo many different ways.
(Do I keep track of what stores have sales on rotisserie chickens on which days and specifically plan my meals around that? Yes, yes I do. Ralphs is Thursdays — that’s my favorite.)
Want a classic but quick meal? Heat up some frozen fries, throw together a salad (or do yourself a favor and pick up a salad kit while you’re at the store, too), add a sauce or dip and voilà, dinner is served. Want something a little more unexpected? Shred up the chicken and use it any number of ways. Below, I’m listing some of my favorites that I make for lunch and dinner.
What’s your favorite way to use or serve rotisserie chicken? Let me know in the comments!
1. Chicken Salad
I could eat this chicken salad every day and not get tired of it. My go-to recipe has a ton of herbs added in for freshness and brightness, along with capers and cornichons for a vinegary kick that will put a spring in your step and your taste buds. I love to serve it wrapped in lettuce leaves for the ultimate cold, crunchy bite, but it’s just as good on a sandwich or wrap or with some crackers (the TJ’s olive and fig ones are a divine pairing here, btw). It’s worth noting that I always eyeball this, but did measure out all the ingredients for the sake of having a recipe for those that prefer exact amounts. As with all my recipes, add in more, less, or none of something (or throw in something completely new!) to make it your own.
Serves: 1-2
Cook time: 10 minutes (just chopping + mixing)
Recipe:
2 cups chicken (from about 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken), chopped or shredded
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup (packed) chopped herbs — I love dill, parsley, and cilantro here
1/3 cup sliced cornichon pickles
1 heaping tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
lots of salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
2. BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta salad season is officially here, and this one is an unexpected but delicious one that will be more than welcome at any BBQ or gathering. It’s inspired by my all-time favorite salad, the BBQ chicken salad from Cheesecake Factory.
Serves: 6-8 as a side, 4-ish as a main (yes, pasta salad can be a main)
Cook time: 35 minutes (including pasta boiling time)
Recipe:
1 pound pasta, cooked
1 can black beans
1 can corn or 1.75 cups corn
2 cups shredded/chopped rotisserie chicken tossed with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, cubed
2/3 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup (or more) ranch dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra BBQ sauce for serving
2 cups fried onions
Mix all the ingredients together and top with fried onions + more BBQ sauce. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
For the fried onions:
1 cup flour
1.5 cups sparkling water
1 tbsp paprika
salt
1 onion, sliced into 1/4” slices (separate the slices)
Whisk together the flour, sparkling water, paprika, and a big pinch of salt. You want the batter to be the consistency of paint, so you might need to add a little more of one or the other.
Heat your one inch or so of neutral frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Dip the onion slices in the batter and fry over medium-high heat until golden brown. Drain and sprinkle with salt.
3. Chicken and Broccoli Pesto Mac & Cheese
Something about this mac & cheese just feels so… elevated? It’s nothing like the boxed stuff and therefore my toddler won’t eat it, but every adult who’s tried it has loved it. The pesto takes the flavor to the next level and the chicken adds in protein, which we’re all trying to get more of these days, right?
Serves: 6
Cook time: 40 minutes
Recipe:
1 lb short pasta, like rigatoni
1 lb broccoli, cut into florets and stems peeled and chopped
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cups white cheddar
3/4 cups mozzarella
1/2 cup pesto
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Cook pasta in boiling, very salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions. Two minutes before that, add broccoli to same pot to cook.
Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-low heat in a large, oven-safe pan or Dutch oven (if you do not have anything oven safe, you can transfer it to a baking dish to bake). Once butter is melted, add flour and stir with a whisk to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Slowly add in the milk, whisking as you do. Once all the milk is added, cook for 5-8 minutes until roux has thickened, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add your cheese and stir until melted. Turn off heat and add in pesto. Once combined, add in pasta, broccoli, and chicken, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until browned on top. You may have to broil for a few minutes at the end. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy
4. Boursin & Leek Chicken Pot Pie
It’s not exactly chicken pot pie season here in the US, but I’m resurfacing this sleeper hit of a recipe for my readers in the southern hemisphere who are easing into fall. I love Boursin in anything, and it does lots of heavy lifting in this dish in terms of flavor — one puck adds creamy decadence and eliminates the need for garlic and herbs. It’s another favorite kitchen shortcut for a reason. Bless you, Boursin.
Serves: 4
Cook time: 1 hour
Recipe:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced into half-moons
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 1/2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken bone broth or stock
1 Boursin garlic and herbs
1 heaping tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cups shredded rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and rolled out
1 egg, beaten
First, preheat your oven to 400.
In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (I use the Great Jones Deep Cut), heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until melted. Add the onions, leeks, and celery, and cook stirring frequently until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for one minute, then pour in the chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the Boursin and cook until melted. Fold in the Dijon mustard, chicken, and peas, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
To roll out your puff pastry, place it on a floured surface and dust the top with more flour. Using a rolling pin, wine bottle, or other similar cylindrical tool, roll it, rotating frequently, until it is large enough to cover your pan.
Place your puff pastry on top of the pan, and use a sharp knife to trim around the edges and create a circular shape. Cut a few vents on top. Brush the egg on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until puff pastry is risen and golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
5. BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
Clearly, I’m a big fan of BBQ chicken anything. This one is like a salad and pizza in one, and makes good use of the pre-cooked flatbreads they sell at Trader Joe’s. (Don’t live near a TJ’s or just don’t want to use that ingredient? Use a pre-cooked pizza crust or pre-made dough. For the latter, you’ll want to adjust the cooking temp + time according to the dough’s cooking instructions.)
Serves: 2-3
Cook time: 20 minutes
Recipe:
1 pre-cooked flatbread/pizza crust
1/2 cup-2/3 cup BBQ sauce (depending on how saucy you like it)
1 cup-1.5 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and mozzarella), depending on how cheesy you like it
3/4 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
Spread BBQ sauce on your crust, then sprinkle on cheese. Top with chicken and red onions. Bake at 375 for 15 ish minutes until the cheese is melted.
For the salad:
3 cups greens (I like something crunchy here, like butter lettuce or romaine, but use what you got)
1 tomato, chopped
A small handful of pickles, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Ranch dressing to taste
Mix all ingredients together, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve salad on top of pizza. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
6. BLTA Chicken Salad Pasta
I’m obsessed with California Chicken Cafe. I think they have the best takeout salads in LA, hands down, and usually order from them at least once a week (Denis gets their wraps for lunch almost daily). On the days I don’t order from them but crave their salads, this is what I make. I call it salad pasta and not pasta salad because their are more greens than pasta, and that’s really good sometimes. (Also, they don’t actually have a salad with these ingredients, but the idea was def inspired by theirs).
Serves: 1
Cook time: 15 minutes
Recipe:
4 cups mixed greens (a few really good handfulls)
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup cooked pasta (I like to use a legume pasta here for extra brotein)
1/2 cup-3/4 cup cooked chicken
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 cup cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shredded cheese of choice
dressing of choice
Mix together all ingredients with a healthy amount of salt and freshly ground pepper. For dressing, I do ranch if I have it on hand or a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar if I don’t. Both are perf here.
7. A Classic Rotisserie Chicken Dinner
I don’t know what makes this classic, other than I have no idea what to call it and there’s nothing too fancy about it! I grew up on Zankou chicken, so perhaps it’s because this type of meal reminds me of the takeout dinners of my youth. Serving a rotisserie chicken with fries feels very French to me, and a side salad is always a necessity, as is a dip/sauce and some pickles. Quickly roasted or steamed veggies are welcome to the party, too. No recipe here, but hopefully the below photos give you some inspo.
Great ideas! Rotisserie chicken really does make weeknight cooking easier. I’ve been trying to keep meals balanced recently and sometimes even check texas roadhouse nutrition data when comparing meal options. https://texasnutrition.us/