The next time you go grocery shopping, pick up a rotisserie chicken. In addition to being a Costco cult favorite, these flavorful, fragrant birds are huge boons for meal prep. Since they’re already cooked and whatnot, you can start incorporating them into your recipes right away. Shred up that meat and throw it into chili, or dice it into cubes and add it to a quesadilla. Heck, even eat it straight off the bone — no shame, it’s a delicious lean protein source just the way it is!
Not to mention, the average rotisserie chicken costs about $10 to $12, which is especially affordable when you compare the amount of meat you’re getting to the amount of work you didn’t have to do. One quick note: If you’re trying to keep it healthy, opt for a plain bird over a spiced bird, as those that are pre-spiced tend to have lots of added sugar and sodium. And remember, just because you buy it plain doesn’t mean it has to stay plain — you can always add your own spices at home
Not exactly sure how to begin working with your precooked bird? Let these 12 recipes get you started. All of them are tasty, simple and versatile enough to work for lunch or dinner. Because one chicken can absolutely feed you for a whole week.
WATCH > TURN ROTISSERIE CHICKEN INTO QUICK GREEK CHICKEN WRAPS
1. CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE FROM GIMME SOME OVEN
Filled with cheese, corn, beans, avocado and shredded chicken (naturally), this casserole has all the enchilada flavors you could ever want.
2. JALAPEÑO CHICKEN SALAD WITH HOMEMADE AIOLI FROM BROOKLYN SUPPER
Aioli made from scratch and fresh-chopped fennel add an unexpected crunch to this chicken salad. For a full meal, turn it into a sandwich.
3. SPICY ALMOND CHICKEN PHO FROM COTTER CRUNCH
Don’t be daunted by pho. This spin on that soothing Vietnamese soup is especially easy thanks to rotisserie chicken.
4. CHEESY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI POCKETS FROM DAMN DELICIOUS
This recipe tastes like a cross between a Hot Pocket and Panera Bread’s broccoli cheddar soup — i.e., it’s amazing.
5. CHICKEN POT PIE PIZZA FROM FOODIE CRUSH
If pot pie seems a little too hard to make, try making pot pie pizza instead. Foodie Crush uses store-bought biscuit dough to make a buttery, flaky crust.
6. SONOMA CHICKEN PASTA SALAD JARS FROM FOXES LOVE LEMONS
Rotisserie chicken + mason jars = meal-prep heaven. This recipe has all the flavors and textures you could possibly want: pasta, raspberry vinaigrette, chopped chicken and crunchy veggies.
7. CHICKEN QUESADILLAS WITH GOCHUJANG SAUCE FROM HEALTHY NIBBLES AND BITS
The original recipe — which calls for you to prepare uncooked chicken — takes about 30 minutes to make. Using that precooked rotisserie chicken instead will cut your prep time in half. Dinner in 15? Yes, please.
8. WHITE BEAN AND CHICKEN CHILI SOUP FROM HIP FOODIE MOM
Hearty and warming, you only need one pot to make this veggie- and chicken-packed soup.
9. THAI CHOPPED SALAD WITH PEANUT VINAIGRETTE FROM INQUIRING CHEF
If you’re using a rotisserie chicken, you can easily throw this recipe together in the 15 minutes before you leave for work in the morning.
10. BUFFALO CHICKEN ZUCCHINI BOATS FROM JOYFUL HEALTHY EATS
Whether you choose to serve this as a low-calorie party app or eat it for dinner, these stuffed zucchinis are worth your time.
11. CILANTRO PESTO CHICKEN WRAPS FROM PHYSICAL KITCHNESS
We love a lettuce wrap. This one is herby, zesty and it only takes about 10 minutes to make.
12. BBQ CHICKEN SWEET POTATO PIZZA FROM PINCH OF YUM
Pinch of Yum makes a homemade sweet potato crust for this recipe, but if you don’t feel like getting quite so fancy (and you don’t mind the gluten), regular pizza crust will work just fine.
