18 Things To Make With Leftover Chicken
Chicken is versatile, takes relatively little time to cook and pairs well with all sorts of herbs, spices and marinades. No wonder it's a go-to for weeknight dinners. Chicken's versatility also means you can make all kinds of sandwiches, soups, salads and other dishes with your leftovers. Make something delicious and reduce food waste with these leftover chicken recipes perfect for a lazy weeknight dinner or a hearty lunch.
Chicken Pot Pie
Use leftover chicken breast as the base for this savory pie's filling, which includes freezer staples like frozen peas, carrots and puff pastry. If you don't plan to eat it right away, freeze just before baking and thaw when you're ready to eat. It's a great meal prep recipe for busy weeknights.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Effortlessly ease your stomach ache with a soothing bowl of chicken noodle soup. Cut pre-cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces to greatly reduce the cooking time of this classic comfort food.
Chicken Flautas
Like many of the best Mexican recipes, this easy chicken flautas recipe was passed down through generations. Shred leftover grilled chicken, place it into warmed tortillas and fry on each side.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Spoon shredded cooked chicken into sauce-soaked tortillas, bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes and voila! — enjoy your easy 35-minute meal.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Named for the massive King Ranch in Texas, this iconic Texan dish is a quick dinner recipe with canned soup and chopped chicken. It surely holds its own among the cheesy and comforting casseroles of the Midwest.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
This easy Buffalo chicken dip is ideal game day grub. As much as you may want to palm this BCD, don't forget to serve it with tortilla chips and celery sticks.
Chicken and Spinach Dip
Do you know what would make spinach and artichoke dip taste 10 times better? Adding grilled or roasted chicken into the mix. This is one dish people will want you to bring to every party.
Grilled Chicken Ramen Bowl
You'll never go back to packets of ramen after making this recipe. Though it may take some time to cook, it will be worth it when you're slurping up this delicious ramen made with fresh ingredients.
Strawberry Spinach Salad With Chicken
One of the easiest ways to use leftover chicken is to toss it into a salad. This recipe has a hint of sweetness from the strawberry slices, but feel free to upgrade this salad using other leftovers.
For the Strawberry Spinach Salad With Chicken recipe, click here.
BBQ Chicken Flatbread
Jazz up this cheesy, veggie-covered flatbread with a cup of barbecue sauce and shredded leftover chicken. You can also try your hand at preparing your own dough to take this pizza to the next level.
Curried Chicken Salad
This isn't your usual chicken salad. The addition of curry powder packs this recipe with flavor; it's the perfect salad to make when you're just tired of lettuce. Put this chicken salad in between slices of bread for an appetizing sandwich, perfect for a picnic.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Tortilla
You've probably already seen this TikTok tortilla hack, where you fold over a tortilla to make a quadruple-decker wrap. It's the perfect way to use leftover chicken and bacon. Throw in some sliced avocados, spinach or whatever you have in the fridge for a quick lunch.
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
When you have no clue what to make for dinner, you can't go wrong with an easy pasta dish. If you have leftover rotisserie or grilled chicken in the fridge, mix it with a garlicky butter sauce and tomatoes for a delicious pasta dish that's ready in half an hour.
Chicken Mole
Do you love mole but don't have hours to spend making it? This shortcut recipe can be ready in 30 minutes. If you have cooked chicken, then you already have most of the work finished. Just make the dark brown sauce to coat the chicken and serve with polenta for a rich, homemade Mexican dish.
Perfect Roast Chicken Sandwich
If you roasted a chicken for dinner last night, odds are you have some leftover pieces. The simplest solution for all that poultry is to make a sandwich that is worthy of the dinner table (or lunch box). This one features an upgraded mayo with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula for a peppery, herby flavor.
Chicken Salad With Radicchio and Pine Nuts
This hearty salad is a good lunch or delectable no-cook side dish for dinner. Use leftover chicken breast, pine nuts and fresh vegetables for a bold salad.
For the Chicken Salad With Radicchio and Pine Nuts recipe, click here.
Shredded Chicken With Chipotle and Avocado
Mix shredded, cooked chicken with fire-roasted tomatoes and chipotle in adobo to add a ton of smoky flavor to the meat. This savory filling can be used in tacos, chalupas, sopes and more.
For the Shredded Chicken With Chipotle and Avocado recipe, click here.
Chicken Quesadillas With Pickled Red Onion and Jalapeños
This ooey, gooey chicken quesadilla adds pickled onions and jalapeños for extra flavor, but you can use this recipe as a base and use other fillings like pico de gallo or refried beans. Though this uses leftovers, it still ranks among the 101 best ways to cook chicken.
For the Chicken Quesadillas With Pickled Red Onion and Jalapenos recipe, click here.
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