There is nothing better than having a rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken in your fridge to get dinner going, especially for busy weeknights! Having that tender cooked and delicious chicken makes your meal prep fast and easy. Now all you need are a couple good chicken recipes that call for cooked chicken.
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Rotisserie Chicken
Before we get started with leftover chicken recipes, let's talk about buying a rotisserie chicken. One of my favorite places to buy a whole roasted chicken is at Costco. You can grab one for under $6, that is a bargain! I will say Costco makes a really juicy rotisserie chicken! YUM
Your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart also carry already cooked rotisserie chickens. They will generally be near the deli section/counter.
Making Your Own Rotisserie Chicken Or Cooked Chicken
You can absolutely make your own “rotisserie” chicken or cooked chicken to use in these recipes. Most home kitchens don’t have an actual rotisserie, but roasting it in the oven or in your Instant Pot will work too!
How to Break Down a Rotisserie Chicken
A whole chicken can be broken down into 8 pieces: 2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs.
Here is a great video showing you exactly how to break your chicken down (and shred the chicken if you want):
Rotisserie Chicken Tips
- It is easier to pull the meat from the chicken when it is still a little warm.
- You can shred the chicken meat with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) while it is still warm – see the video above!
- Since most rotisserie chicken are one set price instead of “per pound” buy the biggest one they have.
- If you are shredding or chopping the meat, pour a cup of chicken broth in the bottom of the storage container to help keep your chicken from drying out.
Storing Rotisserie Chicken – Fridge & Freezer
Rotisserie Chicken keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure you keep it in an airtight container or baggie.
Pro Tip: Pour a little broth at the bottom of the storage container to keep your chicken from drying out!
You can also keep your shredded rotisserie chicken meat in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend storing it in 2-3 cup portions for easier use in recipes. To use from the freezer thaw in the fridge overnight.
Don’t throw Away the Carcass!
After you have removed all the meat from the chicken you can use the bones to make the best Stock! I like to use my electric pressure cooker to make Instant Pot Chicken Stock. It will be full of collagen and nutrients!
If you aren’t’ ready to make the chicken stock right away you can keep the carcass/bones in the freezer in a Ziplock for up to 3 months.
MOM’S TIP: When I have a chicken carcass in the freezer I will add veggie scraps to it until I have enough to make Stock. Onion peels and tops, Carrot peels, celery stalk stems, parsley stems…all work!!
25+ Leftover Chicken Recipes
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Let me know in the comments below what your favorite recipe is to make with leftover chicken!?
alex says
Such great ideas – I love the diagram showing you how it can be broken down/into what parts. Super helpful!
Susie Weinrich says
So glad it’s helpful. We love using rotisserie chicken as a dinner shortcut.