Spread the bird: One rotisserie chicken makes for multiple meals

Judith McGinnis
·3 min read
1

Compared to the time, effort and mess invested in cooking a whole chicken, there are a few good meals in one rotisserie chicken.

Often rotisserie chickens are considered “loss leaders,” something grocery and warehouse stores offer to attract customers and keep them coming back.

So, what can you make with a rotisserie chicken?

  • First, strip off the dark and light meat (leave the wings) to use in recipes. Put the carcass (skin removed) in a Dutch oven with a medium onion, 1 stalk celery and 2 teaspoons salt. Add water to cover, bring to a boil then simmer about 3 hours or until the carcass falls apart.

  • Drain the stock, use what is needed then freeze the rest for soup, casserole or rice cooked with stock instead of water. If there’s leftover chicken meat pack and freeze it in stock.

  • Dispose of the carcass so cats and dogs can’t get to it.

Not a fan of rolling enchiladas? Made stack-style servings are built layer by layer.

STACKED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS VERDES

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup salsa verde

1 cup sour cream

12 street taco size flour tortillas

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, warm

4 cups grated white Cheddar, Swiss, Monterrey or pepper jack cheese

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan heat butter; whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock or broth, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper cooking over medium heat until sauce thickens. Whisk in salsa verde and sour cream. Keep warm.

  2. To warm flour tortillas wrap in a damp kitchen towel and microwave on low about 2 minutes.

  3. Place 1 warm tortilla on a plate; top with shredded chicken, grated cheese and some sauce; repeat with 2 more tortillas ending with chicken and cheese. Keep warm.

  4. Repeat to make 3 more enchilada stacks. Makes 4 servings.

Quick and perfect on those cooler evenings we’re all looking forward to.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 4-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt to taste

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

Corn tortilla chips

Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese or shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven combine stock or broth, tomatoes and green chiles, cumin, onion, garlic and chili powder, salt to taste.

  2. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and heat through.

  3. Pour hot soup over tortilla chips and sprinkle with crumbled or shredded cheese. Makes 5 servings.

Turn on the oven and skip boiling dumplings with a more hands-off recipe.

EASY CHICKEN AND DUMPLING CASSEROLE

1½ cups chicken stock or broth

1 10½-ounce can cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup frozen peas and carrots or mixed vegetables

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

3/4 cup milk or buttermilk

1½ cups baking mix

Directions

  1. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a large bowl whisk chicken stock or broth, soup, poultry seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in vegetables and chicken. Pour into prepared dish.

  3. In a medium bowl mix milk or buttermilk and baking mix to make a soft dough. Carefully drop heaping tablespoons of dough into the filling leaving space in between.

  4. Bake 40 minutes or until hot, bubbly and dumplings are browned and cooked through. Cool 15 minutes before servings. Makes 6 servings.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Spread the bird: One rotisserie chicken makes for multiple meals