18 Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes
Leftover chicken recipes are a great way to stretch your weeknight dinner lineup. If you're looking to simplify your cooking and avoid wasting food, this collection of recipes is perfect for you. Pre-cooked chicken can be turned into chicken soup, chicken hash, chicken salad, and more. Repurpose all of your leftover chicken into easy chicken dishes with these simple and flavorful recipes.
Mexican Skillet Corn with Chicken and Cilantro
This easy, fresh, and spicy summer dish makes fantastic use of leftover chicken and crisp, sweet corn.
Chicken 'Levivot' with Harissa Sauce
"Levivot" means "latke" in Hebrew. When chef Ron Arazi was growing up, his mother created these fritters as a way to use leftover chicken. It's become a staple at the Arazis' Hanukkah table. They now simmer a whole chicken with aromatic spices, then finely shred the meat, add lots of parsley and cilantro, and bind it together with mashed potatoes and eggs. The harissa sauce that accompanies the patties makes the dish even more festive.
Leftover Chicken Soup
This Leftover Chicken Soup from chef Marcus Samuelsson uses the whole bird — from bones to livers — to make a nearly no-waste dinner. First, Samuelsson makes the stock from charred aromatics and chicken bones. Then, he sears the livers and shreds the chicken for the soup. Feel free to substitute store-bought stock and upgrade it by simmering with charred vegetables.
Peppery Greens Salad with Avocado, Chicken, and Tortilla Croutons
Crispy, pimentón-dusted tortillas stand in for the flatbread traditionally found in the Lebanese bread salad fattoush. Make this recipe with easy homemade Tex-Mex Tortillas or use your favorite store-bought version.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Bakery owner Amanda Johnson uses leftover chicken or turkey, and wild rice harvested nearby, to make this lovely soup. Thyme and garlic add aromatic depth to the soup, along with the classic base of onions, carrots, and celery. After simmering the soup, finish it with a drizzle of cream to add a touch of richness.
Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Enchiladas with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Green Chile)
© Lucy Schaeffer
This recipe uses two cups of coarsely shredded cooked chicken, preferably grilled, roasted, or rotisserie. The sauce can be made a day or two ahead, but for the best texture, make sure to serve the enchiladas straight out of the oven.
Lemon Chicken and Kale Soup
Simple chicken soup becomes extra special with vibrantly green kale and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Turmeric Chicken and Rice
"This is a simple one-pot chicken and rice dish, but the turmeric adds color, spice, and flavor," chef Edward Lee says. "That makes it a winner in my house." He recommends using a whole organic chicken so you know exactly where the bird came from and serving the dish family-style.
Chicken Hash with Eggs
Using leftover chicken in a hash with green pepper, onion, and jalapeños makes a nice, hearty breakfast. A dash of hot sauce is delicious here.
Spicy Lemongrass Chicken
For this dish, chef Charles Phan stir-fries the chicken by itself until it's deeply golden and juicy before he transfers it to a plate; after he finishes cooking the other ingredients, he returns the chicken to the wok so all the flavors meld.
Leftover Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Sandwich
Make use of multiple leftovers with chef Jonathan Waxman’s tasty chicken salad dressed in a mix of yogurt and Gorgonzola cheese.
Spinach and Egg Drop Pasta Soup
"In our house, stracciatella was a catch-all," chef Tom Valenti says about this simple, rustic soup. "We started with good homemade stock and added whatever was around: beans, leftover sausage, shredded chicken." With a few truffle shavings, this soup can even be dressed up for a holiday dinner party.
Smothered Mole Chicken Nachos
This ultimate nacho recipe from chef Brad Farmerie can also be served with avocados, thinly sliced radishes, and lime wedges. Using store-bought mole and shredded leftover chicken makes these a snap to prepare.
Rustic Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
This simple but flavor-packed pasta recipe combines spicy chorizo sausage and caramelized onions with a single shredded chicken breast and spinach to make an easy dinner for two. Be sure to serve it with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Roasted Chicken and Leek Pizza
Juicy store-bought rotisserie chicken — or better yet, last night's leftover chicken — makes a great topping for a fast pizza.
Chicken and Broccoli Soup
Loved by the whole family, this chicken and broccoli soup recipe is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Instead of poaching chicken breasts for this slightly dressed-up chicken tetrazzini, you can use three to four cups of torn leftover or rotisserie chicken.
Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup
A mainstay in Morocco, steamed couscous topped with a very liquid stew is undeniably delectable, but not exactly quick. We've found, though, that combining all the ingredients in a soup yields similarly sumptuous results in a much shorter time. The dish is decidedly spicy; if you prefer less heat, just reduce the amount of cayenne.
