40 Delicious Dinner Ideas That Start With a Rotisserie Chicken
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When Alex Drummond goes to the supermarket, she almost always gets a rotisserie chicken. It's the one impulse buy that she always adds to her cart. "I just can't resist when I get home and there's a warm rotisserie chicken in my grocery bag," she says. In fact, Ree's daughter admitted that she loves the supermarket chicken so much that she sometimes sneaks a few bites in before she even makes it home. Can you blame her?
Before you go digging into your own rotisserie chicken, you'll want to check out these easy chicken recipes ahead. Whether you're looking for a quick chicken salad for lunch or an easy casserole for a comforting dinner, your family will love these recipes using rotisserie chicken. It goes without saying that there are plenty of 30-minute meals and even some that are quicker than that.
Best of all, you can get so creative when using leftover rotisserie chicken. Try flavor-packed dishes like spicy chicken quesadillas and buffalo chicken baked potatoes or stick to the classics like chicken pot pie. It takes what used to be a time-consuming Sunday supper and turns it into a quick weeknight savior! Looking for more family-favorites? Ree Drummond's chicken spaghetti is a "true go-to recipe" or try the chicken pesto pizza for a fun twist on pizza night. You can also add shredded rotisserie chicken to a Cobb salad or Caesar wrap for the perfect desk-side lunch. Now that's a grocery store hack that we can get behind.
Chicken Pasta Salad
Inspired by Ree's creamy chicken salad, this pasta salad is loaded with all the same ingredients like grapes, celery, shredded chicken, and a creamy dressing.
Get the Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.
BBQ Chicken Tacos
Making your chicken in an Instant Pot is easy enough but if you have a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, you can go ahead and skip that step! Simply shred the chicken and toss with the barbecue sauce, then pile it into tacos with a creamy slaw.
Get Ree's BBQ Chicken Tacos recipe.
Green Goddess Chicken Salad Dip
Here's a fun idea that combines chicken salad with an herby dip. It's healthy, colorful, and yet still hearty enough to keep guests or family memebers satisfied.
Get the Green Goddess Chicken Salad Dip recipe.
Chicken Noodle Casserole
There's something about chicken and noddles that's just so comforting. Maybe it brings back childhood memories or maybe it's the creaminess and the buttery cracker topping.
Get the Chicken Noodle Casserole recipe.
Enchiladas Verde
A homemade green enchilada sauce is the key to this weeknight dinner. It's made with fresh tomatillos, serrano chilis, lime juice, cilantro, and a handful of other ingredients. To keep things simple during the week, we like to use rotisserie chicken for the filling.
Get the Enchiladas Verde recipe.
Cobb Chicken Salad
If you love a Cobb salad that's loaded with bacon, avocado, egg, then this chicken salad is for you! Serve it up on sourdough bread slices or simply eat it by the spoonful!
Get Ree's Cobb Chicken Salad recipe.
Chicken Empanadas
Not only does this recipe using supermarket chicken, but it also uses store-bought empanada wrappers. Look for them in the freezer aisle to make these easy handheld pockets.
Get the Chicken Empanadas recipe.
Chicken Tortellini Soup
What's the best way to make chicken soup more comforting? Just add cheesy tortellini. They cook right in the broth so it couldn't be easier.
Get the Chicken Tortellini Soup recipe.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
A creamy homemade Caesar dressing is worth the effort in a recipe like this. That's because the rest is so easy to toss together. Even the croutons can be store-bought.
Get the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
When the craving for buffalo chicken strikes, this easy recipe will come in handy! The filling includes a carrot and celery slaw, blue cheese, and shredded chicken that's tossed in a spicy mixture of Buffalo-style hot sauce and melted butter.
Get Ree's Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe.
Chicken Taquitos
Whether you're looking for a party appetizer or an after-school snack, these easy taquitos are sure to be a hit. Serve them up with a trio of dips (sour cream, guacamole, and salsa) for dipping.
Get the Chicken Taquitos recipe.
White Chicken Chili
This hearty one-pot recipe comes together in just under an hour, but it'll taste like it's been simmering all day long. The trick? Plenty of flavorful spices!
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
No game day is complete without a tasty dip and this one is a real crowd-pleaser. It has all the flavor of buffalo wings, without all the hard work.
Get the Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.
Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants
This recipe uses not one but two grocery store shortcuts: rotisserie chicken and storebought pesto! It's an easy brunch idea, too.
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants recipe.
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Skip the first step of this recipe and go straight to shredding up your leftover chicken to make this baked pasta dish even easier. It's creamy, hearty, and perfectly divine.
Get Ree's Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe.
Chicken Caprese Salad
This hearty salad is easily customizable—you can swap the couscous for pasta and use any mixed greens you have on hand. It's perfect for a hearty weekday lunch.
Get the Chicken Caprese Salad recipe.
Chicken Spaghetti
This is one of Ree's all-time favorite make-ahead comfort foods. The kids love it, Ladd loves it, and The Pioneer Woman herself can always rely on it for a weekday dinner.
Get Ree's Chicken Spaghetti recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes
Buffalo sauce makes everything better—even a rotisserie chicken! Try these stuffed baked potatoes on game night or just serve them to your favorite hungry teenager.
Get Ree's Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes recipe.
Classic Pot Pie
Don’t overcomplicate things: A classic pot pie can be a simple weeknight dinner, too. Just use rotisserie chicken and store-bought pie crust.
Get Ree's Classic Pot Pie recipe.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Skip the steps for cooking the chicken and get right to shredding up a rotisserie one instead. It’s all about the toppings with this soup anyway—load up on anything from avocado to grated cheese.
Get Ree's Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.
French Onion Chicken Casserole
If you're a fan of French onion soup, you'll go crazy for this creamy chicken casserole. There are even slices of baguettes hiding inside.
Get Ree's French Onion Chicken Casserole recipe.
Buffalo Chicken French Bread Pizza
Your family will love this flavorful weeknight dinner. And you'll love how quickly it comes together!
Get Ree's Buffalo Chicken French Bread Pizza recipe.
White Chicken Enchiladas
Shredded chicken is transformed into a creamy, decadent dinner with these enchiladas. The recipe uses corn tortillas instead of flour for even more flavor.
Get Ree's White Chicken Enchiladas recipe.
Mini Cajun Chicken Pot Pies
For a new twist on the classic pot pie, add a punch of spice with Cajun seasoning. It will elevate your weeknight dinner to new heights.
Get Ree's Mini Cajun Chicken Pot Pies recipe.
Chicken Salad
This recipe calls for boiling a whole fryer chicken but feel free to use a rotisserie chicken instead. It's a quick way to use up leftovers for lunch or dinner.
Get Ree's Chicken Salad recipe.
Easy Skillet Chicken Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles is a one-pan wonder that usually comes with an egg on top. This version uses shredded chicken for an even easier dinner, but if you're missing the runny egg, you can always add it back.
Get the Easy Skillet Chicken Chilaquiles recipe.
Pasta with Mushrooms, Chicken, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Use a rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken to make this pasta a weeknight staple. It will taste even better with an extra grating of cheese on top.
Get the Pasta with Mushrooms, Chicken, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes recipe.
Texas Chicken Chowder
This hearty soup is packed with beans, potatoes, and chicken—perfect for hungry cowboys (or cowgirls)!
Get the Texas Chicken Chowder recipe.
Summer Orzo Chicken Salad
Give rotisserie chicken a fresh, summery spin with this zippy pasta salad. It's packed with fresh dill, lemon, and sweet corn to get you ready for warmer days ahead.
Get the Summer Orzo Chicken Salad recipe at Pinch of Yum.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
If you have a little extra time on your hands, homemade gumbo is the way to go. It's hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor.
Get the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe at Butter Be Ready.
Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers
This dish gets its flavor from both sautéed mushrooms and dried porcini mushrooms. For an easy way to grind up dried mushrooms, use a coffee grinder.
Get the Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Peppers recipe at Foodie Crush.
Peanut Chicken with Veggies
You'll want to use this flavorful peanut sauce on everything! But it's especially tasty with leftover rotisserie chicken and whatever veggies you have on hand.
Get the Peanut Chicken with Veggies recipe at Well Plated.
Chicken Tostadas
These loaded tostadas can either be baked or fried. Either way, they're a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.
Get the Chicken Tostadas recipe at Immaculate Bites.
Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
There's nothing like homemade chicken soup, but sometimes using boxed chicken stock and store-bought rotisserie chicken will do the trick—especially on busy weeknights.
Get the Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe at The Modern Proper.
Chicken Pesto Pizza
This easy recipe comes together in a matter of minutes thanks to some time-saving store-bought items: pizza crust, pesto, and rotisserie chicken.
Get the Chicken Pesto Pizza recipe at Damn Delicious.
Rotisserie Chicken Cobb Salad
There's a lot to prepare when it comes to cobb salad—from cooking the bacon to hard boiling the eggs to making the dressing—so using rotisserie chicken is a great way to simplify things.
Get the Rotisserie Chicken Cobb Salad recipe at Fit Foodie Finds.
Pimento Cheese Chicken Quesadillas
This cheesy, spicy weeknight dinner looks totally irresistible. Luckily, it makes some extra pimento cheese that you can use for spreading on crackers when the craving hits.
Get the Pimento Cheese Chicken Quesadillas recipe at How Sweet Eats.
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Everything you love about Caesar salad—garlicky croutons, crisp romaine, tender chicken, and creamy dressing—all in one handy wrap. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
Get the Chicken Caesar Wraps recipe at Little Sunny Kitchen.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Garam masala spice mix brings new life to rotisserie chicken with this quick and easy tikka masala-inspired dinner. Serve it over rice for a complete meal.
Get the Chicken Tikka Masala recipe at Simple Natural Nutrition.
Chicken Divan
This creamy chicken and broccoli dinner is sure to become a family favorite. The nostalgic casserole dish gets an upgrade with quick and easy rotisserie chicken.
Get the Chicken Divan recipe at Cookies and Cups.
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