Your Favorite Thing to Do with Leftover Rotisserie Chicken?
It's my day off, there's a jillion inches of snow out there, and it's toasty in here by the fire. I've got a half of a very plump leftover rotisserie chicken that I got at Costco on a whim and it was really the largest rotisserie chicken I've ever seen. So, I have an ample amount of chicken (to serve two) and want to make something yummy using what I have at home without making a grocery run. Given a pretty well stocked pantry, does anyone have a seriously delicious idea for dinner?
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30 Comments:
This has already been covered:
http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2008/08/i-like-to--------with-leftover-rotisserie-chicken.html
http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2008/10/leftover-rotisserie-chicken-ideas.html
The search function is not that hard to use :)
simon at 1:57PM on 01/22/09
Thank you for pointing that out. Your suggestions for the shredded chicken/pasta dish or chicken burgers sound like good possibilities.
frederika at 2:11PM on 01/22/09
The famous costco greek pasta salad. Some of the chicken, your fav short pasta, torn spinach, marinated artichokes, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives and greek dressing. It is adaptable to what you like and it is so good.
JerzeeTomato at 2:45PM on 01/22/09
I have some leftover chicken from last night's roasted chicken and I'm going to shred it and add it to soup, along with some veggies and noodles. I don't remember if I answered either of the queries simon linked above and most likely someone mentioned soup, but I'm having it tonight. Might grill some ciabatta bread I need to use or make panini sandwiches with it to have with the soup. I'm getting hungry! Let us know how you end up using it?
PerkyMac at 2:58PM on 01/22/09
Chicken enchiladas!
finsbigfan at 3:00PM on 01/22/09
I 2nd soup and there is no need to go shopping as long as you have broth be creative, add tortellini, barley, rice, or egg noodles
and change up the veggies-
southwest- corn black beans, peppers garnish w/ salsa and avocado
italian- tortelini, tomato, zuccini, cannelini beans
chinese- add beaten egg and chix for egg drop
barley and mushroom
KtMc24 at 3:19PM on 01/22/09
I 3rd soup! great way to play refrigerator roulette ;-)
also there is a great recipe in epicurious for tomilillo chicken tamales that calls for a shredded rotissere chicken.
Fried rice comes to mind to. If you have a well stocked pantry there are no limits, unless you're like me and have no imagination ;-) let us know what you decide?!
huneybumper at 3:43PM on 01/22/09
I love to make tacos out of leftover chicken! Grab a tortilla and throw in whatever veggies you want and chicken - yum!
TaraTot at 3:47PM on 01/22/09
Chicken salad.
izatryt at 4:17PM on 01/22/09
I think chicken enchiladas. Add some sour cream, garlic and cilantro. Mmmm.
@simon~Tsk tsk tsk. It is for me...
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 5:16PM on 01/22/09
carol, whats so hard about it? You type in what you're looking for and then click on "search" (or press the enter key, but I see how that could be a bit advanced for some.) Then, like magic, a list of articles will appear through the tubes! Try it, you'll like it!
simon at 5:22PM on 01/22/09
@simon, it's fun for some of us to answer and say what we're doing or what we'd use. We're just home cooks, but I learn something here every day - that's why I'm here all the time. As much as I love wonton egg drop soup, it hadn't occurred to me to add egg until KtMC24 mentioned it. You know I luvs ya babe, but why so snarky? If a topic annoys me, I skip it. We get new people all the time, and things will get repeated and bore some and inspire others. Make some soup or tacos and have a great evening! Hugs - really!
PerkyMac at 5:32PM on 01/22/09
Thanks for all your great suggestions! I do have a well stocked pantry but somewhat depleted my fresh veggie selection last weekend when it was minus10 degrees outside. I made veggie soup and threw in some mezzi tubetti and my parm rinds and had a fake-out minestrone, which we have been eating for days. Nonetheless, when I'm at Costco I tend to not stock up too much on fresh veggies because there are only two of us and hate throwing them out. So, I'm a little fresh veg challenged until I get to the local grocery.
I can only say right now I'm planning on using my shredded chicken, farfalle pasta, shallots, garlic, some peas and maybe red bell pepper. After sauteeing the garlic and shallots in butter I plan to do a reduction with some white balsamic, maybe some white wine, chix broth. And somewhere along the line, lots of parmesan. Orrrr...skip the peas and red bell pepper and use lots of capers.
@ huneybumper - Love fried rice and haven't made it in ages! I'm minus a few ingred. but what a great idea for next week!
I'll report back if our dinner was edible!
frederika at 5:45PM on 01/22/09
@perky - Thanks honey, I was feeling a little, um... stupid. Sniff.... It's good to know I wasn't the only one who thought it sounded "that" way! You're just as sweet as ever, girl!
frederika at 5:53PM on 01/22/09
Oh please perky, lets try not to be so sensitive. Tongue was firmly planted in cheek.
simon at 6:07PM on 01/22/09
ding! ding! ding! everyone back to their corners. lol.. perky well said..
what about hot open faced chicken sandwiches. some nice bread, chicken, gravy, maybe some mashed . what's better than that.
dearrie at 6:22PM on 01/22/09
@dearrie~Very Funny! Nice work.
I did see the tongue in the cheek. The fact remains, I still sometimes have to wait for the kids to come home to show me how to do some thing right. I'm really good at half- a$$ed. ;)
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 6:36PM on 01/22/09
@ carol~thank you.
dearrie at 7:06PM on 01/22/09
Looks like simon has some pent up negative energy......Never a good sign.
izatryt at 7:42PM on 01/22/09
@frederika - welcome back! I missed seeing you round here.
On topic - I usually use leftover rotisserie chicken in either chicken salad or as a filling for whatever I feel like - puff pastries, tacos, egg rolls, mini pies, etc. Carcass always ends up in a soup.
brooke29 at 8:04PM on 01/22/09
@izzy, simon's fine. And perhaps that energy is a good sign--our island community could use it as an advantage with those come hither powers that have drawn Pavlov and AB to that desert island in the past.
@simon. Kidding. Got the tongue in cheek thing right off the bat and well, I think that you get the need for the kick back and chat rather than the somewhat impersonal search. Smiles all around.
And hey, silliness aside, as I've said in the past, do a version of beef stroganoff, just substitute chicken instead. Probably will be my husband's requested meal after his two week stint of travel.
dhorst at 8:22PM on 01/22/09
I got your back frederika (where have you been????). I'm in the corner with simon, snuggling to keep warm & cozy. We're behaving - keeping our tongues firmly planted in our cheeks. ;0
PerkyMac at 10:29PM on 01/22/09
@brooke29 - Thanks, but a little too much excitement for my first day back! I've never been one to become embroiled in controversy, eh? LOL...
@simon - related to Cowell? I wasn't that hurt... the climate of SE has just gotten a bit more ascerbic since I was around. No worries...
What do you guys use for gravy when you get a rotisserie chicken? A few years back I made a CI recipe called "gravy from nothing" and wasn't very impressed. Any other ideas other than from a jar?
FYI - dinner became a Chicken Piccata Pasta - shallot, white wine, chix stock, capers, lemon juice; garnished with a little grated parm. Good stuff.
frederika at 10:54PM on 01/22/09
@Perky - Just as long as they're only in your cheeks! I've been working two jobs, adopting dogs, trying to keep warm up here in the tundra. I knew I could count on you! Don't be naughty over there!!!
frederika at 11:09PM on 01/22/09
Sounds delicious! As far as gravy.....I love to broil chicken and I save the drippings after I've discarded the fat. It is like a gelatin. I keep it in the freezer and it makes a wonderful gravy and also a great addition to stock. If you grill chicken, maybe you could put a pan under and save some of those drippings? Where there's a will, there's a way. Gravy lover here. ;)
PerkyMac at 11:13PM on 01/22/09
@frederika ~ moi, naughty???? busy lady! congrats on the puppy dogs. A bunch of us joined the SE group on facebook - join us and post some photos of your new family. Let me know if you need a link.
PerkyMac at 11:17PM on 01/22/09
@frederika - maybe that's what it means "to make an entrance", eh?:-)
Re-gravy - if I don't have any roasted something drippings (I freeze turkey or chicken drippings if not used), I render some bacon or sausage for the roux. And I always have chicken and/or beef stock in my freezer, so that's what I use. I season in accordance with whatever I serve it with/for - always s & p, of course, a splash of brandy or white wine, herbs - tarragon, sage, rosemary, etc.
brooke29 at 11:19PM on 01/22/09
@Perky - I know I should save the drippings, but I rarely do. Sort of like a demi glace. That stuff is like gold! Or I do save the drippings in a small container that I forget to label and it gets lost back in the freezer netherworld never to be found again.
Sure, send me the link. I just started on Facebook last week with our adoption group, so I'm really a newbie at it. I just haven't spent much time with it yet.
@brooke29 - Is a re-gravy one that can be used more than once? hee hee... Yes, if I have my own homemade stock in the freezer, a reduction of that is a great base. Just so happens, it's stock making time again - the freezer is bare!
frederika at 12:24AM on 01/23/09
@frederika to make an easy "gravy" without drippings, I usually reduce some good chicken stock, and i add a tiny amount of bloomed geletin (knox) I know its not normal, but it gives a wonderful texture without adding any fat for richness. Just dont add too much, otherwise you will end up with chewable gravy. lol I've dont that too. not a pleasent experience although it did cut down on drips at the table. ;-)
huneybumper at 7:36AM on 01/23/09
Here is the link to the Serious Eats group on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5154242276
My name is Perky Mac. Write me a note if you use your real name.
PerkyMac at 10:17AM on 01/23/09