Leftover Chicken Recipes: 20 Ideas for Roast or Rotisserie Chicken

Leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken is a weeknight head start: the cooking is done, you just need a plan. Here are 20 ideas and how to store it safely.

Storage and safety

• Refrigerate cooked chicken within about 2 hours of cooking.
• Use within 3–4 days, or freeze for a few months.
• Reheat until steaming hot throughout (74 °C / 165 °F).
• Strip the meat off the bones before refrigerating; it's easier to use and the bones can go straight into stock.

Soups and stews

1. Chicken noodle soup.
2. Chicken tortilla soup.
3. Chicken and rice soup.
4. Quick chicken pho-style noodle soup with store-bought broth.

Bonus: simmer the carcass with onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf for 2–3 hours to make stock. See zero-waste cooking.

Wraps, tacos and sandwiches

1. Chicken Caesar wraps.
2. BBQ chicken sliders.
3. Chicken tacos with slaw and lime.
4. Chicken salad sandwiches with celery and grapes.
5. Chicken quesadillas.

Rice and noodles

1. Chicken fried rice.
2. Chicken curry (add to sauce at the end so it doesn't dry out).
3. Peanut noodles with chicken.
4. Chicken burrito bowls.

Pasta and bakes

1. Creamy chicken and mushroom pasta.
2. Chicken pot pie (with puff pastry lid).
3. Chicken enchiladas.
4. Chicken and broccoli pasta bake.

Salads

1. Chicken Caesar salad.
2. Asian chicken salad with cabbage and sesame dressing.
3. Greek chicken grain bowl.

Keep it juicy

Reheated chicken dries out easily. Add it to sauces and soups at the end, just to heat through, or warm it covered with a splash of stock.

Plan for leftovers on purpose

Roast two chickens instead of one, or buy a rotisserie chicken on Monday and plan two meals around it. In SmartChef AI, ask Cook AI: "I have half a roast chicken, rice and spinach. Two dinners?" More ideas: what to cook with ingredients you have.

10-minute chicken fried rice

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add 2 cups cold cooked rice and fry for 3 minutes, breaking up clumps. Push to one side, scramble 2 eggs, then mix in. Add 1½ cups shredded leftover chicken, a handful of frozen peas and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Toss until everything is hot, about 3 minutes. Finish with sliced spring onions and a dash of sesame oil. Serves 2.

Leftover turkey works too

Every recipe here works with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Turkey is leaner, so add it to dishes with sauce or broth to keep it moist.

Frequently asked questions

How long is leftover chicken good for?

About 3–4 days in the fridge when refrigerated promptly. Freeze it for longer.

Can I freeze rotisserie chicken?

Yes. Remove the meat from the bones, portion it and freeze. Use within a few months for best quality.

What's the fastest leftover chicken dinner?

Quesadillas, fried rice or wraps take about 10 minutes.