16 Quick and Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes for Busy Days
For good reason, chicken is a favorite for evening dinners: it's quite flexible and simple to prepare. Make extra chicken the next time you prepare it so you have it for quick dinners later. On hectic nights, having a variety of easy leftover chicken recipes on hand can make all the difference.
From soups and salads to pizzas and pot pies, we've compiled a number of ideas that will make your leftover chicken into delectable, hassle-free meals. These suggestions can help you turn leftovers into hearty meals with little work, regardless of whether you've roasted an entire chicken, grilled a few breasts, or picked up a rotisserie chicken.
RELATED: 14 Simple Chicken Breast Recipes You Can Whip Up in Under 40 Minutes
1 | Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing is more comforting than a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup when you're feeling ill. Use your leftover cooked chicken and omit Step 1 for a quick weeknight variation. To quickly make a hearty, homemade soup, simply add the vegetables and noodles and boil until cooked through.
2 | Chicken and Mushroom Pasta in Creamy Sauce
Buttery egg noodles, soft shredded chicken, and creamy mushrooms combine to create the ultimate comfort food in this quick and simple recipe for leftover chicken that is delicious and comforting. For a change of pace, try using your favorite pasta or hearty grain in place of the noodles.
3 | Crisp and Refreshing Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Fresh, flavorful, and healthy, this chicken dish is perfect for a busy weekday dinner. With leftover chicken, there's no need to fire up the grill. Simply cook rice vermicelli noodles per the package instructions, whip up a tangy Vietnamese-inspired sauce, and prep some matchstick-cut veggies. Then, let everyone assemble their own refreshing lettuce wraps!
4 | Orange Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles
In the time it takes to order Chinese takeout, you can whip up this dish at home. Using leftover chicken speeds things up even more. This recipe features orange marmalade for that signature sweet and tangy flavor, paired with chicken, veggies, and rice noodles for a satisfying meal.
5 | Quick and Easy Chicken Curry
Turn your leftover chicken into a quick, flavorful curry in no time—quicker than waiting for delivery! The addition of plain yogurt creates a creamy texture with a subtle tang, while fresh cilantro adds a burst of brightness to the dish.
6 | Butternut Squash and Chicken Pozole
This soup with a Mexican flair is ideal for a cozy fall meal. This stew-like dish combines chicken with butternut squash, kale, and hominy, a chewy corn. Add tortilla chips for a little crunch and Greek yogurt for creaminess.
7 Easy Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie
All the traditional tastes are present in this easy and cozy chicken pot pie without the bother. It produces a traditional filling in record speed and is packed with healthy vegetables including carrots, onions, celery, and peas. The twist? With just 30 minutes of hands-on preparation, you can create flaky layers with a puff pastry crust that is cut into squares, sprayed with egg wash, and baked to golden perfection.
8 Baby Kale and Chicken Caesar
This salad is full of smart shortcuts, such as utilizing leftover chicken to increase protein and mayonnaise for a hassle-free dressing. Every time, the kale delivers a savory and filling mouthful as it absorbs the strong flavors of the anchovies, garlic, Dijon, and lemon.
9 | Instant Pot Chicken Pho
A steaming cup of pho, a fragrant, rich, and lively Vietnamese soup, is one of the most calming foods. Simplify the process by using your Instant Pot to add leftover chicken at the end and omit the chicken-cooking steps. Get creative with your favorite ingredients or add fresh toppings like cilantro, bean sprouts, and serrano chiles to personalize your bowl.
10 | Miso Chicken Noodle Soup With Kimchi
This East Asian-inspired chicken soup combines Korean kimchi and Japanese miso to create a robust, delicious taste. This 20-minute recipe combines tofu and shredded chicken for added protein, or you can omit the tofu to use more of your leftovers. Any night of the week, this is a tasty and easy way to warm up!
11 Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie
Do you think making pot pie takes too much time? Not with a store-bought pie crust and leftover chicken! This recipe allows you to use pre-cooked chicken in Step 1, saving you the trouble. The end result was a golden-brown crusted pie with bubbling, creamy chicken and vegetables that was ready in less than an hour.
12 | Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas
Don't worry about the chicken on the grill; concentrate on the quesadillas! This recipe involves tucking melty Monterey Jack, fresh baby spinach, and leftover cooked chicken into a folded tortilla. For smoky flavor, cook them directly on the grill; alternatively, bake them on a sheet pan for just as delicious results.
13 | Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl
Add leftover cooked chicken to make this vegetarian dish a filling, high-protein supper. The name "mole" should not scare you; this dish uses a jarred variety for ease of preparation. Cotija cheese, baby arugula, and roasted cauliflower give this tasty and simple bowl a novel twist.
14 | Sun-Dried Tomato Romesco Chicken
Store-bought ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes and roasted bell peppers make this recipe quick and easy, and you can save even more time without sacrificing flavor by using fresh cutlets instead of leftover chicken.
15 | Eggplant and Chicken Caponata Pizza
Stay put, regardless matter whether the caponata or eggplant is putting you off! Made with eggplant, olives, onions, and herbs, caponata is a Sicilian dish that resembles relish. This dish uses leftover cooked chicken, sautéed eggplant ribbons, red bell pepper pieces, and briny capers to make caponata, which is used as a pizza topping. Give it a try; you'll enjoy it!
16 | Herby Chicken Salad Tartines
This elevated chicken salad, which is served on toasted sourdough and garnished with radish slices for a crunchy, decorative finish, is made with almonds, tarragon, chives, and a tangy mayo-based dressing with cider vinegar, honey, and celery seeds. We could have called it an open-face chicken salad sandwich, but doesn't "tartine" sound so much more sophisticated?
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