Don’t waste your rotisserie chicken

Have you ever fallen victim to a lone bag of rotisserie chicken, left forgotten for weeks in the very back of your refrigerator?

I have. It’s not a pretty sight.

Here’s what happens: I pick up a ready-to-eat bird while shopping around my local supermarket. I bring it home, use up some parts — maybe a wing, both thighs and a bit of rib meat — to make a few go-to recipes before stashing the chicken in my fridge. I’ll occasionally pull out the bag to snack on a few shreds of meat in between meals. Whatever remains just sits in my fridge — unused, abandoned, now a health hazard.

Rotisserie chicken is a beloved kitchen staple, whether you eat it straight off the bone or incorporate it into your favorite dishes. The key is to be strategic with how you consume it — a lesson I had to learn the hard way. An entire cooked bird should be placed in the fridge within two hours of purchase. It’s also safe to eat for three to four days, provided the chicken is stored properly in shallow, airtight containers rather than in its original plastic packaging. Extras should be stashed in the freezer and typically last up to four months.

I find it helpful to brainstorm a week’s worth of meal ideas that call for rotisserie chicken in preparation for bringing a whole bird home. That way, I’m intentional about making sure nothing goes to waste. And it inspires me to cook and look forward to enjoying chicken in a variety of creative ways.

Rotisserie chicken has been a major talking point recently, from Costco’s bird being caught in a legal broiler to a man in Philly who ate a whole rotisserie chicken for 40 consecutive days. So, it feels fitting to cast it under the spotlight in this weekend’s recipe guide.

Here are my favorite ways to turn a hot bag of poultry into creative, satisfying weeknight meals. Because we all deserve something quick yet fulfilling with minimum effort.

Please, don’t let your rotisserie chicken go to waste.

Chicken Bag Salad

I came across recipes for a viral rotisserie chicken bag salad all over my social media feeds, and it’s completely changed how I meal prep for the week. Everything is assembled and stored inside the plastic bag, meaning there’s very little clean-up required. I like to make a large salad, divide it into portions and store said portions in separate containers. Half of the containers are kept in the fridge, while the remaining half are packed in the freezer.

Start by shredding your rotisserie chicken into the bag. Add your chopped veggies, like Persian cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, mini sweet peppers, pepperoncini and Kalamata olives, along with washed and drained canned chickpeas. Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese and a homemade green goddess dressing (I love this recipe from NYT Cooking). Tightly seal the plastic bag and shake until everything is well-mixed. Season with a few dashes of pepper, if needed. Grab a fork and enjoy your salad straight out of the bag before saving any leftovers.

Additional favorites include a homemade rotisserie chicken Caesar salad, an avocado and cilantro-forward salad and a curried chicken salad, complete with a mayo-based curry chutney dressing and whole cashews. All of these salads can also be stuffed in between two slices of your favorite bread and transformed into sandwiches.

Chicken and Dumplings

Courtesy of Yankee Magazine’s Amy Traverso, this simplified rendition of old-fashioned chicken and dumplings starts with store-bought chicken stock, a rotisserie chicken and drop dumplings. In a large soup pot, the chicken stock is boiled alongside cooked vegetables (diced celery stalks, carrots, fennel bulb, leek and a small onion), seasoned with salt and pepper. Dumplings are then added, followed by bite-sized pieces of rotisserie chicken. Within a few minutes, dinner is served.

Traverso recommends making the dumplings from scratch, but I prefer buying them pre-made and frozen, which simplifies this recipe even further. Keep in mind that the dumplings in this recipe are the doughy kind, made with flour, buttermilk, baking powder and baking soda. My choice of dumplings has more filling — like chicken soup dumplings, or chicken-and-vegetable steamed dumplings. They’re great options if you’d like a more protein-heavy dish with a hint of Asian flavors.

Check out Traverso’s full recipe here.

Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pie

You can never go wrong with a classic chicken pot pie. And with a full rotisserie chicken, much of the hard work is already done for you.

To save even more time and effort, use store-bought pie crusts (you’ll need two: one for the bottom crust and another for the top crust). First, make the filling by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cooking chopped onions. Stir in flour, salt and pepper to create a paste that will help thicken your filling. Pour in chicken stock and milk, and stir.

Add the shredded chicken and your choice of fresh or frozen vegetables (I like to use fresh diced carrots, onions and celery, along with peas). Once everything is well incorporated, pour the mixture into a prepared pie dish covered with a roll of pie crust. Place the second crust on top, seal the edges, make a few slashes on top (this will allow built-up steam to escape and prevent your crust from becoming soggy) and bake. Your pie is ready once the top crust is golden brown.

Enjoy warm and alongside a simple side salad.

Crispy Chicken Flautas

Flautas are a traditional Mexican dish made by rolling large tortillas generously filled with shredded chicken or beef, then deep-frying them. Unlike taquitos, flautas are typically longer and traditionally made with flour tortillas, though some varieties also call for corn tortillas.

With a bag of rotisserie chicken already on hand, all you have to do is shred a few pieces before assembling and cooking your flautas. Season the chicken with your favorite store-bought taco seasoning, then mix in shredded cheese (I like a blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Queso Asadero, or Asadero cheese). Scoop ¼ cup of the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla and arrange it in a vertical line (or along the long side of the tortilla). Tightly roll, making sure the filling doesn’t ooze out. I like to work with slightly warm tortillas and line the outer edges with a simple wheat paste to secure the tortilla in place.

Fry the flautas in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer the cooked flautas to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot with crumbled Cotija cheese, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo.