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  4. Easy Dinner Recipes Using Shredded Chicken That'll Make Your Weeknights Way Less Stressful

Easy Dinner Recipes Using Shredded Chicken That'll Make Your Weeknights Way Less Stressful

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

When turning out a warm and delicious weeknight dinner just seems like a lost cause, it's time to get creative. Keeping shredded chicken on hand—whether pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken or picked up from your local barbecue joint—is a saving grace when getting dinner on the table needs to be quick and easy. Shredded chicken recipes go well beyond just slow-cooker tacos too, with tasty options including creamy pasta bakes, classic comfort dishes, hearty stews, and Tex-Mex casseroles. (Though, we've made sure to include slow-cooker recipes you can throw together and forget about on busy weeknights spent running between piano and soccer.) We all need a secret weapon in the kitchen when time is short, but the hunger is real. Grab that Costco rotisserie chicken, and plan out your no-fuss menu starring these recipes using shredded chicken.

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There's a Recipe for Every Taste and Schedule

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

You won't find smoky, spicy perfection better than this Tex-Mex dinner casserole. Layers of corn tortillas, cheese, and chicken make sure it's an easy favorite of kids and adults alike.

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Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Bog

This old-fashioned, quick-fix recipe has been filling up Southerners on busy weeknights for decades past. Shredded rotisserie chicken makes it easy to throw together in a pinch.

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Chicken Caprese Pasta

Chicken Caprese Pasta
Credit: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chicken Caprese Pasta

We can't get enough of this easy summer supper. Using all things fresh—fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh herb pesto, and fresh mozzerella cheese—this dish features tender linguine and no-fuss shredded chicken.

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Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

This enchilada bake showcases fresh collards, shredded chicken, and Monterey Jack cheese—melding layers together with cream cheese, chile sauce, and tortillas.

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Chicken Chili

Chicken Chili
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken Chili

Not only does using a rotisserie chicken make this chili lighter than a traditional beef version, but it makes it even easier to prepare as well. It's packed full of delicious spices, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and seasonal vegetables.

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Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

Pickled Peppers & Onions
Credit: Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

This slow-cooker barbecue chicken is easy to spoon over any bun, but we personally love it smothered between two slices of sweet potato cornbread and topped with our simple slaw for an epic weeknight dinner.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

The ease of this slow-cooker weeknight supper can't be rivaled, especially considering it bursts with flavor from chunky fire-roasted tomatoes, olives, and mushrooms. Tender shredded chicken and spaghetti complete the hearty meal.

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White Lightning Chicken Chili

White Lightning Chicken Chili
Credit: Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: White Lightning Chicken Chili

Get this one-dish meal on the table in just 30 minutes. (They don't call it 'Lightning' for nothing!) Green chiles, shredded chicken, and navy beans give Southwest flavor and dinnertime heartiness to this chili.

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Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits

Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits

It'll be hard to get past the topping made of biscuits with sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and chives; but the inside is just as tasty. Packed with veggies and shredded chicken, it's a well-rounded meal created just in your 13x9 baking dish.

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Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Southwest Chicken Tortillas
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Using microwaveable basmati rice, pre-shredded Mexican cheese, and rotisserie chicken makes these chicken tortillas come together quicker than greased lightning.

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Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken Stir-Fry
Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry

Not to be dramatic, but you can literally have this stir-fry ready quicker than you can order takeout. In just ten minutes. It's full of tangy Asian flavor, chicken, veggies, and rice. Need we say more?

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Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Cornbread dumplings take this vegetable-and-chicken-packed stew to the next level. Let your slow cooker take care of the aromatic base and shredded chicken for you without any worries.

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Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

Farmers' Market Pasta Salad
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

We love any recipe that lets you use all of your farmers' market finds at one fell swoop. Pasta, vinaigrette, and shredded smoked chicken (from your local barbecue joint) makes for a fresh, satisfying summer dinner.

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Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

This recipe gives you all the Cajun flavor you could want with minimal effort—perfect for weeknight cooking! Aromatic vegetables and seasonings do most of the work, while Andouille sausage and shredded chicken cap off the filling meal. Roast some potatoes for an extra hearty touch.

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Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

A few of our favorite things—chicken and biscuits and cobbler—are the stars of this savory dish, and it starts with swinging by the grocery store to grab a rotisserie chicken.

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Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew

Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew

Made with chicken and brisket, this smoky stew is hearty and comforting—perfect for filling up your family on a hectic weeknight. (It's freezer-friendly too!) Want to use rotisserie chicken? Throw it in along with the brisket, after most of the cooking is done.

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Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Getting weeknight requests for Thai peanut sauce? Make a healthy version at home with this quick recipe, and drizzle it over colorful veggies and shredded rotisserie chicken. It'll be on your dinner table in just 20 minutes.

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Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta

Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta

Got a rotisserie chicken you haven't used up yet? This recipe has you covered. We love one-bowl meals when we want a quick and easy dinner, and this lemon-brown butter sauce is simply divine.

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Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Tortilla Soup

While this recipe calls for throwing all of the ingredients in your slow cooker and forgetting about it for six hours, you can easily make it a quick-fix on the stove-top, using boneless chicken breasts or even shredded rotisserie chicken. Smoky and spicy, this quintessential tortilla soup is loaded with Tex-Mex flavor.

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Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

These delicious sandwiches can be made in just 20 minutes, thanks to the convenience of a store-bought rotisserie chicken. We're serving these hearty hoagies up all summer long.

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Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Easy shredded chicken gets turned into chicken salad, livened up with a touch of jalapeño, lime zest, and honey, for this recipe. Serve with tortillas as well, if your kids are lettuce-opposed!

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Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas

Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas
Credit: Photo: Jason Wallis

Recipe: Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas

You can throw this easy pizza together in minutes; all you need is some leftover shredded rotisserie chicken. A saucy base is spread over thin pizza crusts and topped with fresh mozzerella. Voila! Baking the pizzas directly on the oven rack gives you a crisp crust in less time.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 23 There's a Recipe for Every Taste and Schedule
    2 of 23 Chicken Enchilada Casserole
    3 of 23 Chicken Bog
    4 of 23 Chicken Caprese Pasta
    5 of 23 Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas
    6 of 23 Chicken Chili
    7 of 23 Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
    8 of 23 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
    9 of 23 White Lightning Chicken Chili
    10 of 23 Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits
    11 of 23 Southwest Chicken Tortillas
    12 of 23 Chicken Stir-Fry
    13 of 23 Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings
    14 of 23 Farmers' Market Pasta Salad
    15 of 23 Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes
    16 of 23 Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler
    17 of 23 Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew
    18 of 23 Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
    19 of 23 Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta
    20 of 23 Tortilla Soup
    21 of 23 Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches
    22 of 23 Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    23 of 23 Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas

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    Easy Dinner Recipes Using Shredded Chicken That'll Make Your Weeknights Way Less Stressful
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