28 Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes You'll Make Again and Again

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms
Photo: Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

When our time is short but the hunger is too real, we turn to the quick-fix meal. We don't care if it's baked in a casserole dish or thrown into the slow-cooker, as long as it makes our life just a little bit less stressful. And nothing makes a meal easier than leftover chicken—be it rotisserie, smoked, or barbecued.

Just imagine: tomorrow's lunch could be creamy chicken soup, classic chicken salad, or even a melty chicken panini. You can make dinner something delicious and hearty, like our Skillet Chicken Pot Pie, Old-School Chicken Bog, or Slow-Cooker King Ranch Chicken. You'll be mighty impressed by the miracles that can be worked with just a few cups of leftover shredded chicken. (If only we could be as efficient as that Costco rotisserie.) Check out these 35 easy leftover chicken recipes and prepare to be blown away by each of these weeknight warriors.

01 of 28

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Collard Greens

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Collard Greens
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Collard Greens

This soup is the whole package: easy, tasty, and healthy. (That pinch of heavy cream is totally justified.)

02 of 28

Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

Skillet Enchiladas Suizas
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

These are our easiest enchiladas ever—it calls for no filling and no rolling. Using leftover chicken is just the cherry on top.

03 of 28

Chicken Caprese Pasta

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

Recipe: Chicken Caprese Pasta

This recipe only takes—wait for it—20 minutes. Blistered tomatoes, pesto sauce, and torn chunks of mozzerella instantly dress up your simple chicken pasta.

04 of 28

Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Bog

This old-fashioned recipe is a family favorite. You won't get much better than a delicious pot full of chicken and rice.

05 of 28

King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese
Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

Two of the South's favorite casseroles, king ranch chicken and macaroni-and-cheese, just came together in the ultimate skillet dinner. You're welcome.

06 of 28

White Lightning Chicken Chili

White Lightning Chicken Chili
Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: White Lightning Chicken Chili

It's all there in the name: This classic chili only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

07 of 28

Quick Chicken and Barley Stew

Quick Chicken and Barley Stew Recipe
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Quick Chicken and Barley Stew

Packed with good-for-you vegetables and whole grains, this chicken stew is a no-brainer.

08 of 28

Chicken and Fontina Panini

Chicken and Fontina Panini
Greg Dupree

Recipe: Chicken and Fontina Panini

Crusty on the outside, gooey on the inside, this sandwich doesn't mess around.

09 of 28

Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

Recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler

Savory cobblers are vastly underrated. Not only are these warm, bubbly casseroles topped with fresh biscuits, they're incredibly hearty and filling for a family dinner. This Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler recipe will fill hungry bellies with just a few scoops of creamy, juicy chicken. It's one of our reader favorites for the fresh herbs and the bacon-buttermilk biscuit topping; the end result is a pretty and flavorful dinner recipe that you can pair with a fresh green salad. The recipe calls for eight cups of shredded cooked chicken; simply use a large rotisserie chicken and shred before adding it to the sauce mixture to save some time. You may also be able to pick up pre-shredded chicken from your local BBQ joint. Although the end result looks time-consuming, the filling for the casserole comes together in one Dutch oven, so you'll have minimal cleanup after dinner.

Start this recipe by making the creamy, vegetable-rich base for your Southern cobbler. This starts with a mouth-watering combination of sliced carrots, chopped onion, fresh mushrooms, fragrant garlic, a healthy dose of dry white wine, butter, flour, and chicken stock. Once your sauce has thickened on the stove, stir in your cream, white wine vinegar, and fresh herbs – sliced chives, chopped parsley, chopped rosemary, and thyme leaves. Then, add the eight cups of shredded cooked chicken to the mixture, combining the thick filling well. And, of course, no cobbler is complete without a freshly prepared biscuit topping. This recipe is incredibly simple; combine self-rising flour, a little sugar, chilled buttermilk, melted butter, and chopped cooked bacon until you have a soft dough. Drop it in spoonfuls on top of the filling in a casserole dish, and pop your Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler into the oven for about half an hour. Family members and guests will both swoon over this tasty casserole recipe, and you'll have a new go-to recipe for company.

10 of 28

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Take the easiest-ever route—you won't regret it. Rotisserie chicken, store-bought sauces, and pre-shredded cheese make this chicken casserole too perfect for busy weeknights.

11 of 28

Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Southwest Chicken Tortillas
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Southwest Chicken Tortillas

Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot better with these easy Tex-Mex tortillas.

12 of 28

Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits

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

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

This chicken pot pie is topped with biscuits made with sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and chives.

13 of 28

Heavenly Chicken Lasagna

Heavenly Chicken Lasagna
Southern Living

Recipe: Heavenly Chicken Lasagna

We call it "heavenly" for a reason. This chicken lasagna is so cheesy and delicious, you'll forget about all of the other lasagna recipes in your recipe box.

14 of 28

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

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

Recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

Enter: your new favorite lunch recipe. This hoagie holds our heart.

15 of 28

Stovetop Chicken Pie

Stovetop Chicken Pie
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Stovetop Chicken Pot Pie

This easier version of chicken pot pie is a weeknight savior. Simply bake buttermilk biscuits, and cover them generously with this creamy mixture of chopped chicken and whatever frozen veggies you prefer.

16 of 28

Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Have this at-home version of Thai peanut sauce under your sleeve, and it'll spice up any boring weeknight.

17 of 28

King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken
Southern Living

Recipe: King Ranch Chicken

The slow-cooker version of traditional King Ranch Chicken casserole is the easiest decision you'll make all day.

18 of 28

Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss

Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss

This fresh salad brings out the best in your summer tomatoes. Add some crusty bread for a satisfying meal.

19 of 28

Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

This enchilada bake is packed to the brim with flavorful ingredients. Fresh collards, shredded chicken, and chile sauce handle most of the work.

20 of 28

Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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

Recipe: Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This chicken salad gets a tropical twist from a touch of jalapeño, lime zest, and honey. Wrapped in tender butter lettuce and garnished with cashews for crunch, these lettuce wraps deserve to be a lunchtime staple.

21 of 28

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake
Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Just a glance at this colorful, hearty pasta bake should tell you one thing: It's ready to be your new weeknight warrior. The casserole calls for cheese-filled tortellini, fresh broccoli, and chicken (which, yes, can be leftover shredded rotisserie chicken).

22 of 28

Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings

Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipes: Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings

These tender cornmeal dumplings are really something special.

23 of 28

Chicken Stir-Fry

Chicken Stir-Fry
Greg Dupree

Recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry

This stir-fry only takes ten minutes. We repeat: Ten. Minutes. Need we say more?

24 of 28

Chicken Chili

Chicken Chili
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken Chili

We like to think of this recipe as a fresher alternative to a traditional beef chili.

25 of 28

Hot Chicken Salad

474428695_5966501869001_5966397734001-vs.jpg

Recipe: Hot Chicken Salad

Come and get it—while it's hot! This special baked version of Southern chicken salad will knock your socks off.

26 of 28

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Tarragon Chicken Salad
Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Tarragon Chicken Salad

Even if you already have a go-to chicken salad recipe, this one is worth a try. We dressed up classic chicken salad with lemon and tarragon.

27 of 28

Chicken-and-Squash Casserole

Chicken-and-Squash Casserole
Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Chicken-and-Squash Casserole

There's always room for one more creamy casserole in the mix. Make it this one.

28 of 28

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms

This fresh skillet recipe gives our old-fashioned chicken pot pie a run for its money. To use leftover shredded chicken, just skip ahead to Step 4.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles