Food and Recipes Meat Chicken 35 Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes You'll Make Again and Again By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 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 35 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 35 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 35 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 35 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 35 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 35 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 35 Whole-Grain Panzanella Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Whole-Grain Panzanella Two kinds with whole-grain croutons, fresh veggies, and shredded chicken come together for this quick and hearty take on panzanella. 08 of 35 Quick Chicken and Barley Stew 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. 09 of 35 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. 10 of 35 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. 11 of 35 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. 12 of 35 Southwest Chicken Tortillas Greg DuPree Recipe: Southwest Chicken Tortillas Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot better with these easy Tex-Mex tortillas. 13 of 35 Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Clementine-and-Collard Greens Salad This sunny salad makes an easy lunch option, using sweet clementines and leftover rotisserie. 14 of 35 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. 15 of 35 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. 16 of 35 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. 17 of 35 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. 18 of 35 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. 19 of 35 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. 20 of 35 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. 21 of 35 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. 22 of 35 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. 23 of 35 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). 24 of 35 Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Couscous Pilaf with Roasted Carrots, Chicken, and Feta This will be your most memorable one-bowl meal. Flavored with golden raisins, toasted almonds, and a simple lemon-brown butter sauce, this couscous pilaf is a delicious way to start any week. 25 of 35 Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipes: Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings These tender cornmeal dumplings are really something special. 26 of 35 Creamy Ham-and-Chicken Medley Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Ham-and-Chicken Medley A medley means your meal will be far from boring. Using leftovers, this recipe comes together into a creamy plate of goodness. 27 of 35 Chicken Stir-Fry Greg Dupree Recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry This stir-fry only takes ten minutes. We repeat: Ten. Minutes. Need we say more? 28 of 35 Chicken Chili Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Chili We like to think of this recipe as a fresher alternative to a traditional beef chili. 29 of 35 Grilled Pizza with Summer Veggies and Smoked Chicken Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Grilled Pizza with Summer Veggies and Smoked Chicken Thin, whole-wheat pizza dough won't leave you with any guilt, and neither will your grocery bill. Use leftover chicken and veggies to make this grilled pizza. 30 of 35 Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing We came for the perfect lunch salad, and we stayed for the amazing Green Goddess Dressing. This salad is deliciously dynamic with protein-rich quinoa, shredded chicken, tender butter lettuce, and a tangy herbed dressing. 31 of 35 Hot Chicken Salad 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. 32 of 35 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. 33 of 35 Kale and Sweet Potato Salad with Chicken Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Kale and Sweet Potato Salad with Chicken Say hello to the perfect use of your extra grilled or baked chicken breast. Roasted sweet potatoes and candied pecans make this salad tasty and satisfying. 34 of 35 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. 35 of 35 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? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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