There’s something special about rotisserie chicken. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s always perfectly moist. Or perhaps it’s the fact that obtaining it is as simple as walking into a store and safely shuttling it home. We’re not sure anything is quite as easy and delicious as a plain ol’ chicken.
But rotisserie chicken’s best feature isn’t its flavor or ease, it’s actually the many ways you can slice, dice, mix, and mold it. From soups to salads to enchiladas, the finger-licking protein is a great way to throw recipes together in a snap—and delicious ones at that.
1. Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Buffalo chicken dip is one of those insanely good snacks that’s nearly impossible to portion control. It’s just so good! While we’re all for a splurge now and then, we also love meals that provide just the right amount of indulgence and nutrition. This recipe takes a healthy dollop of buffalo chicken dip and combines it with quinoa, avocado, greens, and other fresh veggies. Game on.
2. Easy Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Chicken salad has never looked or tasted so good. Full of bright veggies, fresh herbs, and protein-packed rotisserie chicken and Greek yogurt, this Mediterranean spin on the mayo-filled classic is a healthy and flavorful way to change up the popular deli salad. Stuff in a pita or spinach wrap, or go gluten-free by piling the mix on a bed of romaine. We also love subbing sun-dried tomatoes for the cherry and using sea salt in place of kosher.
3. Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
If you can muster up the strength to slice a squash, layer it with a few ingredients, and plop it in the oven (easy, right?), then you can absolutely master this meal. This super-simple recipe requires nothing made from scratch and tastes like hours of effort went into it. Experiment with different varieties of sauces—marinara, arrabiata, vodka—and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for a golden, crisp topping.
4. One-Pan Cauliflower Nachos
These are nacho average nachos. Made with a sliced cauliflower “chip” base and loaded with fiber-filled beans, red onions, jalapeño, and whatever other nacho fixings you desire, this recipe is the perfect way to turn nachos into the main course (a.k.a. make your dinner dreams come true). We love adding heart-healthy avocado, Greek yogurt, and bell pepper to make it that much healthier—and tastier too.
5. Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Skip the can and the takeout and opt for this spicy, Thai twist on chicken noodle soup. Packed with flavor galore from lemongrass, ginger, curry paste, cilantro, and sautéd veggies, this soup is as fun to make as it is to eat. Sub zucchini noodles to make it low carb.
6. BLT Chicken Salad
Just when we thought BLTs couldn’t get better, they joined forces with Greek yogurt and parsley and blew us away. This sandwich takes 10 minutes tops to prepare, making it the perfect lunch to bring to work or whip up in no time at home. If you don’t fancy Greek yogurt or mayo, sub avocado for a just as creamy, dairy-free version. We love eating with crackers, on a bed of arugula, or layered between toasted sourdough bread.
7. Skillet White Chicken Chili Dip
Cheese Louise, we can hardly write about this recipe without breaking out in full drool. The decadent dip is made with sour cream (subbing Greek yogurt is always an option), white beans, garlic, shredded chicken, sweet corn, red peppers, a variety of spices, a hefty helping of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and tangy salsa verde. Great for game day—or any day, really—this dip will no doubt launch you to snack-hero status.
8. Chinese Chicken Salad With Asian Peanut Dressing
Shredding veggies can seem like an arduous task, but it’s one of those things that’s way harder to think about than actually do. So turn on some happy tunes, start shredding, and when you bite into this crisp, fresh salad, you’ll forget all about that effort and be ever-so-grateful you embraced your inner shredder. Bonus: You’ll have a bunch of leftovers, which you’ll need (and want!) to soak up the insanely delicious peanut butter dressing.
9. Mediterranean White Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas with… yogurt sauce? While it may sound a bit odd, it really just means more cream. And that we can get behind. These Mediterranean bundles of tortilla-wrapped joy are a fun departure from the Mexican dish and provide a great base for mixing in all kinds of veggies. While the recipe only calls for red pepper, we love stuffing the enchiladas with spinach, sautéed onions, and even mushrooms.
10. Pomegranate and Chicken Stuffed Acorn Squash
Come holidays, it’s easy to fill up on festive eats. Seasonal lattes, Thanksgiving sandwiches, cookies for every occasion… while delightful at first, the indulgence always catches up with us, leaving digestive tracts sluggish and pants a little more snug. This recipe hits all the seasonal high notes—squash, pomegranate, fall colors—but avoids nutritional lows. Even better: The squash tastes great roasted with a dash of pumpkin spice seasoning.
11. Rio Grande Chicken Quesadilla
Quesadillas may feel like a cheat meal or blast from your childhood, but they can actually be full of (adult) flavor and even pretty healthy. They can also be made in 20 minutes, making this cheesy tortilla dish a lifesaver for time-crunched afternoons and evenings. Use refried black beans if you can find ‘em and add avocado for an extra dose of healthy fats.
12. Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort meal, whether battling a cold, fending off the rain, or simply in need of some warmth. The egg noodles give the dish a heartier, creamier consistency, and the herbs liven up the broth, giving it a fresh and rich flavor. And guess what? Making soup from scratch doesn’t have to take ages. In fact, some of the best soups can be made in 30 minutes or less—like this one.
13. Paleo Moroccan Chicken Stew
Moroccan spices can transform a dish from simple to next level. They also give the illusion of tons of ingredients and a lifetime of simmering, when, really, there’s only a handful, and the cook time is under an hour. This stew gets its sweetness from dates and a touch of coconut sugar and is served with cauliflower rice to keep it Paleo. Like many stews, the flavor only gets better as it sits, so do your best to set aside some leftovers.
14. BLT Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados
The BLT strikes again—but this time, in an avocado. Perfect for gluten-free eaters, avocado lovers, high-fat fans, and anyone who likes delicious eats, these BLT chicken salad stuffed avos are incredibly easy to throw together and taste like a dream. We love that the recipe uses cottage cheese to bind the ingredients together and that there’s plenty of crunch from the romaine and turkey bacon.
15. 4-Ingredient Chicken Zucchini Rolls
Does it get any easier than a four-ingredient recipe? Perhaps, but we doubt it’s as tasty. This recipe is the ultimate dinner hack, using only store-bought tomato sauce, rotisserie chicken, zucchini, and mozzarella cheese to create this beautiful and tantalizing lasagna-esque dish. Top with fresh basil for the tiniest of extra touches.
16. Rotisserie Chicken Pho
Homemade pho? Pho-get about it. At least that’s how we felt before trying this recipe. It’s made with a sweet yet savory broth that’s spiced with star anise, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, and ginger. Experiment with noodles if you’re not a fan of traditional rice noodles—we like zucchini, soba, and egg noodles—and don’t skimp on the toppings. The zesty lime and crunchy scallions and bean sprouts make the dish.
17. BBQ Chicken Baked Sweet Potatoes
There’s only one word to describe these stuffed sweet potatoes: wowza. Filled with shredded chicken, Colby jack cheese (pepper jack tastes great too), barbeque sauce, avocado, and crispy onion strings, this recipe includes all of our favorite BBQ flavors but doesn’t feel overly indulgent. To cut back ever-so-slightly, use roasted red onions in place of the crispies and opt for homemade barbeque sauce (ideally one that’s not packed with sugar).
