How to Turn One Rotisserie Chicken into Three Different Dinners

Rotisserie chicken is one of the most underrated shortcuts in the kitchen. One chicken, a handful of pantry staples, and you’ve got three completely different dinners without cooking meat from scratch three separate times. Here’s exactly how to stretch it.

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Before You Start: Break Down the Chicken

As soon as you get home, pull all the meat off the bone and separate it into shredded and chopped pieces. This takes about 10 minutes and makes every recipe below faster.

• Save the bones and skin in a bag in the freezer if you want to make broth later, don’t toss them
• Store the meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days

Dinner 1: Chicken Tacos (15 minutes)

What you need:

• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Small tortillas
• Toppings: shredded cheese, diced onion, cilantro, lime, salsa

Steps:

1. Warm the shredded chicken in a skillet with a splash of water, the chili powder, and cumin, just until heated through and coated in seasoning.
2. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame for a few seconds per side.
3. Build your tacos with chicken and whatever toppings you have on hand.

Dinner 2: Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup (25 minutes)

What you need:

• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cooked rice (leftover rice works great here)
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme

Steps:

1. In a pot, sauté the carrot and celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the broth, chicken, and thyme. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the rice and cream. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dinner 3: Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry (20 minutes)

What you need:

• 2 cups chopped chicken
• 2 cups mixed vegetables (whatever you have, frozen works fine)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Cooked rice or noodles, to serve

Steps:

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes, until just tender.
3. Add the chicken, soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Stir and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until everything is coated and heated through.
4. Serve over rice or noodles.

Joi’s Tip

Buy the chicken on a day you know you’ll actually use it within a few days, and break it down immediately. Future you will thank present you when dinner takes fifteen minutes instead of an hour.

If you want more recipes like these, ones built around real life, not perfect pantries, check out my cookbook. It’s full of the same kind of simple, stretch-your-groceries meals I share here.

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