What To Do With a Rotisserie Chicken | Easy, Cheap Weeknight Dinners (2024)

Learn what to do with a rotisserie chicken to use it all up and feed the whole family. Leftover rotisserie chicken is an easy, budget friendly meal idea.

Wrapping up my series on “What To Do With A Rotisserie Chicken” today! And, as a die-hard dark meat fan, I feel like I saved the best for last when it comes to leftover rotisserie chicken.

Disagree? Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 to see if you prefer the other rotisserie chicken ideas I shared.

These last two recipes can also be made using rotisserie chicken leftovers (especially dark meat) depending on your preference. Remember that the goal of the series was to highlight how to use all parts of your rotisserie chicken in recipes to cut down on food waste and stretch your grocery dollars as far as possible.

Depending on where you shop, rotisserie chicken is usually in the price range of about $5 to $10. Since these recipes are intended to yield 2 to 4 servings each, you can count on getting anywhere from 8 to 14 servings out of these recipes.

Talk about getting some bang for your buck!

The convenience was part of the reason I started opting for rotisserie chickens, but learning how to make a single chicken feed me multiple times really sold me on them. And if you like leftover rotisserie chicken, you’re in luck! This might *almost* save you from cooking for an entire week!

[Tweet “Saving the best for last! Here’s Part 3 of “What To Do With A Rotisserie Chicken” – Two more simple summer recipes”]

So let’s get into the recipes!

I’ll admit – convincing family to give homemade Indian food a try was no easy task. I had only just barely gotten them on board with trying it in a restaurant. And although they trust me in the kitchen it was still a bit of stretch for them. But the flavorful spices and creamy texture helps make this a comforting, satisfying dish. Really, it isn’t all that different from other rice-based casseroles or bowls that we were already making.

Inspiration for this dish actually came from a magazine of all places. I was never into foodie or culinary magazines (other than Cook’s Illustrated….I love that one and treasure my stack of past issues!).

But I was catching a flight for a conference earlier this spring and picked up a copy of Fine Cooking. While reading, I stumbled upon a piece using chicken thighs. “Perfect!” I thought to myself, that would be a great way to use the dark meat from the thigh and drumstick on a leftover rotisserie chicken. So that’s I did! After some adjustments to the seasonings and tweaking the ratios on the cream and spinach, I landed on a version that could be done and on the table in practically no time at all!

Rotisserie chicken + frozen spinach + minute rice. It doesn’t sound glamorous, and I’ll be honest with you and tell you it’s not. But it is easy and quick and affordable. It really helps to have an option like this for hectic weeknights when you feel like your time is slipping out from under you. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly recipe for rotisserie chicken, this is it!

Here is the Recipe for Easy Chicken Saag:

Easy Chicken Saag

4.40 from 23 votes

Don't be intimidated, this is an Indian-inspired recipe that's simple enough to prepare with ready-to-cook ingredients. It's a fast, simple weeknight dinner that makes for great leftovers.

Ingredients

12 oz rotisserie-style chicken, dark meat, chopped or shredded
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
1 package frozen spinach (16 oz bag), thawed
2 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup minute rice
1 cup water

Instructions

Add the chopped or shredded dark meat chicken to a medium mixing bowl. Add the garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and sea salt and use tongs to combine until spices are mixed and chicken is fully coated.
Heat the canola oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spiced chicken and allow to reheat, flipping occasionally. After 3-5 minutes, remove from skillet and set aside. While the chicken is heating, bring 1 cup water to a boil and prepare the minute rice according to package directions.
Once chicken is removed from skillet, add the chopped onion. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onions become translucent and begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
Gently squeeze the thawed spinach to remove excess water, then add to the skillet with the onion mixture. Add half of the chopped green onion and the 1 1/4 cups heavy cream. Cook 3 to 5 minutes more or until liquid starts to thicken and spinach is tender.
Add the spiced chicken back into the mixture and gently fold to combine. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve the chicken saag over rice and garnish with additional green onion and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

Notes

If preferred, substitute minute rice with basmati or brown rice or another preferred grain. It may also be served with naan instead.

If not using rotisserie chicken, substitute for 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Follow same instructions for mixing spices but allow additional cooking time to sear on each side (additional 3 to 5 minutes).

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 596 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 28 g, Fat: 41 g, Saturated Fat: 19 g, Cholesterol: 166 mg, Sodium: 446 mg, Potassium: 629 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 9932 IU, Vitamin C: 14 mg, Calcium: 177 mg, Iron: 5 mg

Course: Main Course

Here is the recipe for BBQ Chicken Flatbread:

BBQ Chicken Flatbread

5 from 5 votes

Flatbreads are so versatile and this one is no different! Break it out for an easy meal, snack, or appetizer whether you're feeding a few or an entire crowd.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

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Servings: 4 flatbreads