The Common Culinarian

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When my wife and I plan our out weekly menu and grocery list, often times it includes a rotisserie chicken. The reason for this is because for about $5 and a half an hour’s worth of work, we can get 5-8 good meals out of one of these chickens. Here are some ideas to help you incorporate a rotisserie chicken into your weekly menu.

1. Chicken Quesadillas

Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with oil (from your Misto sprayer!). Place a soft taco sized tortilla in the skillet, add 2-4 tablespoons of shredded chicken, 1 teaspoon of canned chilies, and about 2-4 tablespoons of mixed Mexican style shredded cheese. Heat until the cheese starts to melt and top with another tortilla. Flip, and heat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Serve with store-bought pico de gallo, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

2. Chicken Soup

Heat a tablespoon of oil, over medium heat, in the bottom of a 3 quart saucepan. Add 1/3 cup each of diced onion, diced celery, and sliced carrots to the pan. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add 2 cans of low-sodium chicken stock, raise the heat to medium-hight and bring to a boil. Add 6 oz of dried egg noodles and 1/2 cup of shredded chicken. Cook until the noodles and vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper, if desired

3. Chicken Salad

Add 2 cup of shredded chicken to a bowl. Add 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup chopped celery (about one stalk), 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts (about 4-6 halves). Mix the ingredients together until combined, adding more mayonnaise if needed. You can also add about 1 cup of halved, seedless grapes, if you desire.

4. Chicken & Macaroni

This isn’t so much a recipe, as a mix in. Prepare a box of macaroni and cheese according to the package directions, or prepare your favorite mac-and-cheese recipe from scratch. Just before serving, add 1/4 cup of shredded chicken per serving. This is an easy way to add some protein to your meal.

5. Chicken and Ramen

I’m going ultra frugal here. Add 1/2 cup of shredded chicken and 1/3 cup of frozen peas to a prepared packet of chicken-flavored ramen soup. This makes a version of chicken soup that will be quicker and easier than the more “homemade version” in number 2.

I know there are lots of other uses for a rotisserie chicken, so let’s have them! Today, I chose to write about some simple and frugal uses, but you can be more gourmet, too, by combining some basic recipes (i.e., Chicken Tetrazzini: shredded chicken, linguine, and a bechamel sauce made into a creamy Alfredo with some peas and mushrooms, topped with cheese and bread crumbs).

What’s your favorite use for a rotisserie chicken?