Leftover Meal Ideas: Rotisserie Chicken

Didn't want to make dinner tonight? OK so you stopped off at the grocery store, picked up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or two and headed home. There is always some leftover, now you have to figure out what to do with it before it goes bad, and without having the same exact meal two times in a row.

You could always go the sandwich route; it usually pleases most people and can be passed off as a lunch. Or you could get a little more creative and eek just one or two more dinner's out of those birds. Cut off all available meat and now you at least have a starting point.

The bones:
If you are ambitious you can make a chicken stock. Fill a pot about ½ - ¾ with water. Break up (you don't really have to I guess) the chicken carcass(s) (bones etc...) and add to the water. Slice up and add a handful of baby carrots, celery, and one small to medium onion. Season with salt, pepper etc... to taste. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally for a few hours (the longer the better), then strain out the bones and vegetables keeping the liquid, voila you have a delicious easy chicken stock (thank you Alan Foster). This can be used to make a homemade chicken soup (now you can use the meat you saved), be added to mashed potatoes or used instead of water to make a more flavorful rice. It can also be cooked down to a rue and/or used to make a gravy. See right there are 4 different ways to use your leftovers if you only have the bones left!

The meat:
There are many options for what to do with the meat; it can be used in many ways depending on your likes and dislikes.

In Pasta: You can add the meat to a red sauce and pour over spaghetti (or pasta of your choice), or you can add it to an Alfredo sauce and toss in some ham and sweet peas.

Over Rice: It can be added to chili, or reheated in a pan with Italian dressing to pour over rice or rice pilaf (that you cooked with your stock of course, following how to use it up?).

Chicken Pot Pie: Need I say more? With a pre-made piecrust this is an easy dinner.

You can also pre-cut, portion and freeze the chicken for salads. This way when you make a salad at home for lunch you can just reheat the chicken when ready to eat. It adds protein to your salad and can be eaten warm or cold. By lunchtime the chicken will usually have thawed in the refrigerator, I keep it in a ziplock bag just in case, and so while it's thawing it does not wilt my salad greens.

If you have a family you are probably no stranger to trying to stretch your budget, this way at least it does not feel like your cutting corners too. You can still have a tasty and nutritious meal from leftovers, sometimes you just need to be a little creative.