Our Favorite Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

June 24, 2009
Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Rose Nguyen
"When in doubt, buy a rotisserie chicken." No wiser words have ever been spoken! When you're low on time or cooking willpower, skip a step and use store-bought chicken. In no time at all, you can create a quick and easy meal that your family will love. We've got over 70 recipes that take advange of the convenience and flavor of rotisserie chicken, from hearty pizza, to soul-warming soup, to fresh salads. 
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Rosemary-Brined Rotisserie Chicken

Tim Turner
Rosemary-Brined Rotisserie Chicken Recipe
If you're a DIY type of person and have a rotisserie on your grill, make your own rotisserie chicken to use throughout the week. Nothing beats a brined whole chicken that turns slowly on a spit and bastes itself while the skin turns golden brown and delicious.
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King Ranch Chicken and Quinoa Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower
King Ranch Chicken and Quinoa Casserole Recipe

This ain't your mama's chicken casserole. The comfort food classic gets a modern, nutrient-dense makeover with the addition of quinoa. Beyond being warm, cheesy, and generally delightful, this flavor-packed casserole is loaded with protein and is sure to become a new family favorite. 

 

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Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly
Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Recipe

Cheese-filled tortellini and a chopped pecan topping add extra flavor to kid-friendly Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake, while broccoli and red bell pepper contribute pops of color throughout this one-dish meal.

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Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr    
Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe

A traditional creamy chicken casserole can have more than 800 calories per serving! Try our lightened up version that offers great flavor without all the calories.

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White Lightning Chicken Chili

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Becky Hargett
White Lightning Chicken Chili Recipe

White Lightning Chicken Chili gets its name because it only takes 30 minutes from start to finish to get this one-dish meal to the table. Don't drain the chopped green chiles or navy beans. Serve chili with cornbread.

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Loaded Chicken-Bacon Pot Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas 
Loaded Chicken-Bacon Pot Pie Recipe

Deli-roasted chicken and puff pastry shortcut time; bacon, white wine, and mustard give the gravy and vegetables savory punch.

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Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole Recipe

In a pinch and in need of a quick meal that will please everyone? A one-pan, assemble-and-bake Tex-Mex casserole just might be the answer. It takes just 5 ingredients to make a melty, cheesy, smoky green chile chicken dish. Add rice and black beans for a full on fiesta! Use the breast and leg quarters of a rotisserie chicken and store-bough enchilada sauce for convenience. This super-fast dish is even more delicious served with pico de gallo, guacamole, or even leftover tostadas on top for more crunch. If you can't find tostadas, yellow corn tortilla chips will also work. 

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Chicken & Veggie Hash

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken & Veggie Hash Recipe

Try this hash combining roasted potatoes, chicken, bell peppers, onion, and Parmesan cheese for a delicious one-dish dinner. 

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Lemon and Dill Quinoa Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Lemon and Dill Quinoa Chicken Soup Recipe

Quinoa cooks right in the soup without soaking up too much liquid. If you'd like to change to a heartier grain like farro or barley, cook it separately, and stir in during the last 5 minutes of simmering to reheat. Use any combination of delicate green vegetables, such as snow peas, spinach, frozen green peas, or edamame. Stir in a couple of teaspoons of fresh lemon juice for an extra dose of brightness just before serving.

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Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings image

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Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

Photo: Steven DeVries; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad Recipe

Every bite of this salad is a delightful mix of flavors and textures, but the homemade baked tortilla chips on top steal the show. They're light, crunchy, and spiced with cumin; you'll never crave a traditional crouton again.

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Chicken Verde Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Chicken Verde Tacos Recipe

We like a warm taco filling, but if you're going for something a little cooler and more refreshing, skip step 1 and drizzle the salsa over assembled tacos.

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Chicken and Fontina Panini

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Chicken and Fontina Panini Recipe

Crusty on the outside, gooey on the inside, this sandwich requires little effort and makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner.

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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup Recipe

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

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Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce

Oxmoor House
Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with White Barbecue Sauce Recipe
White Barbecue Sauce, widely used in Alabama-style barbecue, is known for its vinegary taste and its use of mayonnaise as its base, rather than the usual tomato sauce. To make the sauce ahead of time, combine all the ingredients, store it in the refrigerator, and bring it to room temperature before serving.
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Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup Recipe

Chilly evenings call for a comforting soup with a bit of restorative kick and plenty of vibrant toppings. Top with tortilla chips, or make your own crispy tortilla strips as shown: Cut 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas into 1/2-inch strips and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Crush half the strips for the soup and garnish with the rest. Make these ahead and store in a ziplock bag at room temperature for a day or two. Poblano peppers range in heat; add cooling avocado or crushed red pepper as needed.

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Shredded Chicken and Avocado Nacho Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Shredded Chicken and Avocado Nacho Salad Recipe

Dinner doesn't get any easier than this five-ingredient salad. And it's bursting with Super Bowl Sunday potential.

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Warm Chicken and Sautéed Mushroom Salad

Photo: Annabelle Breakey
Warm Chicken and Sautéed Mushroom Salad Recipe

"My family loves salads for weeknight dinners," says reader Marilyn Ritchie. Inspired by a recipe for warm mushroom dressing, Ritchie added chicken, goat cheese, and extra balsamic vinegar to come up with this luxurious main dish. When she wants to splurge, she uses shiitakes.

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Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza

Photo: Greg DuPree; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza Recipe

Try this quick, playful spin to turn pizza night on its head—in a good way. You get all the creamy goodness of chicken potpie, in a fun, eat-with-your-hands way that kids will love. Grown-ups will dig it, too, especially if you offer hot sauce at the table. Cooking the pizza in a preheated cast-iron skillet makes the crust wonderfully crispy so that it doesn’t sog out when the creamy sauce goes on. Be sure to use only 10 ounces of dough (though you’ll likely have to purchase in a 1-pound or larger ball); save the remaining dough to make breadsticks the next night.

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Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ranch Chicken Calzones

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Claire Spollen
Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ranch Chicken Calzones Recipe

Why order delivery, when you can make pizza at home? Put down that phone right now and bake up a mouthwatering, cheesy broccoli and ranch calzones tonight.

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Green Goddess Chicken Salad

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
Green Goddess Chicken Salad Recipe

It's important to thinly slice the kale, otherwise it'll lead to a tough-to-chew salad. An easy way to do this is by stacking a few of the de-stemmed leaves on top of one other, rolling them into a cylinder, and thinly slicing the leaves. If you feel inclined to roast your own chickens, substitute those for the rotisserie ones called for. Serve leftovers on croissants, in collard green wraps, with garlic toast or crackers, or on their own.

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Grilled Pesto Pizza with Chicken, Mozzarella, and Ricotta

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Linda Hirst
Grilled Pesto Pizza with Chicken, Mozzarella, and Ricotta Recipe

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Chicken Pesto Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine 
Chicken Pesto Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Recipe

Not only is this loaded fork-and-knife entrée easy and cheesy, it's customizable, too. Make it your own with any produce or herbs you already have in your fridge. If you have the time, you could make your own pesto. 

 

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Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

A family favorite swaps jarred sauce for fresh--which requires just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Recipe

The flavors of classic cordon bleu translate delectably as a raveworthy grilled cheese. Serve with a side of wilted spinach or a salad.

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Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe

buffalo chicken pizza

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Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad with Chicken

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad with Chicken Recipe
This colorful orzo and chicken main dish salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy lemon dressing. It's a great use for leftover or rotisserie chicken.
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Spicy-Sweet Chicken Lettuce Cups

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Ginny Branch 
Spicy-Sweet Chicken Lettuce Cups Recipe
Fresh and crunchy, these lettuce wraps come together in a flash when you use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. A quick vinegar soak keeps the chicken moist and intensely flavorful in this light dish.

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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Recipe
Jambalaya is a classic Creole dish that combines rice with a variety of other ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, peppers and some type of meat or shellfish. This easy one-dish meals features both smoked sausage and shredded rotisserie chicken.

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Green Salad with Chicken and Pink Grapefruit

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Green Salad with Chicken and Pink Grapefruit Recipe
This colorful one-dish dinner salad is great with either grapefruit or oranges and is a great way to use either rotisserie or leftover chicken.
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Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr 
Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas Recipe
Weighing in at less than 350 calories per serving, this quick twist on BBQ chicken pizza is one you need to add to your repertoire. Hint: Baking the pizzas directly on the oven rack gives you a crisp crust in less time

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Tex-Mex Chicken Chili with Lime

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Tex-Mex Chicken Chili with Lime Recipe
This hearty chili is ideal for serving company, especially when you set out a DIY toppings bar. Store-bought rotisserie chicken shortcuts the cook time, while white ale adds spice, body, and flavor.

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Pappardelle with Chicken and Winter Greens

Leo Gong, Randy Mon
Pappardelle with Chicken and Winter Greens Recipe
This bright-tasting pasta makes good use of radicchio and chard, two sturdy greens that are packed with vitamins and flavor. This cozy meal is ideal for serving on chilly nights.
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Fettuccine with Chicken and Squash

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Fettuccine with Chicken and Squash Recipe
Incorporate more vegetables into your weeknight menu with this fabulous pasta dish—a variation on a favorite Italian classic.

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Asian Chicken Slaw

Lee Harrelson
Asian Chicken Slaw Recipe
Whether you eat this cool and delicious dish on its own or loaded into a wrap, it's guaranteed to satisfy an appetite of any size. Combine the ingredients of the slaw with the homemade dressing and top with slivered almonds and sesame seeds before serving. Toast the almonds and seeds if you like, or skip that step to keep the recipe completely no-cook.

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