Best recipes to use up leftover chicken

Leftover chicken is one of the best food prep items you can have for a busy week. In your meal prepping, be sure to take some of your chicken and freeze it for quick access later in the week. For the best chicken recipe ideas plan ahead by using Recipezazz's Meal Planner. Simply click on Quick View or Get Cooking on any recipe and add it your meal planner.

Five Ingredient Crockpot Tomatillo Chicken Burritos

"This recipe is full of great flavor! I added a whole brick of cream cheese rather than the recommended amount and served over rice. This really put this recipe over the top!" says Daisy123. 

Photo by: Wayne

Try some of our favorite chicken tacos...

• Denise's Light Chicken Tacos
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos With Mango & Black Bean Salsa
• Sesame Panko Chicken Tacos

Chicken Soup Country Style

"We love this chicken soup and love that it is freezer friendly" says Gerry. " I freeze the extra servings in the screw top freezer containers using the four cup for family and single serving for my lunch or a light supper. Stays as fresh as the day they were made!" 

They say that chicken soup is good for the soul, but did you know that you too can be an expert at making homemade soup that will knock the socks off you favorite restaurant soups?

• Curried Chicken, Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup
• Mulligatawny Soup
• Farmhouse Chicken Chowder
• Chunky Vegetable Clam Chowder

Chicken Pad Thai

This recipe is actually really easy to make. If you like to experiment with recipes, then give this Chicken Pad Thai a try. You will love it!

Photo by Wayne

Natalia's Favorite Buffalo Chicken Dip (Quick)

ForeverMama says it perfectly: "My daughter had this dip at a friends house and kept on raving about it. Soon after her friends mom shared the recipe. I've had many buffalo chicken dips, but this one is just right and I was surprised how so very easy peasy it was to make. Everything was in my pantry. I put it together so fast and we were all enjoying it in no time."

Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry With Multi-Color Peppers

With only 2 ingredients for the sauce, this is a quick, easy and tasty weeknight recipe that is just longing for leftover chicken. 

Photo by: g102621

Old Fashioned Potato Topped Chicken Pot Pie

BocaMama says that this is a "Killer recipe! My family devoured it all in one meal and I doubled it!" One of Kittencal's recipes that can be cooked either with mashed potatoes or a pastry crust. Your choice!

Chicken Pasta Salad

"A very nice pasta salad, a special way to use up cook chicken" says Derf. "I used shaved parmesan cheese which added a lot of flavour."

Photo by: Derf

More Chicken Salad Recipes

Did you know that we had an entire category dedicated to Chicken Salad recipes? We do! Simply go to the Chicken category and select Chicken Salads. Enjoy!

• Chilled Chicken Cranberry Salad
• Almond Crumbed Chicken Schnitzel With Avocado Salad
• Fast & Fabulous Thai Chicken Salad
• Jalapeño Chicken Salad
• Southwestern Cobb Salad

How to Use Leftover Chicken

Once you cook your chicken let it quickly cool to room temperature. It is best to cut it up to the pieces that you want. Remember, cooked chicken can stay safely in the fridge for two to three days. You can also freeze your cooked chicken pieces, but never take uncooked chicken out of the freezer, thaw, and then back into the freezer.  

Meal Plan Idea

Sunday: Roast your whole chicken. Cut into pieces and let cool down on a tray. 

Monday: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry - this is great for the legs, wings and thighs. This recipe is very easy and so good! Since the chicken is already cooked, you can just throw everything in the slow cooker. 

Tuesday: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos With Mango & Black Bean Salsa - use the chicken breasts that you cut up on Sunday. Ready in 20 minutes or so, as your chicken is already cooked. Just heat up!

Friday: Knock Your Socks Off Chicken. With all the rest of the chicken bits (minus bones) this is one fantastic recipe. Since it calls for a couple hours to marinade your chicken in white wine, you can do that will waiting for it to thaw. 

How to Roast A Perfect Chicken

Whether in the Oven, Smoker, Rotisserie this  is the perfect way to roast up a chicken that you can use for several meals during the week. Another great recipe by Lindasbusykitchen where she says "This chicken comes out tender, juicy and the flavor is just like those you buy in the deli that are ready to eat."

 Photo by: Luvcookn