How To Get 5 Meals Out of One Rotisserie Chicken

My mom is the child of Ukrainian immigrants, so she learned early on that if you couldn’t eat it fresh, you pickled it, stewed it, or turned it into stock. I’ve carried that same seriousness about food waste into my own life—almost like a game of Iron Chef. How many ways can I use up an ingredient before it’s truly done?

One of my favorite (and frankly easiest) ingredients to play this game with is a rotisserie chicken. So, in true waste-nothing fashion, here are my five favorite ways to make that one chicken go the distance.

1. Enjoy It Fresh

While I can’t help but zhuzh up anything I add to my plate, rotisserie chicken is near perfect the day you buy it: crispy-skinned, moist, and dripping with its own juices. I might add a sprinkle of dry poultry seasoning or a spice blend to amp up the flavor, but it hardly needs the help.

I’m a dark-meat lover, so I’ll usually tear off a thigh and leg and eat it alongside a simple side like pasta tossed with olive oil and veggies, roasted potatoes, or a quick salad. It’s the easiest low-effort dinner you’ll make all week, and it sets you up nicely for several more meals with the leftovers.

2. Shred the Breast for Sandwiches and Salads

White meat is my least favorite, so I like to take the breasts off on day two and turn them into something a little more exciting. I’ll chop or shred the meat and mix it with mayo, celery, a splash of Italian dressing, and plenty of pickles for an easy chicken salad sandwich.

If I’m not in a sandwich mood, I’ll warm the shredded chicken in a skillet with some of the drippings from the bottom of the bag—it crisps up beautifully and adds flavor back into the meat. Then I’ll toss it into a Cobb or Caesar salad for a quick lunch that feels more like something I ordered at a restaurant than something I repurposed.

3. Use the Wings and Extra Dark Meat in Pastas or Skillet Suppers

I love to pull off the wings and snack on them like a little road treat on the drive home, but if you’re better than me and can actually wait to enjoy your chicken, pull them apart and use the meat as pre-cooked protein in your favorite one-pan supper. Toss it in with any extra dark meat you didn’t eat that first night.

Unlike white meat, the dark stays juicy when reheated—perfect for folding into pasta, grain bowls, or soups. Just wait to add it until the very end of cooking; otherwise, you’ll end up with rubber instead of richness.

4. Turn the Scraps Into Something New

Now we’re down to the odd bits—the little morsels clinging to the bottom of the bird or hiding between the wing and the bone. Don’t be deterred by a bit of scavenging; those shreds and scraps are pure gold.

They’re exactly what you want for dishes where size doesn’t matter, so a chicken pot pie, tacos, or stew are the perfect vehicle. These small pieces soak up sauce beautifully and stretch the chicken even further, giving you one last round of comforting, rich flavor before it’s time to tackle the bones.

5. Simmer the Carcass for Stock

By now your carcass should be pretty well picked over, but don’t toss it—it’s still packed with flavor. The collagen-rich bones, the leftover fat, even that gelatinous blob at the bottom of the bag all make for a deeply savory broth.

Toss everything into a large pot, add a few rough-chopped veggies (onion, carrot, and celery and maybe a bay leaf), and fill with water. Let it simmer for an hour or two, and you’ve got a golden, fragrant stock that can turn into soup, risotto, or gravy later in the week. Strain and store it in jars or freeze it in ice cube trays for easy use down the line.