I Buy a Walmart Rotisserie Chicken Every Week—Here’s How I Turn It Into 6 Meals

Sometimes, when I don’t know what to cook—or even what to buy—I find myself reaching for a rotisserie chicken from Walmart. It’s not something I necessarily plan for, but it’s something I’ve come to rely on again and again.

The traditional rotisserie chicken is dependable and neutral in the best possible way, which makes it incredibly versatile. The lemon pepper one is for when you want something a little brighter and more assertive in flavor. Both are great to have in the fridge and transform into delicious meals.

6 Ways I Enjoy Walmart's Rotisserie Chicken

Even though rotisserie chicken is cooked and seasoned, I see it as a blank canvas—something that can easily be nudged in different directions depending on what I’m in the mood for that day. Over time, I’ve figured out specific ways to work through a rotisserie chicken so that nothing is wasted and meals don’t feel boring.

1. “Free” Sauce in the Rotisserie Chicken Bag

After you remove the chicken from the bag it comes in, there’s usually a surprising amount of flavorful juice pooled at the bottom. I like to add freshly cooked jasmine rice directly to the bag and toss it around so the rice absorbs the chicken fat and juices. It’s an incredibly easy way to make rice taste rich and flavorful.

2. Serve the Breasts With a Ginger Scallion Sauce

Even though I love chicken breast, it’s also the part that dries out the fastest, so I always try to enjoy it first. Eating it straight from the container is certainly the lowest-effort option, but it can get monotonous pretty quickly. Consider serving sliced chicken breast (preferably cold) with a ginger scallion sauce. It packs a zing and brightness that makes cold chicken exciting.

3. Smart Shortcut Pulled Chicken Sandwich

One of my favorite ways to use chicken breast is to treat it like pulled pork. If the chicken is cold from the fridge, I’ll gently warm it in the microwave until it’s just warm to the touch. That makes shredding easier. Toss the shredded chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce and stuff it into a sandwich. It’s simple and far more satisfying than eating plain chicken breast for the third day in a row.

4. Make a Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

When I’m not feeling great, or when I just want something nourishing without starting from scratch, I dice the chicken breast into small pieces and add them to chicken soup toward the end of cooking.

5. Chicken Thighs in a Quick Curry

Chicken thighs stay moist and tender, even after a few days in the fridge. Because of that, most of the time I eat them as is, but sometimes I’ll toss them into a simple chicken curry. Their richness holds up well to the spices in the curry.

6. Easy Chicken Bone Broth

Once all the meat is gone, I’m left with the bones. It’s tempting to throw the carcass away. However, there’s always a bit of meat stuck in the crevices. That’s exactly the reason to keep it and make chicken bone broth. Place the bones in a pot with just enough water to cover them. I add vegetable scraps I’ve been saving—celery leaves, carrot tops, onion skins, parsley stems, and carrot peels. I bring everything to a gentle boil and let it simmer for about two hours. The result is a flavorful broth that warms the soul, making the most out of a commonly discarded ingredient.

How To Store and Freeze Leftover Rotisserie Chicken

For storage, I like to separate the white meat from the dark meat, so I know which recipes each cut is best suited for. If I’m feeling proactive, I’ll even cut the chicken into strips or dice it ahead of time so there’s no additional prep later. The work is already done, minus the cooking, so I might as well finish the job. You can keep it stored in the fridge for three to four days.

Rotisserie chicken also freezes well, and it’s definitely more affordable than buying frozen rotisserie chicken strips, which are essentially the same thing. Before freezing, I let the chicken cool completely, portion it into freezer bags, press out the air, and freeze it flat for up to four months. When I need it, I thaw it overnight in the fridge or gently warm the chicken by placing it in a mixing bowl of room-temperature water.

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