Chicken is an intimidating meat. It's pink. It's slimy. It's definitely not something I want to think about when chowing down a big plate of Chicken Parmesan. Cooking it can be a strenuous task. Fortunately, most supermarkets around the country have got you covered with pre-cooked, ready-to-eat rotisserie chickens.
However, eating a slightly seasoned chicken can get really monotonous after a few days in a row (I've had some bad experiences). While eating chicken for five nights in a row might not be as bad as salads, I was ready to put my chicken to good use. In doing so, I've tried out a ton of recipes using my pre-made, non-salmonella, ShopRite chickens.
Listed below are my favorite easy rotisserie chicken recipes I've made over the last year. Even when I'm in a hurry, I always would have enough time to make them. None of them require any extra preparations, which make them right up my ally.
1. Spiced Couscous and Chicken
limin_chiu on Flickr
This Mediterranean-inspired meal will be your new-go to. Within a half hour, you'll have made a full meal complete with a grain and a protein. This dish was my first foray into couscous, but it was definitely simple to make.
2. Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad
I'm always up for a good lunch to take to school. Although this recipe uses canned chicken, I substituted rotisserie chicken for a slightly less skeevy option. With the mixture of Greek yogurt and creamy avocado, you won't miss the mayo. Although I'll admit, the one reason I made this recipe in the first place was the lack of mayo.
#SpoonTip: Adding lemon juice reduces the oxidation of the avocado, which keeps it a nice, vibrant green.
3. Chicken Pot Pie
A classic comfort dish gets a slight makeover. By using a store-bought pie crust, frozen vegetables, and shredded rotisserie chicken, the once time consuming dinner is now ready in under an hour. With the addition of white wine and tons of herbs and spices, you'd never know that it was so easy to make.
4. Buffalo Baked Ziti
alanagkelly on Flickr
From start to finish, this dish will only take 30 minutes. The mixture of cream cheese, cheddar, and herbs make it a creamy, hearty meal, perfect for a cold winter dinner. But this doesn't mean it's not a perfect dish to whip up on a weekday. When recipes are labeled "buffalo," I get scared because I'm not a fan of blue cheese. Fortunately, this uses ranch and doesn't overpower the other flavors.
5. Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Normally a fried burrito, this Spoon recipe gets a slight makeover in the oven. The tortilla gets all the crisp witthout all the grease. The chicken is mixed with picante sauce, onions, and spices, which if you don't have the time to stuff and bake, is a great meal to eat by itself.
6. Chicken Alfredo
A bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo, just like grandma used to make, but in half the time. Yes, please. It's definitely a treat meal, but one that's well worth it. Because the chicken is incorporated into the sauce before the pasta, it has a chance to soak in the cheesy sauce (extra cheesy chicken = extra delicious chicken).
7. Mexican Chicken Mini-Casseroles
With less than 10 ingredients, you've got yourself a hearty meal. Using a can of cream of chicken soup, these pies have a creaminess you wouldn't get from anything else. Because it is such a rich dish, I top it with cilantro, which gives it a nice freshness.
8. Teriyaki Chicken Buns
This one might be a stretch, but I skip out on boiling the chickens and just use a rotisserie chicken. Not only does it save me time, but the pre-cooked chicken gives the filling a bit more flavor. The wrappers are made out of biscuit dough, which gives it a nice doughy texture. Plus, you don't even need a steamer to make them.
9. Southwest Chicken Tomato Soup
This hearty soup will have you transported back to the good ol' days of staying in and watching Disney Channel movie marathons. The classic tomato soup is upgraded with creamy goat cheese, cornbread croutons, and shredded chicken. Whether you eat it as a side dish, or even as dinner itself, you'll be comforted with a sense of nostalgia. Most soups take hours to simmer, but this one doesn't need more than 50 minutes.
10. Sesame Peanut Noodles
stu_spivack on Flickr
Pasta, peanut butter, and chicken— what ingredients could be better? When combined with fresh vegetables and cilanto, this pasta dish is a great recipe to have on hand. It can be eaten hot or cold, which makes it the perfect make-ahead dinner. Since it has all the vegetables, carbs, but, more importantly, the protein a dinner needs, it'll satisfy all your needs.
Cooking with chicken doesn't have to be a terrifying task. It's a great source of protein and can be added to any meal. Make sure to try out these easy rotisserie chicken recipes and to prove just how easy and tasty they are.