As far as I’m concerned, Costco’s rotisserie chicken is one of the top reasons to have a membership. Besides the unbeatable price ($4.99), the chicken is consistently juicy and flavorful. But unless you live in a household with several members, you may find Costco’s rotisserie chicken giving you commitment issues. The first day is no problem and you devour the hot drumsticks coated with crispy skin. But as the aroma fades and the meat congeals, the chicken becomes an albatross, a reminder of your wastefulness staring at you from the back of the fridge.
Determined to not let that be the case, I hunted for ways to use past-prime rotisserie chicken. My search turned up several easy, tasty recipes to revive chilled chicken. Here are my favorites, ideal for throwing together on a weeknight with little prep and easy-to-find ingredients.
1. Chicken Quesadillas
This one barely requires a recipe. Flour tortillas, shredded cheese, pulled rotisserie chicken. You know what to do. If you aren’t sure, check out this recipe:
Easy Rotisserie Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas — The Mom 100
2. Chicken Noodle Soup
A classic American favorite. Perfect for chilly nights. This recipe calls for an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. But here is a similar version for the stovetop.
This recipe assumes you will be starting with raw chicken. To use rotisserie chicken, simply don’t add chicken to the pot in step 1. Shred the breast of the rotisserie chicken and add to the soup at the end.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup - The Pioneer Woman
3. Pozole
A healthy, hearty Mexican soup. Blender required.
This recipe assumes you will be starting with raw chicken. To use rotisserie chicken, simply don’t add chicken to the pot in step 1. Shred the rotisserie chicken (preferably the thighs) and add to the pot in step 4.
4. Enchiladas
I was leery of canned enchilada sauce, until I tried this recipe. Honestly on par with my local Mexican restaurant’s chicken enchiladas.
I prefer enchiladas with green sauce. But if you like red sauce, here’s a recipe for you (just skip the step where you cook the chicken).
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas - Old El Paso
5. Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad
A no-cook meal, ideal for warmer days.
Chinese Chicken Salad - Laughing Spatula
6. Avgelomono (Lemon, Egg, Chicken Soup)
This Greek soup is great for anyone that loves lemons and doesn’t hate the idea of lemons + eggs. The traditional recipe only calls for chicken broth (and not chicken meat), but I prefer a higher protein, heartier variation.
This recipe assumes you will be starting with raw chicken. To use rotisserie chicken, simply skip step 1. Shred the rotisserie chicken (preferably breast) and add to the pot in step 7.
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Avgolemono Soup - Serious Eats
A Note about Bone Broth
If you are intent on wasting none of your rotisserie chicken, you can use the bones to make broth. I personally have never done tried it, but it doesn’t sound hard. Here’s a sample recipe for rotisserie chicken bone broth:
The Easiest DIY Rotisserie Chicken Broth Recipe - This Mess is Ours
Hopefully these recipes alleviate some of your anxiety around making full use of your Costco rotisserie chicken. And don’t forget about even more common-sense meals, like sandwiches, caesar salad, nachos, etc. With a little bit of creativity, chicken waste is a thing of the past!
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