There are lots of reasons to bring home a rotisserie chicken for dinner.  It’s ready to eat, has plenty of protein, and pairs with your favorite sides.  The next day, though, does the partially eaten rotisserie chicken sitting cold in your refrigerator have the same appeal?  And are you ready for a repeat of yesterday’s meal?  This post contains ideas for making Day 2 of that chicken even better than the first.

If you aren’t at home on Day 2, or if you don’t have enough remaining chicken to make your chosen recipe, you can save the chicken for a future cooking adventure.  Keep a container in your freezer that will hold approximately two cups of chopped chicken, and toss your leftover chicken into the container.  When you have the right amount of chicken and a bit of time, you can pull out the container, and you will be happy that you have chopped cooked chicken ready to create a great meal.

Of course, you can add any amount of chicken to a salad, a stir fry or a soup.  No recipe needed.  For times when you are ready to follow a recipe, I attached one of my favorite cooked chicken recipes to this post, Chicken Tostadas.  They are beautiful and delicious, and you can experiment with the toppings and garnishes.  I also attached some of my other recipes that all call for two cups of chopped chicken.  If you have a little more or less than two cups, no worries.  These recipes are flexible.

Also Check out Avoiding Food Waste I: Greens. https://vivisimoforyourlife.com/2026/03/05/avoiding-food-waste-greens/

1

Chicken Tostadas

If you have some cooked chicken on hand, you can make beautiful and delicious Chicken Tostadas in a flash.

Check out this recipe

2

Easy Tortellini Soup

This Tortellini Soup recipe is great for creating an amazing soup with only a little effort. A wide variety of vegetables can be used in this soup, so it's great for using what you have on hand or what you found at the Farmer's Market.

Check out this recipe

3

Moroccan Stew

This stew is a delicious way to use up leftover chicken or turkey, and it's also great made with lentils.

Check out this recipe

4

Quick and Easy Chili with Added Vegetables

This chili is surprisingly quick and easy to make and is versatile. The tomatoes, onion, garlic and spices create your blank canvas. You can discover your favorite combination of additions, or you can use up protein and vegetables in your fridge to create a delicious and nutritious chili.

Check out this recipe