Chicken breast is a versatile and popular protein that often leaves us with tasty leftovers. While cooked chicken breast keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, it can start to dry out if not used up Often we’re left wondering – what should I do with leftover cooked chicken breast?
Turns out, there are endless possibilities for giving leftover chicken new life! From soups and salads to casseroles and sandwiches chicken breast can be repurposed into all sorts of easy, delicious meals.
In this article, we’ll explore 25+ of the best and most creative ways to use up leftover cooked chicken breast. With a mix of quick weeknight dishes, make-ahead meals, and fun new flavor combinations, you’ll never be bored with your chicken again!
Transform Leftover Chicken into Hearty Casseroles
Casseroles are a classic way to repurpose leftovers into comforting, hearty dishes. Chicken breast combines perfectly with rice, pasta, veggies, and creamy sauces or cheese to make satisfying one-dish bakes.
Some tasty casserole ideas include:
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Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Shredded chicken, beans, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and cheese makes a Tex-Mex flavor fiesta.
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Chicken Divan – Chicken breast baked in a creamy curry and broccoli sauce is comfort food at its finest.
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Chicken Pot Pie Casserole – Mix chicken with frozen mixed veggies and gravy, then top with biscuits or puff pastry for chicken pot pie flavor without the fuss.
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King Ranch Chicken Casserole – Chicken, cheese, beans, and tortilla chips gets a zesty kick from salsa and taco seasoning.
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Chicken & Rice Casserole – For a classic bake, combine chicken, rice, cream of chicken soup, veggies, and Cheddar cheese.
The options are endless! Casseroles are easy to prep ahead or freeze, making them convenient for meal prepping.
Whip Up Quick & Easy Chicken Soups
Soups are a great way to infuse flavor into potentially dry leftover chicken breast. Simmer chicken in flavorful broth along with veggies, beans, pasta or rice for a warm, comforting soup.
Some simple soup ideas include:
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Chicken Noodle Soup – The classic! Dice chicken and simmer it in chicken broth with carrots, celery, onions, and egg noodles.
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Chicken Tortilla Soup – Southwest flavors shine with chicken, tomatoes, corn, beans, tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime.
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Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Soup – Purée sautéed mushrooms with chicken broth, cream, and sherry for an elegant, silky soup.
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Chicken & Wild Rice Soup – Chicken, wild rice, carrots, and green onions simmered in creamy broth makes a hearty, rustic soup.
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Chicken Posole – Mexican comfort food at its best! Chicken, hominy, veggies, and lots of spices make this stew-like soup irresistible.
Soup freezes beautifully, so make a double batch to enjoy later. Serve with bread or a salad for a satisfying meal.
Craft Fresh & Nutritious Chicken Salads
Chicken salad is a light and healthy way to reuse leftover chicken breast. Mix diced or shredded chicken with mayo or yogurt, veggies, fruit, nuts, or other mix-ins for customizable flavor and crunch.
Some easy chicken salad ideas include:
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Classic Chicken Salad – Chicken, mayo or yogurt, celery, onion, grapes, and walnuts is a simple, tasty combo. Add tarragon, dill, or curry powder for extra flavor.
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Buffalo Chicken Salad – Toss chicken with hot sauce, then add to lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing for a buffalo flavor twist.
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Greek Chicken Salad – Feta, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and fresh herbs give this salad Mediterranean flair.
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Waldorf Chicken Salad – Chicken, apples, celery, walnuts, and raisins tossed in a creamy dressing is fresh and fruity.
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Southwest Chicken Salad – Spice it up with chicken, black beans, corn, bell pepper, avocado, cotija, and cilantro lime dressing.
Chicken salad is incredibly versatile, so get creative with your own flavor combos! Serve stuffed in a pita or sandwich, over greens, with crackers, or on its own.
Mix Up Bold Chicken Wraps & Sandwiches
Wraps and sandwiches are a quick and satisfying way to breathe new life into leftover cooked chicken. Combining chicken with flavorful fillings and sauces between slices of bread, tortillas, or lettuce leaves makes a tasty hand-held meal.
Some fun wrap and sandwich ideas include:
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Buffalo Chicken Wrap – Chicken, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and ranch or blue cheese dressing packs a spicy punch.
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Chicken Caesar Wrap – Romaine, chicken, Parmesan, and zesty Caesar dressing offers fresh flavor.
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Sweet & Tangy Chicken Sandwich – Chicken, pepper jack, spinach, tomato, red onion, and honey mustard is a flavor party!
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Chicken Salad Sandwich – Pile chicken salad onto bread or a croissant for a tasty, portable lunch.
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Chicken Fajita Wrap – Sautéed bell peppers and onions, chicken, Monterey jack, guacamole, and pico de gallo capture fajita flavor.
Load up tortillas, breads, rolls, or lettuce leaves for nutritious meals on the go. The combinations are limitless!
Enjoy Global Flavors with Chicken Rice Bowls
Rice bowls provide the perfect neutral base for piling on tasty leftover chicken and fresh, bright toppings inspired by world cuisines. Think Thai, Mexican, Mediterranean, and more!
Some internationally inspired rice bowl ideas include:
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Thai Chicken Rice Bowl – Chicken, jasmine rice, cucumber, carrot, edamame, peanuts, and Thai peanut sauce.
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Mexican Chicken Rice Bowl – Chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, corn, pico de gallo, avocado, and queso fresco.
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Greek Chicken Rice Bowl – Chicken, quinoa, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, feta, hummus, and tzatziki sauce.
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Caribbean Chicken Rice Bowl – Chicken, coconut rice, black beans, mango, red onion, and creamy cilantro dressing.
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Indian Chicken Rice Bowl – Chicken, basmati rice, chickpeas, raita, naan bread, and mango chutney.
Rice bowls allow you to get creative with flavors from around the globe using easy-to-find ingredients. They also store and reheat beautifully!
Chicken Stirs the Pot in Fast Skillet Meals
Skillets provide a quick cooking method for turning leftover chicken into balanced, one-pan meals in minutes. Sauté veggies, seasonings, and proteins in one pan for dinner on the fly.
Some speedy skillet meals include:
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Chicken Fajita Skillet – Chicken, peppers, onions, beans, rice, cheese, and fajita seasoning for a fast Mexican fiesta.
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Chicken Stir Fry – Chicken, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, bell pepper, and a teriyaki or sesame ginger sauce.
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Chicken & Veggie Skillet – Chicken, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and garlic sautéed in olive oil makes a fresh, colorful dinner.
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Chicken & Orzo Skillet – Chicken, orzo, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and lemon cook together for a Mediterranean meal.
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Chicken Fried Rice – Chicken, rice, peas, carrots, eggs, soy sauce, and sesame oil create a Chinese takeout fake-out.
With endless possible ingredient combos, skillets are a great way to experiment with flavors using what you have on hand.
Bake or Grill Chicken for Easy Weeknight Meals
For super simple leftover chicken recipes, you can’t go wrong with baking or grilling. Season chicken breast with herbs, spices, or marinades and pop it in the oven or onto the grill for your protein.
Serve baked or grilled chicken with:
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Steamed veggies and rice pilaf
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Baked potato and side salad
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Veggie kabobs and couscous
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Greens, goat cheese, and farro salad
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Caprese pasta salad
Get creative with seasonings like lemon pepper, Italian dressing, taco spices, jerk seasoning, or BBQ sauce. Baked or grilled chicken offers infinite meal possibilities perfect for busy weeknights!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to repurposing leftover cooked chicken breast! From comforting casseroles to global rice bowls, chicken can be reinvented in dozens of delicious ways.
Keep chicken on hand and get creative mixing and matching flavors to use it in salads, sandwiches, skillets, and more. With proper storage, cooked chicken breast will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge or several months in the freezer, so you have plenty of time to experiment with new recipes.
Follow proper food safety guidelines, never letting chicken sit out for more than two hours at room temperature. Reheat fully until chicken reaches 165°F.
With a little inspiration, you can take boring leftover chicken from blah to ta-dah! No more eating the same old plain chicken – put those leftovers to delicious use. Your taste buds and wallet will thank you.
Fresh ideas for leftover chicken
We have a whole host of soothing soups, speedy curries, tempting risottos and mouth-watering salads that mean you will never look at your leftovers in the same way again…
Create delicious wraps by layering succulent chicken chunks with crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes and creamy tzatziki. These simple wraps not only boast a delightful combination of flavours and textures, but also fit seamlessly into your budget, requiring only six ingredients. Plus, you can whip them up in under 30 minutes, making them a quick and satisfying meal option.
Roll up a savoury treat for lunch with more of our wrap recipes.
Top of the list has to be the classic chicken sandwich. Weve given ours a lift with a zesty sauce of watercress, crème fraîche, lime and cracked black pepper, plus a portion of crispy bacon for extra flavour.
Check out our sandwich recipes for more sandwich, wrap and bun fillings.
Weve served this coronation chicken in sandwiches, but its equally as delicious served atop fluffy jacket potatoes or spooned onto salads. Its easy to throw together using storecupboard ingredients, too – youll just need some mayonnaise, mango chutney, curry powder, cinnamon and sultanas to create a flavour-packed chicken dish.
Spruce up chicken with a hint of curry in our coronation chicken recipes.
Fill soft tortillas with a variety of tasty toppings to create this speedy supper – you could even serve it family-style and let everyone create their own. Weve included classic fajita-inspired ingredients including onions, tomatoes and black beans. Finish with a drizzle of chipotle sauce, a dollop of guac and a sprinkle of cheese, and tuck in.
Make a Mexican-inspired supper with our Mexican chicken recipes.
Fans of chicken caesar salads will love this packed pitta, drizzled with a homemade caesar sauce. Its super easy to make – simply whizz up lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, mayo, mustard powder, anchovy, parmesan and cracked black pepper, then assemble your sandwiches.
Make our classic pitta bread from scratch or use ready-made for our best starters, light lunches and mains pitta recipes.
Nourishing soup is as much a part of autumn as conkers, crumbles and crunchy fallen leaves. If you are feeling under the weather, not much comes close in terms of comfort either. Using leftover chicken as a base for your soup is a thrifty way of getting your bird to go further, and it means you can get experimental with all sorts of punchy flavours, from fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, to sweet, roasted tomatoes and a spicy kick of chilli.
Fresh rosemary, sage and thyme really shine in this chunky soup, bulked out with butter beans and leftover roast chicken. Our top tip – make sure you have plenty of crusty bread to mop up the delicious herby sauce.
Find more chicken soup recipes, the perfect comfort food.
This South American-style soup is a healthy way to use up leftover roast chicken – its low in fat, freezable, and under 300 calories per portion, too. Ramp up the flavour profile with garlic, coriander, lime, cumin and chilli, and crumble over creamy feta to finish.
Discover more kale recipes for meals full of goodness and then read our helpful guide on the top five health benefits of kale.
A chicken carcass from your roast makes for a tasty bone broth base in this Chinese-inspired soup, served with eggs and cooked chicken. Its healthy, low fat, low in calories and gluten-free, too.
Ditch the takeaways and try making our Chinese chicken recipes.
This Asian-inspired soup is made using risotto rice for a really creamy texture. Weve used red Thai curry paste, coconut milk and chicken stock to pack in the flavour.
Check out more of our rice recipes for meal ideas using this storecupboard staple.
If you have soba or wholewheat noodles to hand, this soup is a real winner. The broth is made using any leftover chicken bones and meat from your Sunday roast, along with beansprouts, pak choi and spring onions for colour and texture.
Try more of our Thai chicken soup recipes for a warming dinner.
This rustic chicken and veg soup pairs perfectly with garlicky yogurt – swirl it through just before serving. Youll want a crusty baguette or a seeded roll to dunk, too.
Why not try and make your bread homemade? Our crusty bread or baguette would be perfect.
Whats not to love about a one-pot? This one takes just over half an hour to make, and its low in calories and fat, too. Use up any leftover roast chicken bones and meat to make the stock, then liven it up with storecupboard ingredients including soy sauce, honey and pickled ginger.
Whether you want a quick meal or a next-level supper, our chicken noodle soup recipes will satisfy your cravings for comfort food.
Fresh herbs, light dressings and interesting ingredients are sure to add life to leftover chicken. Pack it up and save money on a work lunch, or simply enjoy as a light but filling supper.
This colourful salad is practically a whole rainbow on your plate. Weve included instructions for how to roast a fresh chicken, but you can easily use up any leftover meat that you have to hand. Roast sweet potatoes and red onions with fennel seeds until caramelised, and serve with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds for a final pop of colour.
Make a classic gremolata condiment and use it in a number of our gremolata recipes.
Earthy, sweet tarragon complements chicken, bacon, avocado and peas perfectly in this simple salad. Weve drizzled over an olive oil vinaigrette mixed with Dijon mustard for a touch of warming heat.
Serve a bright plate of goodness with our fuss-free chicken salad recipes.
Bulgur wheat is a brilliant base in this filling, summery salad piled high with chicken and flavoured with herbs. Sweet peaches and salty feta create a lovely balance of flavours.
Try more of our bulgur wheat recipes for ideas on how to make this grain centre-stage.
Topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta, this grain bowl is a really satisfying option for lunch or supper. The vibrant red Camargue rice makes it special enough to serve at a picnic or al fresco gathering, too.
Make the most of this deliciously salty cheese with our simple feta salad recipes.
Finely shredded red cabbage, carrots and spring onions form the base of this vibrant salad, drizzled with a punchy hoisin and sesame dressing. Its a healthy and low-calorie way to use up your leftover chicken, and the best part is that it takes only 20 minutes to make.
Salads arent just for summer – this chunky chopped salad is perfect for the winter months. Serve your leftover chicken with chunks of blue cheese, crispy bacon and hard-boiled eggs along with a honey mustard dressing.
Sometimes only a hot and hearty supper will do, so turn your leftovers into a comforting family meal with filling and flavour-packed enchiladas, bakes, hot pots and pies.
Opt for a larger chicken when shopping and maximise your meals by utilising the leftovers. Elevate the taste of your comforting stew by extracting rich flavour from the chicken bones. Simmer them alongside onions, carrots, parsnips, and celery to craft a homemade stock that takes your culinary creation to the next level.
Enjoy more winter chicken recipes that will warm you until spring.
Transform your leftover chicken into a quick, effortless curry featuring vibrant sugar snap peas. The coconut milk base imparts a creamy and mild character to the curry. If you desire a spicier kick, enhance the flavour by finishing with a generous sprinkle of chilli and coriander.
Whip up one of our warming chicken curry recipes, from creamy chicken korma and katsu to spicy tomato-based jalfrezi and madras.
Add some pizzazz to your leftover chicken with this recipe inspired by pad Thai. Its easy to make your own sauce using storecupboard ingredients that are often used in Thai cooking such as fish sauce, tamarind paste and sriracha.
Rustle up one of our pad Thai recipes for a cheaper alternative to a takeaway.
Potato-topped hotpots are the ultimate comfort food, and this recipe is a great way to use up both leftover chicken and any stray mixed vegetables from the freezer. Its a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen, too, and build up their cooking confidence.
Try more of our chicken & mushroom recipes for inspiration with this classic flavour pairing.
Transform your leftovers into a truly deluxe pie with leeks, mushrooms and a creamy, mustardy sauce. Weve topped it off with a crisp filo crust, brushed with olive oil and scattered with nigella seeds.
Make one of our chicken pie recipes for a comforting family dinner.
Onions, tomatoes and peppers add tonnes of flavour to the filling for this pie, which is finished with a layer of paprika-spiked mashed potatoes. Its dairy-free and low in salt, plus its ideal for making ahead – simply pop in the freezer for another evening.
Transport yourself to Spain with our Spanish-inspired recipes, from patatas bravas to paella.
This indulgent risotto is made even more rich with the addition of crème fraîche, plus a generous dusting of parmesan. Its an ideal way to serve leftover chicken breast, but you can use darker meat if thats what you have to hand.
Master this Italian dish with more of our risotto recipes.
Bulk out leftover meat from your chicken legs with kidney beans and sweetcorn, then wrap into tortillas to create these family-friendly enchiladas. Serve alongside salsa and a Mexican-style salad.
Try more enchilada recipes with any choice of filling.
This tasty tomato and onion bake is topped with torn mozzarella and crunchy breadcrumbs for a flavourful upgrade on roast chicken leftovers. Serve alongside your choice of mash, jacket potatoes, rice or pasta.
Try a warming, comforting Autumn chicken recipe.
Comforting and creamy, a perfectly cooked risotto is difficult to beat. Luckily this easy step-by-step recipe walks you through the process to create that rich risotto texture, with plump rice grains and a silky, starchy sauce. Weve paired cooked chicken chunks with bacon lardons for an extra dose of flavour.
If you always order egg-fried rice from your local Chinese takeaway, you have to try this homemade version. Its a perfect way to introduce children to some mild spice, and as an added bonus its all cooked in one pan, saving you time and effort on the washing-up.
Take the two basic ingredients of rice and chicken and create something delicious with our rice & chicken recipes.
Finally, this tortilla-topped bake makes for a satisfying snack or a light lunch for two, complete with a layer of bubbling, gooey cheese to dig those nachos into. Serve alongside an avocado salad to really make a meal of it.
I’ve Got A New Way For You To Cook Chicken Breast
FAQ
What can I do with a leftover cooked chicken breast?
- Chicken & tzatziki wraps.
- Chicken, bacon & watercress baguettes.
- Easy coronation chicken.
- Mexican chicken & black bean wraps.
- Caesar pitta.
- Herby chicken & butter bean soup.
- Spiced black bean & chicken soup with kale.
- Chicken & sweetcorn soup.
What meals can be made from chicken breast?
- Chicken pasta bake. A star rating of 4.6 out of 5. …
- ‘Marry me’ chicken. A star rating of 4.7 out of 5. …
- Easy chicken fajitas. A star rating of 4.7 out of 5. …
- Mustard-stuffed chicken. …
- Crunchy garlic chicken. …
- Chicken & chorizo jambalaya. …
- Chicken & bacon pasta. …
- App onlyChicken schnitzel caesar salad.
What to do with dry cooked chicken breast?
eHow suggests salvaging dry chicken by dicing or shredding it and throwing it into the pasta dish of your choice. A hearty marinara or rich Alfredo sauce will work wonders at restoring moisture and adding flavor to a parched piece of chicken.
What to do after cooking chicken breast?
Cook your chicken until the meat thermometer registers 165 degrees, then let it rest on a cutting board or plate for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute before cutting into it.