Picking up a rotisserie chicken is a great way to get plenty of bang for your food dollars. However, for many, there's more than enough meat to go around, and that means leftovers. Especially if you have multiple side dishes, some of the chicken may end up in your fridge after dinner.  

Don’t let that chicken go to waste! It can easily become the foundation of another tasty meal. If you're looking for leftover rotisserie chicken recipes to help you stretch your food budget and make the most of the food you already have on hand, check out these cheap, filling solutions.  

1. Pasta 

Start with your favorite noodle, whether that's classic spaghetti, a protein-packed rotini, or a chickpea pasta for a gluten-free option. Cook and drain the pasta. Then, add your sauce. You can go with a classic red sauce, Alfredo, or pesto. There are no rules, so use whatever you're in the mood for!  

Remove the meat from the chicken and add it to a frying pan, along with a bag of frozen vegetables. Heat everything through before folding in the pasta and sauce. In a matter of minutes, you have a quick and easy dinner recipe that can be on the table in a hurry. If you're feeding a larger group or the kids are picky eaters, consider a pasta bar instead of mixing everything together in advance.  Everyone can choose their own favorite type of pasta, sauce, and veggies. 

2. Stir-Fry 

Stir-fry is a great option that will help you use up not only your leftover rotisserie chicken but also any vegetables that happen to be lingering in the crisper. Cut up the vegetables, then stir-fry in your pan or wok with a little oil.  

Don't have any veggies in the crisper? A bag of frozen broccoli, California veggies, or stir-fry veggies all make great options and help you get dinner on the table even faster.  A can of bamboo slices, sliced water chestnuts, or baby corn can be a great addition! Season with salt and white pepper to taste.  

When the vegetables are almost finished cooking, add the shredded or chopped leftover chicken and cook until warm. In the last 2-3 minutes, add stir-fry sauce. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and other savory staples can help add more depth of flavor. Many stores also carry ready-made stir-fry sauce blends. Serve over rice or noodles for a cheap, filling meal.  

3. Nachos 

Shredded chicken nachos create a fantastic meal, and everyone can add the ingredients they prefer. Shred your leftover rotisserie chicken and add a little taco seasoning before quickly tossing it in a pan or skillet with a little oil to season and brown the chicken. Then, lay out your favorite nacho or taco ingredients: queso, shredded cheese, beans, lettuce, avocado, corn, rice, peppers, onions, sour cream, pico de gallo, and more.  

Start with a base of nacho chips or taco shells, and build from there. Whether you heat them in the oven or the microwave, everyone can enjoy their favorite combination as you enjoy dinner around the table together.  

4. Wraps 

Chicken wraps not only offer a quick and easy way to use up your leftover rotisserie chicken, but they're also easy to customize. Remove the meat from the chicken bones if you haven't already and shred or chop it. Then, add it to a tortilla with other ingredients for a quick, affordable, and filling meal. Some of the most popular wrap options include:  

• Chicken Bacon and Ranch: Layer your chicken, a couple of slices of bacon, cheese, and lettuce in the wrap, then drizzle a little ranch dressing over the top. 
• Chicken Caesar: Grab a bag of Caesar salad mix and place the lettuce, cheese, and chicken in the wrap, then add Caesar dressing to taste.  
• Southwest: Add your leftover chicken, beans, corn, lettuce, and cheese to the wrap, then dip in salsa for an extra kick.  
• Buffalo Chicken: Place chicken, cheese, and lettuce in a wrap, then add buffalo sauce to taste.  

These wraps can be used as a quick dinner idea, including dinner on the go, or packed up for lunch the next day: the perfect way to make sure you're using up all that leftover chicken.  

 5. Chicken Pot Pie 

Choose your favorite chicken pot pie recipe and use leftover rotisserie chicken as part of your filling. Chop up your favorite vegetables or use a bag of frozen ones to streamline preparation.  

There are a lot of creative solutions that can be used for chicken pot pie toppings. Crescent roll dough, biscuit dough, puff pastry, pre-made pie crusts, and other refrigerated bread dough options all make getting that flaky top quick and easy and help you get dinner on the table faster.  

6. Bone Broth 

While you're maximizing your rotisserie chicken use, not to mention your food budget, make bone broth from those leftover chicken bones. Toss them in a crock pot with your favorite spices and some salt, then cover with water and leave overnight. Bone broth makes a great base for soups and stews. You can keep it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for later use. Rotisserie chicken bone broth is perfect for the cold winter months.  

More Options for Quick Eating in Wichita 

 If you're in the Wichita, KS area and looking for a quick and easy dinner option, there are several to choose from. Consider: 

Spangles: Quick-service food Kansas-style, complete with burgers, wraps, fries, and more.  The Spangles on South West Street is just over a 10-minute drive from MacArthur’s Lake Apartments.  

Doo Dah Diner: Comfort food, made fresh daily, with a reasonable price range to fit your budget.  This popular local eatery is open for breakfast and lunch hours and is less than 15 minutes from MacArthur’s Lake Apartments. 

Fat Ernie’s Family Dining: This popular comfort food diner is less than 10 minutes from MacArthur’s Lake Apartments and has an assortment of dishes that will please even the pickiest eater! They also have daily all-you-can-eat specials.  

Leftovers are great, but exploring the many restaurants across Wichita can help expand your palate and provide even more culinary delights.  Eating out at a nearby restaurant can be a simple solution when even a quick recipe seems like too much on a busy night.  

Establish the Ideal Home Base 

When living in Wichita, you want to be close to great restaurants, local grocery stores, and shopping without living in a loud and busy neighborhood. At Macarthur’s Lake Apartments. , we’re minutes from great restaurants and shops, but our community sits nestled into a charming, park-like setting with water views and plenty of open green space.   

Our pet-friendly 1 and 2-bedroom homes feature double galley kitchen layouts for easy meal prep and cleanup! Schedule a tour today and find the good life that lives lakeside at MacArthur’s Lake Apartments.