Our easy leftover chicken recipes make sure there's no waste when it comes to roast dinner leftovers. From curry to casserole, pasta to soup, we've got many ways to use up leftover roast chicken...
A big roast chicken is a lovely Sunday treat, but what are you supposed to do with all the leftover chicken? Buying a whole bird is often cheaper than buying portions separately. It can however leave you with lots of leftovers.
The great thing is that cooked chicken can be re-used in other meals the next day or so after, especially when stored correctly. You just need to make sure that it is thoroughly re-heated and piping hot when warming up and serving again.
Leftover chicken can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to two months. If you're freezing cooked chicken, it's a good idea to cut it into strips or chunks so you can grab handfuls of the amount you need.
The best thing about these easy leftover chicken recipes is that they're versatile so you can easily swap some of the fresh ingredients out for ones that you have in your freezer or in your store cupboard.
There are so many ways to jazz up leftover roast chicken. From chicken stir-fries to chicken curries, we've got lots of delicious leftover chicken recipes to choose from. You'll never have to eat the same thing two nights in a row...
Looking for more inventive ways to use your leftovers? Our recipes for using up leftover beef are sure to inspire!
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Leftover chicken curry
Make up some curry sauce (you can make a homemade one or grab a jar if you're short on time) and add your cooked chicken 5 minutes before it's ready. A hearty curry will feel like you're eating a completely different meal, rather than just leftovers.
Ingredients you need:
- Curry sauce (see how to make curry sauce from scratch)
- Rice
Recipes to try:
Leftover chicken soup
Pretty much any of your leftovers can be boiled down to make a soup. You simply combine what you have in with a little stock and either leave chunky or whizz smooth with a hand blender.
Ingredients you need:
- Stock cubes (or you can make your own stock with leftover chicken bones)
- Leftover vegetables (optional)
- Cream or milk (optional)
Recipes to try:
Chicken soup
Leftover chicken bake
A bake doesn't need to have a pasta or potato topping, you can simply bake chicken with a cheese or tomato sauce. A breadcrumb, crumble or oaty topping will give it a nice crunch.
If you do have potatoes in, slices or mash would also make a good topping.
Ingredients you need:
- Sauce (cheese or tomato)
- Breadcrumbs (optional)
Recipes to try:
Leftover chicken casserole
(Image credit: Jon Whitaker)
A casserole doesn't need to spend hours simmering. Chicken casseroles have a lighter sauce so they don't need as long for the flavour to mature as a red meat version. You can make a delicious stock-based vegetable sauce and add your cooked chicken into the mix. A chicken flavoured stock will give you a fab added flavour - you could even save some of the juices from your roast chicken for an extra strong taste.
Ingredients you need:
- Chicken stock
- Onions
- Vegetables - your choice
Recipes to try:
More chicken casserole recipes
Leftover chicken skewers
Chicken katsu skewers are a unique appetiser to serve if you’ve got guests coming round, as well as being a tasty afternoon snack just for you. Using the leftover chicken in your fridge and some fresh vegetables, you can create this delicious twist on a Japanese favourite.
Ingredients you need:
- Chicken breasts
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Onions and carrots
- Fresh root ginger
- Garlic cloves, crushed
- Medium curry powder
- Chicken stock
Recipes to try
:
- Chicken katsu skewers
- Hot and spicy chicken skewers
- Buttermilk chicken skewers
- Pastry
- Chicken stock
- Cream (optional)
- Vegetables (mushrooms and leek go particularly well)
- Stir-fry vegetables (you can chop vegetables you have into thin strips)
- Stir-fry sauce
- Rice or noodles (you can even use potatoes for a more Mediterranean feel)
- Potatoes (can be cooked)
- Onions
- Lemon/lime juice
- Sauce (like soy sauce or teriyaki)
- Noodles
- Sauce (sweet chilli or a ready made Chinese sauce would work well)
- Stir-fry veg (or whatever you have, sliced finely)
- Rice
- Wraps
- Mexican spice mix (or make your own with chilli, oregano, paprika and cumin)
- Sauces (make your own guacamole and salsa with our easy recipes)
- Pasta (dried or fresh)
- Sauce (a homemade tomato or cheese sauce would be perfect)
- Vegetables
- Cheese (optional)
- Salad leaves
- Tomatoes
- Salad dressing
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Whatever you have in!
- Cheese and ham omelette - swap the ham for chicken!
- Baked vegetable omelette
- Bacon squeak frittata
- Rice (risotto is traditionally made with arborio rice but whatever rice you have in will work)
- Stock
- White wine (optional)
- Vegetables like peas or spinach (optional)
- Rice (you can get paella rice but you can use whatever you have in)
- Chorizo
- Paprika
- How to make paella - with step-by-step pics!
- Chicken and prawn paella
- Bread
- Mayonaise or butter
- Salad (optional)
- Ready made pastry
- Pesto/cheese or tomato puree
- Egg to glaze
- Italian ham and cheese tart - swap the ham for chicken instead!
- Mediterranean chicken parcels
- Corn
- Tortilla
- Chicken
- Mayo
- Lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Moroccan spices (You can make your own with cumin, coriander and turmeric)
- Couscous
- Chickpeas (optional)
- Rice
- Stock
- Herbs
- Vegetables
- Boiling water
- Carrots
- Leeks
- Herbs
Leftover chicken pie
A crisp coating and a creamy sauce and voila - your leftover chicken is transformed into a brand new dish. Always keep a roll of ready made pastry in the kitchen so you can gather all your leftovers together in a quick and easy way.
Ingredients you need:
More Chicken pie
Leftover chicken stir-fry
(Image credit: Getty Images)
There's nothing easier than a cheap, quick and easy stir-fry. Fry up some leftover veggies with some noodles or rice and a tasty sauce. Chuck in your cooked chicken towards the end and warm through - simple!
Ingredients you need:
Leftover chicken tray bake
(Image credit: Tony Briscoe)
If you've got leftover chicken from a roast, we're betting there is a few stray roast potatoes and some veg too? A tray bake is an easy way to warm them all up together. All you need to do is drizzle with a little flavour and stick in the oven.
Ingredients you need:
Leftover chicken noodles
(Image credit: JEMMA_WATTS)
You'll always find a packet of noodles lurking towards the back of your food cupboard, make good use of them by teaming them up with your leftovers. Chicken with a nice Chinese-style sauce is the perfect Monday night meal.
Ingredients you need:
Leftover Mexican chicken
Strips of cooked chicken make cooking Mexican food nice and speedy. Season with some paprika mix, warm through (you can have it cold if you would like) and wrap up with some rice, peppers and some delicious sauces. Easy.
Ingredients you need:
More Mexican recipes
Leftover chicken pasta
Good old pasta. As long as you've got a bag in the cupboard, there is usually some way to use up your leftovers. Chicken and pasta is a lovely combination - you can sprinkle cold cooked chicken over your pasta to make a pasta salad or heat it up in a sauce to pour over it or bake under a cheesy topping.
Ingredients you need:
Leftover chicken salad
A nice option for lunch the next day is a leftover chicken salad. You don't need to worry about heating the chicken up and you can just throw together all your salady bits. Couscous, rice or pasta will make it nice and filling.
Ingredients you need:
Leftover chicken omelette
Eggs aren't just for breakfast, they can the basis for a filling family meal if used right. An omelette, tortilla or frittata brings together all your ingredients into a one tasty slice. Serve with salad and cooked veg or some pasta or potatoes if you want something a little more filling.
Ingredients you need:
Recipes to try
More omelette recipes
Leftover chicken risotto
(Image credit: Brett Mulcahy)
Risotto is a seriously underrated dish. You only need rice and some stock and you can pull together your leftovers in one tasty dish. You need to stand by the hob to slowly stir in the stock but it's worth the effort for value alone.
Ingredients you need:
More risotto recipes
Leftover chicken paella
An exotic treat and also a good way of using up your leftover chicken - win-win! Paella is pretty similar to risotto to make, you combine rice with stock and wait for it to absorb it. Unlike a risotto you can just pour it all in at once, rather than a little at a time, so it's less time over the stove! A few Spanish ingredients like chorizo and paprika and your chicken and rice is given a new twist.
Ingredients you need:
More Spanish recipes
Leftover chicken sandwiches
Got bread in? Chuck your chicken in a sandwich. There are lots of different combinations you could try: chicken and bacon, chicken and sweetcorn, chicken and stuffing or just plain old chicken mayo - whatever you have in!
Ingredients you need:
More sandwich recipes to try
Leftover chicken tart
It's always handy to have a roll of ready-made pastry in your fridge or freezer. A pesto, tomato puree or cheese topping will house your chicken and any veg you have in - instant dinner.
Ingredients you need:
More tart recipes
Leftover chicken tacos
These delicious chicken taco bowls are a great way to use up any leftover chicken, just add salad and tortilla wraps for a lovely light meal.
Ingredients you need:
Get the recipe: Chicken taco bowls
Leftover chicken tagine
A Moroccan-style stew, tagines are a quick way to give your leftover chicken lots of flavour and all you need is chopped tomatoes and some spices. A tangy lemon couscous is a cheap and delicious side.
Ingredients you need:
More Moroccan recipes
Leftover chicken pilaf
Pilaf can be made with most leftovers and it couldn't be easier to make. It's just a simple combination of rice, stock, herbs and spices and some veggies. Rice is handy ingredient when it comes to using up leftovers, other good dishes to try are pepperpot and jollof rice.
Ingredients you need:
More rice recipes
Leftover chicken stock
If you've only got the scraps and bones of the chicken left, you can still stretch it a little bit further. Homemade chicken stock is easy to make and it taste so much better than stock cubes. Make up a big batch and freeze in portions so you can grab the amount you need easily. Soup is delicious when made with a homemade stock.
Ingredients you need:
Try our classic chicken stock recipe
Where to next?
