10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

If you are going to fire up the grill, go ahead and cook extra chicken. I love leftover grilled chicken because there are many ways to use them in different meals for my family. Here are 10 of my favorite Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes!

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (1)
10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (2)

Do you love to grill chicken? My family does!

With the proper planning you can have dinner ready in only a few minutes and your family will never know you are eating leftovers!

These recipes are great to use with leftover grilled chicken but you can also make most of these with a store bought rotisserie chicken too. So if you currently don’t have any leftover chicken, don’t worry you can still make these easy leftover chicken recipes in no time at all!

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (3)

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (4)

My Favorite Ways to Use Leftover Grilled Chicken:

Chicken Tacos:

Chop up the left over grilled chicken, add some taco seasoning and you have yourself chicken tacos!! You can also stir in some of your favorite salsa to give the tacos a slight kick. Everyone loves taco night in my house so this one is always an easy win.

Or you can make these easy Baked Chicken Tacos. They are simple to make and even easier with leftover grilled chicken.

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (5)

Chicken Salad with leftover grilled chicken:

Slice it up and add it to a salad – quick lunch or an easy dinner! It would be delicious on this Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, this copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken or over an easy Caesar salad to make a Chicken Caesar salad.

Or place the leftover grilled chicken on a classic salad and top it with our homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This dressing is easy to make and tastes amazing on any salad recipe!

Make Chicken Pasta!

Add the sliced or chop chicken to any pasta for a quick dinner. Make an easy chicken Alfredo but adding this chicken to pasta topped with homemade Alfredo sauce!

Or make an easy skillet creamy chicken pasta recipe in even less time with the already cooked chicken breasts.

Leftover grilled Chicken for Chicken Wraps:

Slice it and use it in some of your favorite wrap recipes. I love easy buffalo chicken wraps, chicken bacon ranch wraps and chicken caesar wraps.

Wraps are great for lunch or for a quick and easy weekend night dinner for the entire family.

Chicken Stir Fried Rice

Chop it up, and sauté it with your favorite veggies and rice to make easy chicken fried rice! I love using leftovers to make easy fried rice as it’s a great way to use up leftover vegetables as well.

No need to get take out when you can make this fried rice recipe instead! In less than 15 minutes, your family can enjoy authentic chicken fried rice that is packed with flavor!

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (7)

Make Quesadillas with leftover grilled chicken:

Chop it up and use it in quesadillas. All you need is cheese, tortillas and some salsa. Quesadillas are a great way to use leftover chicken as you can use whatever you have in your pantry or refrigerate to make them.

Here are a few of my favorite easy quesadilla recipes that can easily be made with leftover grilled chicken:

  • BBQ Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
  • Easy Chicken Quesadillas
  • Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas Recipe

Chicken Sandwiches:

You can use leftover grilled chicken to make easy chicken sandwiches. You can stir the diced leftover chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce and top it on your favorite sliders or buns for an easy lunch idea. I love making these and serving them with this easy coleslaw recipe.

Also, you can dice up the leftover chicken and use it to make easy chicken salad sandwiches. This chicken salad is my favorite and I could eat it for lunch every week.

I also love this cucumber chicken salad sandwich as well that can be made in under 10 minutes!

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (8)

Leftover Grilled Chicken is great for Enchiladas!

Shred the leftover chicken and use the shredded chicken in your favorite enchilada recipe. I love enchiladas and leftover chicken can easily be used in most chicken enchilada recipes.

Theses are my favorite easy Chicken Enchilada Recipes that can all be easily made with leftover grilled chicken:

  • The Best Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
  • Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
  • Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Make a Chicken Pot Pie:

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole Recipeis one of those meals the kids will go crazy over and everyone will love. It is super easy to make especially with leftover chicken and each bite is amazing with the flaky crescents and delicious chicken and veggies.

Plus you can make this easy and delicious Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie. It is simply amazing and the entire family will love this recipe.. It’s a fun variation from a traditional chicken pot pie recipe.

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (9)

Create a Chicken Pizza with Leftover Grilled Chicken:

My entire family loves pizzas so I love making chicken pita pizzas with leftover grilled chicken. The best part about making pita pizzas is that everyone gets to make their own.

I love to top mine with barbecue sauce and red onions and my husband loves making his with cream cheese and buffalo sauce. Everyone is always happy when we make pita pizzas because they get exactly what they want!

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (10)

Grill Additional Chicken!

So… the next time you are grilling, make extra – plan ahead for a second easy weeknight meal. Remember, convenience doesn’t always have to be expensive.

With these amazing leftover grilled chicken recipes, you’ll want to make sure you always have leftover grilled chicken in your refrigerator so you can make a quick and easy lunch or dinner in even less time!

If you enjoy this tip, make sure to check out all of our Kitchen Hacks.

More leftover ideas:

  • Leftover Turkey Recipes
  • 10 Ways to Use Leftover Baked Potatoes
  • 6 Clever Ways to Use Leftover Hamburger Buns
  • Ways to Use Leftover Rice
  • 7 Ways to Use Leftover Grilled Corn
  • How to Use Leftover Pasta


10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (11)

Try these other recipes

Cooking Tips for Beginners

Leftover Pasta Recipes

Non Alcoholic Drink

Best Budget Espresso Machines of 2024

Easy Cake

Heart Shaped Cake

All Recipes

Crock Pot Chicken Stock

Cooking Tips for Beginners

The 4 Best Meat Slicers of 2024

Quick and Easy Air Fryer

5 Best Stainless Steel Air Fryers of 2024

Freezer Meal

Can You Freeze Rice

Homemade Seasoning Blends

Homemade Chili Seasoning Recipe

About the Author

10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (20)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you reuse dry grilled chicken? ›

1. Moisten with a simple sauce. Barbeque sauce, pesto, and soy sauce all pair well with chicken, as do many other pasta sauces and condiments. If you're feeling fancy, you can even make your own: try mixing some hot sauce and lemon juice to give the chicken a nice tangy kick.

How long does grilled chicken last in the fridge? ›

USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.

How to make leftover chicken taste good? ›

- lift the chicken and add a bit of olive oil to the pan and pan fry on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. - you're left over with a crispy and juicy piece of chicken that doesn't taste leftover at all!

How to make day old chicken juicy? ›

Add liquid

Adding water or chicken broth to whatever dish you are reheating the chicken in will create steam and helps add moisture to the meat.

How do you make leftover grilled chicken moist? ›

add chicken broth or water. again to the bottom of the dish, add your chicken damp paper towel, cook for about 2 minutes, flipping halfway through, and this gives a great result. also keep in mind that these methods only work for. grilled or baked chicken.

How to make dry grilled chicken moist again? ›

You can do this by marinating the cooked chicken in a sauce or broth for a while. This can help rehydrate the meat and add some flavor. Just be careful not to over-marinate, as the chicken could become mushy. Steam: Reheating the chicken with steam can help add moisture back into t.

Is 2 year old frozen chicken still good? ›

Mar 24, 2023

You can keep cooked chicken in the refrigerator three to four days or freeze it within that length of time. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely.

Can you freeze cooked chicken after 3 days? ›

It's not advised to freeze cooked chicken after four days in the fridge due to possible bacteria growth. Why can't you freeze chicken hot? Hot chicken may lead to temperature changes in your freezer, which could lead to the growth of harmful bacteria. Let the chicken cool to room temperature before freezing.

Are leftovers good after 7 days? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Why does my chicken taste bad when I reheat it? ›

Though it's especially obvious in leftover fish and poultry, discerning connoisseurs can pick out the WOF bouquet in most reheated meats. These flavors are the result of a series of chemical reactions that begins with the deterioration of specific kinds of fats known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs.

What is the tastiest way to reheat chicken? ›

The best way to reheat chicken

The best way to do it is by wrapping it in foil (with a little opening for steam) and putting it in your oven or toaster oven. You can even include a little bit of water or broth to moisten it, but it's not totally necessary.

What can I add to chicken to make it taste good? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

How to season already cooked chicken? ›

Make a Rub

Just because the chicken is already cooked doesn't mean it can't benefit from a rub. Before reheating, make a custom blend of your favorite spices like paprika, cayenne, onion or garlic powder. Mix in dried herbs or a bit of sugar for beautiful caramelization, then sprinkle it evenly over the skin.

What is the secret to moist chicken? ›

However, I find that a wet brine makes for a much moister cut of meat. To do this, dissolve 1/4 cup of salt in a cup of hot water and then dilute it with three cups of cold water. Add the chicken breasts and let sit for about an hour — but even as little as 15 minutes can help.

What can I do with dry chicken pieces? ›

Dry chicken recipes (3,812)
  1. Chicken for dinner. Tray of chicken•rice•potatoes•peas•butternut squash. ...
  2. Easy peasyyy butter chicken. ...
  3. Butternut and Chicken Bake. ...
  4. Over baked Chicken with Potatoes, Mushrooms and Onions. ...
  5. Chicken and mushroom pasta salad. ...
  6. Sweet and sour chicken stirfry. ...
  7. One Pot Cajun Chicken. ...
  8. Chicken Alfredo.

Can you air fry leftover grilled chicken? ›

To reheat chicken in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Place the chicken in the basket and cook for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. If the chicken is still not heated through, you can cook it for an additional 1-2 minutes.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Saturnina Altenwerth DVM

Last Updated:

Views: 6414

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Saturnina Altenwerth DVM

Birthday: 1992-08-21

Address: Apt. 237 662 Haag Mills, East Verenaport, MO 57071-5493

Phone: +331850833384

Job: District Real-Estate Architect

Hobby: Skateboarding, Taxidermy, Air sports, Painting, Knife making, Letterboxing, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.