Reduce Food Waste: 10 Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken

Why reduce food waste?

This simple procedure can save you money and help the environment. It takes the farming and agriculture industry a lot of time and resources to grow/raise, produce, and bring food to your table. It is economical to avoid wasting food in your home and it feels good too.

Check your refrigerator to see what you have on hand and what food items need to be used before spoiling. Keep items visible and not hidden from view. Rotate your food items regularly. Remember to check expiration dates and use-by dates often.

It is a good idea to first shop within your refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and cabinets! What do I mean by that?  See what items you have on hand before going back to the grocery store for more items. This can help reduce food waste and save your food dollars.

Using rotisserie chicken in your recipes can be fun, easy, and tasty. Some of the wholesale chain stores offer rotisserie chicken at a special price and/or local grocery stores may have it on sale. Be sure to comparison shop to save money.

Nutrition, Protein, and MyPlate

MyPlate consists of 5 colorful food groups: protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and grains. Chicken is a source of protein and would be considered a food source from the purple group. A three-ounce portion of roasted chicken breast contains approximately 170 calories and 25 grams of protein. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-10/Chicken_Turkey_Nutrition_Facts.pdf  It is important to eat a variety of foods from each of the food groups to get vitamins and minerals into your diet. All foods can fit into a healthy and nutritious balanced diet within moderation.

How can I use leftover rotisserie chicken?

It’s time to be creative using leftover rotisserie chicken in a salad, soup, pasta, and more. Here are some ideas I incorporate and plan for when purchasing rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I cube up leftover cooked chicken and add it to a salad together with lettuce, shredded carrots, sliced radish, tomatoes, sweet corn kernels, rinsed black beans, shredded cheese, pumpernickel croutons, and my favorite salad dressing. On other occasions, I stir-fry leftover chicken pieces in my favorite sauce with plenty of broccoli, carrots, celery, and onions. I serve this over noodles or rice.  It is delicious!

Here are 10 great recipes to consider adding to your weekly menu that call for cooked chicken: 

(Check out the recipe pictures too.)

1. Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/easy-chicken-pot-pie

1. Chicken Brunswick Stew – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/brunswick-stew

1. BBQ Chicken Pizza – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/bbq-chicken-pizza

1. Chicken and Broccoli Bake – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-and-broccoli-bake

1. Chicken and Cranberry Salad – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-and-cranberry-salad

1. Chicken and Spanish Rice – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-and-spanish-rice

1. Chicken Apple Salad Sandwich – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-apple-salad-sandwich

1. Chicken Soup – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-soup

1. Chicken Spaghetti – https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-spaghetti

1. Chicken Rice and Fruit Salad- https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/chicken-rice-and-fruit-salad

Food Safety

Always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before, during, and after handling and cooking food. Follow the basic food safety principles of clean, separate, cook, and chill. There is no need to wash raw chicken before cooking. The recommendation is to NOT wash raw chicken. Food Safety Tip: Do Not Wash Raw Chicken – UF/IFAS Extension Broward County (ufl.edu)

Conclusion

Reduce food waste today. Money lost due to food waste could be spent in other ways. It takes some planning, but it can be done. Reducing food waste can make you happy too. Try some of these recipe ideas using leftover cooked chicken that I have shared in this blog and let me know what you think of the ones you do try. Enjoy!

Read More. Learn More.

Think about reducing food waste today, UF/IFAS Extension, Broward County Family and Consumer Sciences – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2023/04/11/think-about-reducing-food-waste-today/

Prevent food waste, UF/IFAS Extension, Broward County Family and Consumer Sciences – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/03/28/prevent-food-waste/

Follow the rainbow for good health, UF/IFAS Extension, Broward County Family and Consumer Sciences – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/03/01/follow-the-rainbow-for-good-health-during-nutrition-month/

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