Easy Roasted Chicken Dinner Ideas
We all know how hard it can be on any given day to prep a wonderful meal we can be proud of. One home-run hit in our family is to go to the store and buy a roasted chicken or two when they are on sale. These chickens are absolutely delicious and save you the trouble of cleaning a raw chicken, spreading germs, and having to slow roast or cook the chicken yourself.
Store bought roasted chickens are not only delicious, but they can work overtime for you too. Think out of the box to make multiple meals. Here are a few ideas on how to stretch that chicken into multiple meals.
Fast and Easy Ideas for Using a Store-Bought Roasted Chicken
- Pull apart the meat and eat it as is with fresh vegetables, rice, or other tasty side dishes.
Easy Chicken Pitas
- Pull the meat apart from the bones.
- Place the shredded chicken into a pita with lettuce, tomatoes, and a bit of humus for a Mediterranean meal.
- Add a bit of sour cream mixed with dill for a tangy taste.
Quick Enchiladas
- Quickly dip corn tortillas into boiling olive oil to soften them.
- Place tortillas flat on a plate or cutting board, and roll chicken into the tortillas.
- Place all of the tacos into a casserole.
- Pour a can of enchilada sauce over the tacos.
- Cover with fresh Mexican cheese (queso fresco) or cheddar.
- Place in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Super Easy Quesadillas
- Place shredded chicken and cheese into a flour tortilla.
- Fold the tortilla in half and cook in an ungreased skillet until lightly toasted on the outside and cheese is completely melted.
Making Stock From the Bones and Leftovers
Here are a few fast and easy ways to stretch that chicken into a second meal.
- Take the bones and the rest of the carcass and separate any left over meat from the chicken.
- Put it all in a pot of water and let boil for an hour.
- Strain the stock from the bones.
- Add the shredded chicken along with left over vegetables and rice from dinner and make a tasty chicken soup.
Chicken soup is great for next day’s lunch with a sandwich, or it can be frozen for a rainy day. You can also save the stock if you don’t have much meat left over and use it in other dishes.
