18 Leftover Chicken Recipes That Taste Just as Delicious as Day One Last night's dinner never looked so good. Close Credit: Lennart Weibull Leftover chicken is a versatile and healthy ingredient that can be transformed into a variety of delicious recipes. Whether you have cubed, shredded, torn, or sliced chicken, this adaptable protein can elevate dishes ranging from soups and casseroles to pasta bakes, sandwiches, and salads. With its subtle flavor, chicken complements a diverse array of cuisines. These recipes make good use of leftover chicken, ensuring no one will realize its original form, and provide an array of inspiring ways to enjoy a delightful meal beyond plain chicken. How Long Common Leftovers Last in the Fridge, From Chicken to Pizza 01 of 18 Easy Chicken Potpies Credit: Romolo Yanes Making the classic comfort food is easier than you think with this recipe, which calls for two smart shortcuts: diced cooked chicken and frozen puff pastry. View Recipe 02 of 18 California Cobb Salad Poached or grilled chicken breasts may not be the most exciting element of the beloved Cobb salad, but they’re a critical ingredient, offering the perfect base protein for the flashier add-ins (here, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and Roquefort cheese). View Recipe 03 of 18 Chicken and Spinach Casserole Credit: Rachel Marek This comforting casserole makes excellent use of leftovers, incorporating both cooked, shredded chicken as well as day-old bread. Torn pieces of brioche or baguette would work beautifully. View Recipe 04 of 18 Freezer Burritos Credit: Bryan Gardner Make a batch of burritos, eat some now, and freeze some for later (your future self will thank you). You can pile in any protein you like, but cooked chicken works especially well as it pairs nicely with so many other ingredients. View Recipe 05 of 18 Chicken Tortilla Soup Credit: Standard Here’s a speedy and customizable weeknight supper, combining shredded chicken, cotija cheese, cilantro, and scallion with a tomato broth. Toasted tortilla strips and lime wedges are a perfect crispy garnish. View Recipe 06 of 18 Chicken, Red Cabbage, and Carrot Salad With Soy-Lime Dressing This bright, Asian-inspired salad is delicious on its own, or you could serve it with rice crackers or noodles for a heftier meal. View Recipe 07 of 18 Chicken Reuben Although a Reuben is traditionally made with corned beef, leftover chicken works, too, as this recipe shows. The chicken matches so well with the other ingredients: Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and rye bread. View Recipe 08 of 18 Classic Chicken Salad Credit: Con Poulos Nothing revolutionary here, just chicken, mayo, mustard, red onion, celery, parsley, lemon juice, and hot sauce. But wow, are these ingredients worth more than the sum of their parts! View Recipe 09 of 18 Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup Credit: Pernille Loof Bookmark this immunity-boosting elixir for when you're feeling under the weather. Along with cooked chicken, it includes garlic, turmeric, ginger, and lemon juice View Recipe 10 of 18 Easy Chicken Enchiladas This delicious bake checks so many boxes: uses up leftover chicken, comes together with little effort, can be made ahead, and serves a crowd. View Recipe 11 of 18 Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake With Broccolini Credit: Lennart Weibull Mildly sweet broccolini, tender gnocchi, nutty Gruyère, and torn cooked chicken come together in this tasty baked pasta dish. Make it in a large baking dish or ovenproof skillet, or use ramekins so everyone gets their own individual serving. View Recipe 12 of 18 Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Noodle Bowl Credit: Lennart Weibull This twist on a pasta chicken salad would be a great summer supper or picnic addition. With lime zest and juice, sweet chili sauce, ginger, and cilantro, it bursts with fresh flavor. View Recipe 13 of 18 Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole This old-school casserole is creamy and satisfying, thanks in no small part to sour cream, mushrooms, and shallots. View Recipe 14 of 18 Chicken Salad Sandwich Transform chopped or shredded cooked chicken into chicken salad with a few basic ingredients, then spoon it onto slices of bread for a simple and satisfying lunch at home or on the go. Potato chips are optional but highly encouraged. View Recipe 15 of 18 Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Credit: Rachel Marek A hearty and cozy chicken broth-based soup that comes together with just a few other staple ingredients: carrots, celery, onion, and wild rice. For this chicken and wild rice soup recipe, we use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for added flavor—but you can use any kind of leftover chicken you have, and it will be just as delicious. View Recipe 16 of 18 White Bean Chicken Chili Credit: Rachel Marek Our white bean chicken chili is a comforting dish with just the right kick. This chili is primarily bean-based, so don't worry if you only have a little leftover chicken to add—it will still taste incredible. View Recipe 17 of 18 Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry Stir-fry is a quick and flavorful way to use leftover chicken. Our chicken and broccoli stir-fry recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, and the magic lies in the sauce. A mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, fresh ginger, and scallions elevates this easy weeknight dish to the next level. View Recipe 18 of 18 Pappardelle With Creamy Chicken Sauce This Italian dish is the epitome of low-lift comfort food—and with leftover chicken, it comes together even faster. The creamy chicken sauce combines heavy cream, garlic, onions, and olive oil, that gets mixed with thick-cut pappardelle pasta. View Recipe Explore more: Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken