Leftover Chicken Recipes: Cleanup your Fridge With These Easy Chicken Ideas

Have you ever gone overboard with your cooking and prepared too much chicken for one sitting? If yes, no need to stress out as we have compiled a list of leftover chicken recipes to help you make the most of your leftovers.

Whether you desire soup, stew, stir-fried, air-fried, or baked chicken recipes, we have them all in our round-up article.

Get ready to transform your leftovers into warm and comforting meals!

Best Leftover Chicken Recipes

Check out our outstanding collection of leftover chicken recipes:

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Air Fryer Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Today’s air fryer chicken enchiladas recipe is our take on a Mexican classic that everyone knows and loves. Let’s check out the ingredients.

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Chicken Salad With Grapes Recipe

This chicken salad with grapes recipe can create a satisfying dinner or a quick-to-make picnic salad— wonderful for prep-ahead lunches.

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Lemony Chicken Rice Soup Recipe

Our lemony chicken rice soup recipe is the best soup to make when you’re with leftover rotisserie chicken. Get some frozen veg and it’s basically a breeze.

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Fried Chicken Salad Recipe

Today’s fried chicken salad recipe allows you to have fun while eating healthy with fried chicken on a bed of vegetables.

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A plate of Greek Chicken Salad placed on a brown cloth and near lettuce leaves, black olives, and cherry tomatoes.

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Greek Chicken Salad Recipe

Craving for a refreshing salad with delicious savory chicken? This dish is none but both! Our Greek chicken salad recipe will give you a colorful and flavorful dish that is appealing and satiating at the same time.

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Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe

Our air fryer orange chicken recipe is a healthier take on the Chinese popular staple. It’s served with rice to make a delicious, easy meal.

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Chicken Tinola Recipe

Today's chicken tinola recipe will introduce you to a heart-warming Filipino soup full of unique Asian flavors and fragrances.

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Air Fryer Mongolian Chicken Recipe

Tired of dry air-fried chicken? Give our air fryer Mongolian chicken recipe a try and you will find yourself making the dish again and again.

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Chicken a la King Recipe

Today’s chicken a la king recipe is showing you how to make a creamy poultry dish. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be royalty to enjoy it.

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Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Our air fryer chicken meatballs recipe is a quick way to cook up a meal and end up with minimal clean-up. It’s a lifesaver, especially when you have a hectic schedule.

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Chicken Flautas Recipe

This chicken flautas recipe is a weeknight dinner idea put together with simple ingredients but yields a delightfully tasty result.

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Healthy Chicken Carnitas Recipe

This chicken carnitas recipe is prep-friendly without exotic ingredients. 35 minutes of cooking time on the stovetop is enough for it.

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Chicken Larb Recipe

Our healthy chicken larb recipe takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 10 to cook. Your dinner will be ready in a blink of an eye.

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Popcorn Chicken Recipe

Our popcorn chicken recipe sates your fast food cravings with tender-yet-crispy chicken bites. These ones are also healthier than the store-bought version.

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Pittsburgh Chicken Salad Recipe

Our Pittsburgh chicken salad recipe shows you how to make a salad with chicken breast and vegetables in a new and unique way.

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How Long Does Buffalo Chicken Salad Last

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Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

This buffalo chicken salad recipe is specially developed for someone who's in need of a quick and wholesome, yet delicious protein option.

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Chicken Stir Fry Noodles Recipe

Juicy chicken bathed in a glossy sauce and twisted in chewy egg noodles are what you'll get in today's chicken stir fry noodles recipe.

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Cashew Chicken Recipe

Today's cashew chicken recipe is going to save you a bunch of time while taking mealtimes to the next level within 10 minutes of pan-frying.

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Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Today’s air fryer chicken pot pie recipe will show you an innovative way to cook this iconic American favorite comfort food. Let’s begin.

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Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Looking for a new way to jazz up your pasta dinner? Our simple yet elegant chicken spaghetti recipe is all you need.

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Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

If you’re looking for a healthy snack during the game, this Instant Pot Buffalo chicken dip is the one. All it takes is 35 minutes to make.

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Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

This Instant Pot teriyaki chicken recipe is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make a wholesome dish in a pressure cooker.

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Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Recipe

Our chicken teriyaki stir fry recipe makes an easy 20-minute weeknight dinner with simple ingredients and delectable sauce.

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Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Our chicken salad sandwich recipe makes a fantastic springtime dish. It’s very healthy and very appetizing, even to picky eaters.

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Air Fryer Chicken Satay Recipe

This air fryer chicken satay recipe calls for simple ingredients and cooks the dish in no time at all. The spicy, juicy chicken and rich peanut butter sauce are worth the prep.

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Instant Pot Chicken Biryani Recipe

This Instant Pot chicken biryani recipe takes just 25 minutes and turns out a homey meal. Only simple ingredients are required.

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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Our Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe is the definition of comfort food. It’s savory, rich, and is filled with healthy ingredients.

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A bowl of Chicken and Dumplings soup and a red spoon.

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Easy Healthy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and dumplings is one of the classic Southern American comfort food that everyone loves. This comforting savory treat consists of chicken cooked to tenderness, with soft pillowy dumplings and aromatic chicken broth-based soup.

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Air Fryer Chicken Patties Recipe

This quick and easy air fried chicken patties recipe takes the work out of making a delicious burger! Enjoy with a light beverage for the perfect meal.

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Instant Pot Crack Chicken Recipe

Our Instant Pot crack chicken recipe takes all the cooking time out of this popular dish and makes it a super easy, hearty dinner for busy days.

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Chicken Bog Recipe

Our chicken bog recipe will turn out an economical, comforting meal using simple ingredients. Each spoonful packs flavors and warmth.

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Healthy Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

If you’re looking for a healthy gumbo recipe, your search ends here. It may not be traditional, but it’s faster and still captures that gumbo soul.

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Southern Chicken Salad Recipe

In this southern chicken salad recipe, you'll find a great balance of colors, textures, and flavors between the ingredients.

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Chicken And Rice Casserole healthykitchen101 2

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Healthy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

This chicken and rice casserole recipe is specially created for those who are running errands. Hopefully, it will hit your comfort button.

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Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe

This chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe will be the center of attention at any party by packing a complete meal in one baking dish.

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Baked Chicken Taquitos Recipe

If you love taquitos, things are about to get better. Our chicken taquitos recipe will help you make the Mexican crispy treats in 40 mins.

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Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe

In this avocado chicken salad recipe, the dressing includes only four ingredients: ground black pepper, salt, olive oil, and lime juice.

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Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

In this chicken pasta salad recipe, we use diced chicken breast to add a lean protein source to the salad while still keeping the fat low.

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Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

This homemade chicken pot pie recipe may take some effort, but we can absolutely guarantee you it is worthwhile. Your hard work will pay off with a delicious, comforting pie— what could be better?

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Air Fryer Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe

Our time-saving air fryer chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner and is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

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A pot of of chicken and rice soup with red handles and spoons on the side

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Healthy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

Not only tasty, chicken and rice soup is also a warm treat for those who are battling colds or sniffles, especially during winter months!

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Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

Our air fryer General Tso’s Chicken recipe is a nice, healthy way to replicate the delicious Chinese take-out. We’re serving it with rice, soup, and a drink.

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Instant Pot Chicken Stew Recipe

Today’s Instant Pot chicken stew recipe makes a satisfying-yet-healthy dinner from scratch in just 40 minutes.

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Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Kung pao chicken recipe consists of some Asian elements: fried chicken pieces, tangy herbs, and most specifically mentioned – spicy sauce.

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Mochiko Chicken Recipe

Today’s mochiko chicken recipe gives you a straightforward and splendid way to enjoy one of the most famous Hawaiian staples.

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Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Our Instant Pot chicken tikka masala is a quick and effortless version of the authentic Indian staple. The dish features bite-size chunks of chicken slowly simmered in a rich and spicy tomato-based sauce. The result is a buttery, aromatic tikka masala with a uniquely exotic hint of garam masala. The leftovers taste even more delicious.

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A ceramic baking pan filled with Buffalo Chicken Dip

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Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

This buffalo chicken dip recipe is a combination of tender chicken, Buffalo sauce, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese.

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A plate of chicken meatballs served with spaghetti

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Chicken Meatballs Recipe

This chicken meatballs recipe is a familiar dish with the usual suspects of spaghetti, chicken meatballs, and a satisfying tomato sauce.

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How Long Is Leftover Chicken Good for?

Before exploring the wonders of leftover chicken dishes, we must ensure our refrigerated or frozen food is still edible and in its best state—both flavor- and texture-wise.

Two main factors may affect the storage time: storing methods (refrigerated or frozen) and the condition of your chicken (cooked or uncooked).

Let’s have a deeper analysis, shall we?

Refrigerated raw chicken: It will last from 1 to 2 days in the fridge. When cooking, do not rinse it under running water since this will cause cross-contamination.
Refrigerated cooked chicken: It will remain consumable for 3 to 4 days if stored properly in an airtight container.
Frozen raw chicken: It will stay in good condition for up to 9 months, but our chefs recommend using it soon before the expiration date for the best cooking experience.
Frozen cooked chicken: It will last for a maximum of 4 months.

As for keeping your food in air-sealed containers at room temperature, it will last for less than 2 hours. Hence, we don’t suggest doing so.

How Do You Make Taste Good?

1. Choose the Proper Storing Methods

The way you preserve your leftovers is a dealmaker.

If you tend to use up your leftover cooked chicken the next day, refrigerate it. When it’s cooking time, take it out of the fridge 5-10 minutes beforehand—room-temperature food is easier to work with.

For those left with an abundance of raw chicken and who haven't had a plan to cook it within a week, we suggest freezing it to lengthen the storage time.

2. Choose a Suitable Thawing Procedure

With the help of many multifunctional kitchen gadgets like the Instant Pot or air-fryer, you can technically skip the thawing process. However, our team advises this extra step to ensure your food comes out perfectly and evenly cooked.

Refrigerator thawing: This is one of the two safest ways to process your frozen chicken as it helps prevent the existent bacteria from multiplying. What you have to do: defrost your chicken in the fridge for at least 12 hours, if not one day, before cooking.
Cold water thawing: If you’re in a rush, go with this option. Place your frozen food in a waterproof package and submerge it in cold water to defrost. In case you thaw a large portion of frozen raw chicken, change the water after each 30-minute session. It will take roughly 4 hours or more based on the quantity you thaw.

What to Do With Leftover Chicken

With leftover chicken on your hands, the possibilities are endless.

Working with already-cooked chicken means saving more prepping and cooking time—perfect for those on a tight schedule.

Here are some cooking inspirations and why you should try them out:

Use your chicken as a salad topping: Why not add more high-quality protein to your morning salad by combining fresh vegetables with leftover grilled/air-fried/boiled chicken? Drizzle your favorite dressing on top of all the ingredients, give them a quick toss, and your meal is ready to serve.
Make a chicken sandwich: This is a quick way out if you want to pack lunch for work but don’t have much time to spare. Warm your slices of bread and chicken, then stack on some greens and sautéed onions. There you have an energy-boosting lunch in less than 20 minutes.
Simmer chicken in soups or stews: Stirring chunks of chicken into your soups/stews makes for a heartwarming dinner. If you use an Instant Pot, you can sit back, relax, and let the trusty equipment do its job.
Incorporate chicken into creamy pasta: Leftover chicken is a golden ingredient for a casserole or a saucy pasta because its flavor pairs wonderfully with dairy products.