As a busy family, finding time to cook wholesome weeknight meals can be a challenge. Leftover chicken breast is a great staple ingredient to have on hand. We have a list of over 35 recipes that use leftover chicken breast, including kid-friendly options, healthy alternatives, and comforting dishes. The best part is that no one will even know that these are leftovers from last nights dinner!
My favorite busy weeknight hack is to have extra, already prepped chicken breast on hand. You can shred it or just simply give it a nice chop as an easy add-in for soups, pasta bakes, casseroles, sandwiches, or even salads! If you need a delicious, juicy chicken breast recipe try my baked chicken breast recipe. If you do decide to prep some ahead of time, I like to do it on Sundays, then shred or chop it and keep it in an airtight container so I have it throughout the week.
Quick and Easy Leftover Chicken Breast Recipes
There are so many meal options to use up leftover chicken breast, but the ones on this list are the best for quick and easy weeknight meals that are nothing short of delicious.
- Chicken Fried Rice – ready in only 15 min!
- Chicken Quesadilla – pack with diced leftover chicken, cheddar cheese, spices, and veggies. Cook over medium heat until each side is golden and cheese is melted. Serve with a side of my doctored up black beans and you’re set!
- Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups – mix diced or shredded with buffalo sauce and a few other ingredients for a super quick meal.
- Blackened Chicken Salad – sliced leftover chicken breast and serve over a dinner salad with my buttermilk ranch dressing or creamy italian dressing
- Chicken Burrito Bowl – use cauliflower rice to make it low-carb
- Garlic Bread Chicken Caesar Sandwich
Family-Friendly Leftover Chicken Breast Recipes
Make family mealtime a breeze with these leftover chicken recipes. These recipes require minimal prep and only require one pan/dish, so less cleanup as well!
- Easy Butter Chicken – 20 minutes for a repurposed meal!
- Chicken Veggie Stir Fry – add the chopped leftover chicken breast in after cooking the veggies to mix in and warm through
- BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza
- Chicken Fajita Nachos – minimize cooking time by using your leftovers
- BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Cobbler – an easier version of chicken pot pie
- BBQ Chicken Nachos
Casserole Recipes with Leftover Chicken Breasts
Leftover chicken breast is perfect for creating delicious and hearty casseroles. These casseroles are so easy to prepare and an excellent way to make the most of leftovers chicken while making a nutritious and filling dinner for the family.
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole – make these enchiladas for a crowd
- Chicken Rice Casserole
- BBQ Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
Soup Recipes Using Leftover Chicken Breast
Soup craving? Why not use that leftover chicken breast in one of these tasty soup recipes? They’re extra quick and easy thanks to those leftovers and oh so delicious.
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup – don’t forget a dollop of sour cream.
- Southwest Chicken Soup – you can crumble tortilla chips on top for a little crunch.
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Green Chili Chicken Corn Chowder – the green chiles give this the perfect kick
- Chicken Salsa Soup – only a handful of ingredients and one pot
- Tuscan Tomato Tortellini Soup – add in diced chicken
Leftover Chicken Breast Recipes with Pasta
These recipes combine the best of both worlds, bringing together tender chicken and flavorful pasta for meals the whole family will love.
- Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta
- Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
- Chicken Taco Tortellini Skillet
- Chicken Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Easy Salads and Sandwiches Using Leftover Chicken Breast
Chicken is such a versatile ingredient and the salad and sandwich possibilities for your leftover chicken breast are endless. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a chicken salad in no time. And I have a few slider recipes that are also perfection.
- Chicken Salad – put this together in less than 15 minutes.
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad – fresh, bold flavors and satisfying crunch
- Million Dollar Chicken Salad
- Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Shredded Chicken Sliders
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Greek Chicken Wraps
If you’re looking for leftover recipes that use chicken breast, this list will be a keeper. I also have a list of easy recipes that use leftover rotisserie chicken for you to check out here.
If you have a tried and true recipe that uses chicken breast for dinner, make sure and let me know in the comments!
What to do with leftover dry chicken breast?
Leftover chicken breast tends to be quite dry. For this reason, it’s best to serve in a recipe that provides some moisture. Think soups, casseroles, chicken salad, etc.
How long is leftover chicken breast good for in the fridge?
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store: in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Can I freeze cooked chicken breast?
Yes! Put your leftovers into meal sized portions and then into an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.
Seasoned Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
All Purpose Chicken Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- In a small bowl, add all ingredients for the all purpose chicken seasoning and mix to combine.
- If the chicken is thicker than 1 inch, pound or butterfly the chicken breast to a uniform 1 inch thickness.
- Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil. Rub the all purpose chicken seasoning on all sides of the chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish big enough so that they don't touch or just barely touch.
- Bake until cooked through to 165˚F internal temperature, about 20-25 minutes.
- Let sit 5 minutes, then serve, slice, dice, or shred.
Recipe Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken breast– You can get regular chicken breasts at the store, or buy chicken cutlets. The same method for the baked chicken can be used on chicken thighs, or chicken tenderloins as well, however the cooking time may vary.
- Olive oil– I use olive oil for flavor but any cooking oil will work.
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
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