What can you do when there’s leftover chicken or shredded chicken meat in your fridge? Here are some tasty leftover shredded chicken recipes to try!
It happens.
Sometimes we overestimate the amount of meat we need for a meal or a recipe.
We then end up with leftovers that we don’t know what to do with.
If you grill a lot of chicken at once or boiled a whole chicken or even if you brought a rotisserie bird home from the store, if you’ve shredded a bunch and need some ideas, this list is for you!
Whether it’s leftover roasted chicken, rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or boiled chicken, when shredded, it can be used in a lot of recipes.
To emphasize what we mean, here are 37 leftover shredded chicken recipes that can help you avoid wasting any of that good meat.
Some of the must-tries in this list include Chicken & Dumplings, Chicken Pot Pie, and Chicken Taco Salad.
If you want to prepare a snack for your kids with leftover shredded chicken meat, #13 and #23 are sure to be hits!
In this list are snacks, comfort food, main dishes, and side dishes that we’re sure you’ll want to try the next time you have leftover chicken.
So, without further ado, here are 37 yummy leftover shredded chicken recipes you can make at home!
For our first recipe, let’s venture south of the border into Mexico!
Cheesy, saucy, and with a mild kick, you can serve this for lunch or dinner.
For a spicier version, substitute the mild chilies with hotter ones.
This shredded chicken dish is also Mexican American, cheesy, and somewhat saucy.
But instead of using chilies, you use chili powder to spice it up!
If you want it spicier, chili flakes and cayenne pepper can also be added in.
If your kids love sloppy joes, here’s something that you can serve in its place!
Equally as messy and saucy, this dish uses leftover rotisserie chicken.
Shredded, mixed with barbecue sauce, and plopped into a soft bun, it doesn’t get easier than this!
Another recipe that kids are sure to love is this shredded chicken mac and cheese casserole!
Instead of using elbow macaroni, make it more fun by using other pasta types.
Options include twisty fusilli, multicolored pasta, or shell pasta, like the one used in this recipe.
You can never go wrong with pizza!
For this recipe, you use either your own pizza dough recipe or store-bought dough.
This is comfort in a bowl!
The soup in this recipe can be kept frozen and reheated for later use.
Just be sure to not add any noodles in the soup when you’re planning on doing this and then add noodles in every time you reheat enough for a serving.
This dish is one that’s best served cold.
The ingredients in this recipe gives you a salad that’s tangy, fresh, and with a variety of textures.
This salad can be stored for four days if refrigerated and kept in an airtight container.
This is one of those leftover shredded chicken recipes that can be considered an entire meal!
Each bowl has yummy broth, crunchy veggies, bread-like dumplings, and loads of shredded chicken!
It also uses buttermilk, so you get a bit of tang with each bite!
Just like chicken and dumplings, this dish is also a complete meal in itself!
You have the option to use store-bought pastry for this recipe or to make your crust from scratch.
Not only does this use leftover shredded chicken but it also uses leftover vegetables, helping to reduce any wasted food!
This is good as a side dish or a main dish with some salad on the side.
Whatever you choose to do, this recipe is another way you can repurpose leftover shredded chicken.
For a quick meal in under an hour, this dish is a good choice!
This casserole uses small, waxy potatoes instead of starchy ones, which retain their shape well while cooking.
This is a classic!
Mayonnaise, mustard, dill, celery, and chicken come together for a creamy and delicious sandwich filling.
If you want added tang and sweetness to this dish, some pickle relish or pineapple tidbits should be added in.
13. Chicken Nachos
This is a good dish to prepare for game night!
Just spread nachos on a baking sheet, top with the other ingredients, bake, and voila!
You can serve this with some sour cream or guacamole too!
14. Chicken Chili
This one pot dish takes your usual chili recipe and turns it on its ear!
This recipe omits the tomato sauce and replaces beef with chicken to give you a light but still satisfying bowl of spicy goodness.
15. Chicken Tacos
Mmmm, Mexican food!
This uses crispy taco shells, but you can create soft shell tacos by using corn flour tortillas instead.
If you don’t have the spices for the taco mix, you can always go for ready-made taco seasoning!
This is another Mexican-inspired dish!
This recipe combines leftover shredded chicken with flavorful broth and a selection of spices that range from mild to ho-ho-hot!
The tortilla in this soup is cut in strips and layered on top (with more on the side) to give this soup some crunch.
Still from south of the border, this dish is a must-try when you have leftover chicken!
Crispy outside and melty on the inside, this cheesy dish is made using a skillet.
No need to heat up your oven for this!
While we’re at it, why don’t we add one more Mexican dish to this list!
This recipe takes your favorite burrito and deconstructs it, turning it into a yummy bowl that you can have for lunch or dinner!
Next up, we have an Italian inspired recipe that can help you get rid of any leftovers you may have in your fridge.
Any leftover pasta in your pantry can be used for this along with leftover chicken, cream cheese, and greens.
This is a one-pan dish, so you also don’t have to worry about washing up!
Do you love cheesy chicken casseroles?
Then this is a dish for you!
It’s cheesy, herby, creamy, and uses leftovers!
What happens when you combine pasta sauce, a pizza crust, and some leftover chicken?
You get this inviting dish that you can enjoy for lunch or dinner.
For those who don’t want to make any of the components from scratch, you can always use ready-made options for the crust and sauce.
22. Chicken Lasagna
Want to make lasagna differently?
Instead of beef sauce, you can use leftover shredded chicken.
You also omit the tomatoes in this recipe, which gives you an all-white dish!
Looking for another way to use bagels?
Then you should try this recipe!
Just combine your favorite pizza sauce, some melty cheese, leftover shredded chicken plus some bagels, and broil away.
Another casserole-type dish that you can make with leftover shredded chicken is this one.
This recipe brings together vegetables (broccoli, in this case), rice, cheese, and chicken meat.
For a dish with a kick, sprinkle some cayenne or chili powder into the mix before baking.
Want a fabulous dish for a family get-together?
The peppers in this recipe can be red, yellow, or green, depending on what you have.
With a somewhat Mexican flavor, this dish is savory, slightly spicy, and cheesy.
Want pizza but can’t be bothered to create crust from scratch?
This is what you can do to satisfy such a craving!
Get your favorite flatbread, some pizza sauce, a mixture of shredded cheeses, plus your leftover shredded chicken, and you have easy-peasy pizza!
Here’s a dish that copies the flavors of buffalo chicken wings but in a tortilla rollup.
This is one of those leftover shredded chicken recipes that can be served as an appetizer or a snack.
It’s also great as a side dish.
Your palate can travel to New Orleans with this smoky and aromatic dish.
This recipe traces its roots all the way to France and West Africa, with a combination of ingredients from both regions used in the dish.
Pair with a bowl of rice for a truly satisfying meal!
Called Goi Ga, this cabbage and cold chicken salad comes all the way from Vietnam!
It has a lot of the flavors people love when it comes to Vietnamese food.
Mint, cilantro, red onion, and peanuts are all in the mix.
The dressing, which uses fish sauce and garlic chili sauce, gives it the right amount of saltiness and spice!
Colorful, flavorful, and oh so delicious, this salad is a fantastic side dish to have for dinner!
The taco seasoning in this recipe gives you the flavors you need to make this a chicken taco salad.
Pair with your favorite ranch dressing, which you can add on top or have on the side.
Here’s a versatile chilled salad that you can use in many different ways.
You can use this in a sandwich, serve it as a side dish, as a dip, or as the filling in a tortilla wrap!
Oh, and did we mention it has no mayo in it?
Yummm!
32. Chicken Pho
Another recipe from Vietnam is this noodle dish that you’re probably familiar with.
Now, you can enjoy this Asian dish without having to go to your favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
Just shred any leftover chicken you have, prepare the noodles and the broth, and you’ve got yourself some tasty pho at home!
Not all dips are made with mayonnaise, as is evidenced by this recipe!
Mix together shredded chicken, some Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and seasonings, and you
get a chunky dip that’s great with crackers and crunchy veggies.
The spiciness of this dip comes from hot sauce, but you can use other spicy options, like cayenne or chili powder.
For a really “hot” dip, add in some chili flakes on top!
Saucy chicken with a mashed potato top!
That’s what you can expect with a shepherd’s pie that uses leftover shredded chicken.
For a crusty and cheesy top, sprinkle with grated cheese before baking.
Some of the pasta choices you have for this soup include orzo, stelline, and acini di pepe.
Or serve it as is, in its creamy soup form!
Sweet, tangy, and crunchy, this chicken salad can be customized to suit your taste.
For more crunch in this salad, you can add fried wontons or chow mein noodles into the mix.
You can also replace the ginger sesame dressing with your favorite vinaigrette.
As the name implies, this is a salad that uses chopped vegetables like lettuce and cilantro in it.
Another mayo-free recipe, the creamy dressing here uses Greek yogurt and avocados.
For a keto-friendly option, you can omit the corn in it.
The bottom line
This long list of 37 leftover shredded chicken recipes shows you that A LOT can be done with leftover chicken.
From appetizers to snacks to soups to main dishes to side dishes – leftover shredded chicken is a truly versatile protein.
Now, leftover chicken meat need not go to waste since you can use it in any of these delectable dishes!
Even more recipes that use shredded chicken right here!!
37 Ways To Use Up Leftover Shredded Chicken
What can you do when there's leftover chicken or shredded chicken meat in your fridge? Here are some tasty leftover shredded chicken recipes to try!
Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
- Mac & Cheese With Shredded Chicken
- Shredded Chicken Pizza
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken & Macaroni Salad
- Chicken & Dumplings
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Baked Potatoes With Shredded Chicken
- Leftover Chicken Potato Bake
- Chicken Salad Stuffed Buns
- Chicken Nachos
- Chicken Chili
- Chicken Tacos
- Chicken & Tortilla Soup
- Chicken Quesadilla
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Leftover Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza
- Chicken Lasagna
- Chicken Bagel Pizza
- Chicken Broccoli Rice
- Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Chicken Flatbread Pizza
- Buffalo Chicken Rollups
- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
- Vietnamese Chicken Salad
- Chicken Taco Salad
- Chicken Avocado Salad
- Chicken Pho
- Spicy Chicken Dip
- Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
- Chicken & Mushroom Soup
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Chicken Chopped Salad
Instructions
- Pick one or more options from our list of Leftover Shredded Chicken Recipes here!
- Start creating your new favorite dish.
- Share and comment! Did you make any changes to make it even better?