I’m currently in a busy phase of life and have appreciated the constant reminder that “meal prep” can be as easy as I want it to be. I often remind my clients that we have the ability to create an environment for our success and that that doesn’t require laborious cooking, time-consuming grocery runs, or complicated recipes. 

Lately, the incredibly versatile Rotisserie Chicken has been a staple in our home. It comes cooked and ready to eat and is a wonderful, healthful substitute to protein prep at home. 

Simplicity is key to sustainability in our nutrition, and today I’m sharing 5 quick, simple meals using rotisserie chicken that I’ve been loving for yum-factor, making my health easier, and speed in the kitchen.

Because these recipes are so simple and customizable, the ingredients and directions are merely suggestions. Feel free to change them up as you see fit!

1 — ASIAN CHICKEN RICE BOWLS

PREP TIME: 5 minutes  || COOK TIME: 10 minutes || Makes 1 serving

WHAT YOU NEED: 

113g Cooked white rice (pre-cooked rice can work easily here, or even something like Uncle Ben’s microwavable rice packets!)

112g pulled rotisserie chicken

50g Broccoli

50g Carrots

30g (2T) Soy sauce or coconut aminos 

15g (1T) Rice vinegar

15g (1T) Honey

Cashews 15g

Sriracha to drizzle

WHAT TO DO:

1. Start by sauteing your broccoli and carrots in a pan. While those veggies are warming, set aside the pulled chicken you will use.

2. Once your veggies are partially cooked, add your pre-cooked rice into the pan along with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Since the rice is already cooked, this step is just to warm all ingredients and bring the flavors together.

3. Once your veggies are cooked to your liking, add in the chicken and mix well.

4. Top your bowl with cashews and a drizzle of sriracha for some spice. Some other fun toppings could be sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Play with what flavors you’d like to add!

MACROS PER SERVING: 41P/11F/68C

2 — CHICKEN PESTO PRESSED SAMMIES

PREP TIME: 5 minutes || COOK TIME: 5  minutes || Makes 1 sandwich

WHAT YOU NEED:

~100g ciabatta, French bread, or other bread of choice

112g pulled rotisserie chicken

30g (1T) pesto packet*

30g sliced mozzarella cheese

10g sun-dried tomatoes (I love Bella Sun Luci packs of sundried tomatoes)

Fresh spinach

I love using this recipe as a “fancy” dinner sandwich and getting a bread I am really excited about, like ciabatta or french roll. Construction here is super easy and specific flavors can be suited to your liking. 

*The pesto sauce packets are a handy way to enjoy the flavor of pesto while managing overall fat in the meal to an extent. Use 2T of the dry mix and add in 2T water + ½T EVOO.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Mix your pesto sauce and spread ½ TB on each of your slices of bread. Layer your chicken on one side, your mozzarella on the other, and toast in the oven on broil until the cheese begins to melt.

2. Add your spinach leaves and sundried tomatoes after the sammie has warmed, smash together and enjoy! 

APPROXIMATE MACROS PER SANDWICH: 49P/21F/53C

3 — CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

PREP TIME: 15 minutes || COOK TIME: 25 minutes || Makes 1 serving (2 enchiladas)

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 tortillas (I love Chi Chi’s Flour & Corn blend Enchilada style tortillas)

112g pulled rotisserie chicken

Enchilada sauce packet of choice

½  8-oz can tomato sauce

Green, red, or orange bell peppers

Yellow onion

28g (2T) sour cream per enchilada

14g (½T) shredded cheese per enchilada (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

1. Start by sauteing the bell peppers and onions in a skillet on low heat. Let them caramelize then add in garlic powder or fresh minced garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt while they are sauteing. (pro tip: sprinkling in a little bit of taco seasoning to the sautee can add a bit of easy flavor dimension here too!)

2. While sauteing, get your enchilada sauce going. A homemade sauce would absolutely work here, but I’m a huge fan of ease and use the dry packets. Add the can of tomato sauce + water per the packet’s instructions and bring to a simmer. 

3. Once the pepper and onions are done, lay out each tortilla and spread 28g (1T) sour cream on each, then add half of your total rotisserie chicken to each. Top with peppers and onions, then roll them up! 

4. Pour the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, top with shredded cheese, and pop into the oven at 350 degrees. They take around 25 minutes to warm and brown.
   
   

Note: The ingredients and measurements for this recipe are very loose and may vary greatly. I’ve been playing with the veggies I include and also love to add mushrooms and spinach to the mix. Change this part to your liking! Carbohydrate totals can be adjusted based on which type of tortilla you’d like to use. You can prepare a large pan of multiple enchiladas at a time!

APPROXIMATE MACROS PER SERVING: 48P/21F/75C

SERVING SIZE = 2 ENCHILADAS

4 — BALSAMIC CHICKEN QUINOA BOWL

PREP TIME: 5 minutes || COOK TIME: 20 minutes || Makes 1 serving

WHAT YOU NEED:

185g cooked quinoa (preparing the quinoa with chicken stock in place of water + lemon makes this super yummy!) 

112g pulled rotisserie chicken

15g kalamata olives

100g cherry tomatoes

30g red onion

30g feta cheese

30g (2T) Bolthouse Farms balsamic dressing

WHAT TO DO:

1. The quinoa will be your base, so get that cooking first! I’ve found that cooking quinoa with chicken stock makes this nutrient-packed option super yummy. While your quinoa prepares, get your toppings organized.

2. Assemble your chicken, olives, cherry tomatoes, and red onion on top of the quinoa. Sprinkle feta over the bowl and either drizzle or mix in your balsamic dressing.
   

This is truly the simplest of bowls and can come together in minutes. I keep Pearls brand Olives To Go on hand in my pantry and can throw a serving in with tons of options when I’d like them.

MACROS PER SERVING: 44P/18F/49C

5 — HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN SALAD

PREP TIME:  10 minutes || COOK TIME: 0 minutes || Makes 1 salad

WHAT YOU NEED:

112g pulled rotisserie chicken

30g (2T) Bolthouse honey mustard dressing 2 TB

100g chopped apples

100g red grapes

14g walnuts

Spring mix

WHAT TO DO:

Colorful salad bowls happen a lot at my house! Start with your greens on the bottom and layer in all the goodness! I love mixing honey mustard with my rotisserie chicken first, to add a little flavor dimension. Grapes & apples offer high-fiber color to your bowl and add in some beautiful crunch, while the walnuts bring it all together. Lots of flavor variations can happen here, depending on the season or on your personal tastes.

This could also translate beautifully into a wrap if you want to add a few more carbohydrates to the meal!

MACROS PER SALAD: 38P/14F/37C

NOTE: Different parts of chicken have different nutritional values. In our house, I love to separate the white meat and dark meat into different Tupperware as soon as I get home from the store. That way, I can use and track “rotisserie chicken breast” when needing more protein and less fat, and “rotisserie chicken dark meat” when wanting more flavor with more fat to spare. 

In a world with so many responsibilities and with our time and attention being pulled in so many different directions, we believe in simplifying our nutrition so it can be not just sustainable, but enjoyable as well. Learn more about our 1:1 Flexible Nutrition Coaching here and read more about our coaches here.