1 rotisserie chicken, 3 different dinners! These recipes make meal prep easy

Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store and you’ve got three nights of meals!

One roasted chicken – three easy ways to use it!

Marguerite Henderson shares her tips for prepping and cooking with store-bought rotisserie chicken.

For more recipes and ideas from Marguerite, follow her on Instagram at @mangiabene801.

Chicken Minestrone Soup

INGRDEINTS

• Rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken just the legs, wings and thighs wrapped in cheesecloth- use the breasts for other meals.
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 15 oz. can cannellini or white beans
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 cup dried small pasta – such as ditalini, orzo, shells
• Grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Have the chicken pieces tied into a bundle in cheesecloth. Set aside.
2. In large stock pot, heat oil. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 3-5 minutes until softened lightly. (Or use prepared Mirepoix – a mix of onion, carrots, and celery – found in supermarkets, such as Trader Joe’s.
3. Add tomatoes, broth, salt and bundle of chicken. Cover, simmer on LOW heat for 1 hour. Remove cheesecloth with chicken, cool to room temperature. Remove the chicken meat from the bones. Add to soup along with beans, Italian seasoning, and pasta. Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until pasta is cooked through. If soup is too thick, add 1-2 cups additional chicken broth or water. Taste for seasoning. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Cucina’s Famous Curried Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 cups boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch dice
• 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cups red grapes, halved
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup golden raisins

Curry Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup half and half
• ½ cup apricot preserves
• ¼ cup rice wine or white wine vinegar
• 2 T. curry powder
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

METHOD

1. Whisk all ingredients for dressing in a bowl. Add chicken and mixings to dressing, tossing well.
2. Chill for an hour or more until flavors have melded. Makes about 4 cups or 4-6 servings. Serve over mixed greens, or in sandwiches with thick hoagie style rolls.

Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 cups chicken breasts, cut into small dice
• 3 T. butter
• ½ large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 T. all purpose flour
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. ground white pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• 2 cups cooked diced potatoes
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 -2 sheets of store-bought puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)

METHOD

1. Have chicken cut into small dice. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat butter, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour, mix well. Slowly add half and half and broth and whisk gently to incorporate the flour and liquids. Whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in salt, pepper and parsley. Stir in the reserved chicken, potatoes and thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Taste for seasoning.
3. Use a deep ceramic baking dish or 4-6 individual pot pie bowls that will withstand heat.
4. Place chicken mixture in baking dish or bowls, place puff pastry on top so it fits to the sides. If using individual bowl, turn one bowl over and place on pastry, cutting around the bowl to make a perfect circle to place on filling. Do this for as many bowls as you have. You can get at least 3 per sheet of pastry.
5. Brush with egg wash. Place bowls on parchment paper lined baking sheet so that if they slightly do spill over, your oven is protected.

NOTE

You can make these pot pies in advance. Place in fridge until ready to bake. THEN put the pastry on top.

BAKE on middle rack at 425 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serves 4-6.