5 EASY MEAL PREP RECIPES: USING ROTISSERIE CHICKEN FOR SIMPLE, HIGH PROTEIN, MACRO FRIENDLY MEALS
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.
A message we often need to hear:
“MEAL PREP” CAN BE AS EASY AS YOU WANT IT TO BE.
We have the ability to create an environment for our success, and part of that means making meal ideas and healthful food options easier on ourselves - no complicated recipes or confusing ingredients, or time-consuming grocery runs needed.
Rotisserie chicken is one of those often overlooked options that can cut down on our cooking time, make our food delicious, and add ease to our busy lives. 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, with that in mind, here are 5 quick, simple meals using rotisserie chicken.
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!
SWEET AND SPICY 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
Start by sauteing your broccoli and carrots in a pan. While those veggies are warming, set aside the pulled chicken you will use.
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.
Once your veggies are cooked to your liking, add in the chicken and mix well.
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
PRESSED CHICKEN PESTO SANDWICH
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 YOU DO:
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.
Add your spinach leaves and sundried tomatoes after the sammie has warmed, smash together and enjoy!
APPROXIMATE MACROS PER SANDWICH: 49P/21F/53C
EASY 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 YOU DO:
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
BALSAMIC CHICKEN GRAIN 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 YOU DO:
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.
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
SWEET HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN SALAD
PREP TIME: 5 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
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 there. 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. 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.