Need lunch or dinner ready in a hurry? Store bought rotisserie chicken is one of the best secrets to easy meal planning. I make sure to have one on my weekly grocery list. It’s affordable, convenient and so versatile. Of course, you can eat it as is, but here are a few great ways to use it in your weekly meal planning.

Shred it and use to make quesadillas, tostadas or tacos.
Use whole wheat or corn tortillas, add black or low fat refried beans, cheese, cilantro, tomatoes and salsa and you’ve got a tasty, fast and healthy weeknight meal.

Cut into slices for an easy assemble chicken sandwich.
Top with provolone, mixed greens or arugula, tomatoes slices, avocado and honey mustard and you have an upgrade from the basic turkey and cheese sandwich. 

Rotisserie chicken is perfect for soup.
It cuts down on the prep work and allows for you to have a quick and yummy soup in less than 30 minutes. Taking the extra time to shred the chicken when you get home from the store allows you to throw the soup together in no time. Try it in this chicken tortilla soup.

Make a batch of chicken salad.
You can lighten up this typically high fat dish by using low fat mayonnaise with low fat sour cream or greek yogurt. Add in some celery, fruit (apple or grapes work well) and/or nuts and you can enjoy it with pitas, wraps, whole grain sandwich bread or topped on a bed of lettuce.

Use it in a casserole.
Incorporate shredded rotisserie chicken for any casserole-type dish that calls for cooked chicken. Not limited to dishes such as enchiladas, chicken pasta bake, chicken pot pie, king ranch casserole, layered Mexican tortilla casserole. 

You can find rotisserie chicken at any grocery store, typically in the deli section. Buying the plain chicken versus the seasoned ones such as “lemon pepper” or “italian” will cut down on the sodium a little. To reduce the overall fat content, remove the skin before eating. Included is an easy chicken tostada that will be a hit with the whole family.

Soft Bean & Chicken Tostadas

Serves 4 

Salsa:
1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black refried beans
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup roasted chicken, shredded and skin removed
3/4 cup (3 ounces) pre-shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup iceberg lettuce or cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup low fat sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to broil.

To prepare salsa, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Toss gently and set aside.

Combine 2 tablespoons water, lime juice, cumin, salt, ground red pepper, and black beans in small pot; stir to combine and heat until warmed.

Place tortillas on a baking sheet, and spread about 1/4 cup black bean mixture evenly over each tortilla. Top each evenly with 1/4 cup chicken and 3 tablespoons cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and tortilla edges are just beginning to brown.

Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce or cabbage, 1/4 cup salsa, and 2 tablespoons sour cream.

COOK'S NOTES: May substitute regular refried beans for the black beans if desired.

Recipe modified from Cooking Light, January 2006