In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging. Cooking from scratch every night often feels impossible. Rotisserie chicken meal prep offers a convenient and nutritious solution, especially for those aiming for weight loss or managing their diet after bariatric surgery. This guide will explore how to utilize rotisserie chicken for efficient meal prepping, providing various recipe ideas and tips for success.
The Convenience of Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie chicken can be a lifesaver on busy days, offering a quick, easy, and protein-packed meal option. It can be used in various recipes or as a substitute for cooked chicken, easily feeding a crowd. Purchasing a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store can be a convenient way to set yourself up for the week if you don’t have time to cook on the weekend.
Nutritional Benefits
Rotisserie chicken is a nutritious choice, rich in protein to keep you full and energized. It's also versatile, allowing for diverse meal options.
Meal Prep Strategies
Basic Meal Prep
A simple rotisserie chicken meal prep involves combining the chicken with steamed pre-cut veggies. This is a straightforward strategy for easier meal preparation, especially after bariatric surgery.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Steaming Vegetables: Place raw veggies in a microwave-safe container, add 1/3 cup of water, cover with a microwave-safe lid, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Preparing Chicken: While the veggies are steaming, remove the chicken from the bone and weigh out 3-4 oz of chicken for each meal prep container.
- Combining Ingredients: Once the veggies are done, add 1/3 cup of veggies to each meal prep container.
- Storage: Cover with a lid and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Post-Bariatric Considerations
Immediately after bariatric surgery, it's recommended to avoid the skin due to its high-fat content. The dark meat, such as thighs and drumsticks, contains zinc and B vitamins, beneficial for the body after surgery. Many post-ops find dark meat easier to eat because it’s moist. While it has higher fat content than white meat, the difference is not significant.
Read also: Rotisserie Chicken on Keto Diet
Recipe Ideas
Simple Rotisserie Chicken and Vegetables
This recipe uses rotisserie chicken as the centerpiece of the meal with steamed vegetables on the side.
Rotisserie Chicken Soup
Blend rotisserie chicken and steamed vegetables with 1 cup of chicken broth until the desired consistency is achieved. Serve as is. You can switch the broccoli to carrots, green beans, or zucchini if broccoli is too gassy for you at this stage. Serve as is or add a salad instead of a steamed vegetable. If you have started to add back carbs into your diet then you could add a sweet potato on the side or cooked quinoa.
Almost Classic Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad
Inspired by classic chicken salad, this macro-friendly option is easy to make and fits into daily macros.
Macro-Friendly Waldorf Chicken Salad
A lightened-up take on the classic, packed with lean protein, fiber-rich apples and celery, and crunchy pecans.
Sweet Potato Chipotle Rotisserie Chicken Skillet
A quick and easy skillet that's light and filling, combining comforting flavors with macro-friendly ingredients.
Read also: Easy Keto Meals
Quick Mexican Chicken Salad
Perfect for lunch or a mid-afternoon snack, this salad is a quick and easy way to enjoy a flavorful, macro-conscious meal.
Light and Healthy White Chicken Chili
A soul-warming chili that's kept light and guilt-free, perfect for a cozy meal.
Rotisserie Chicken Pizza
Use rotisserie chicken as a topping for a pizza with your favorite combinations.
Mediterranean Rotisserie Chicken Wrap
Combine fresh Mediterranean flavors in a light, healthy, and satisfying wrap.
Other Quick Meal Ideas
- Add rice, chicken, and soy sauce for a simple stir-fry.
- Fill potatoes with chicken and spinach mixture for a hearty meal.
- Sauté colorful veggies and chicken in soy and garlic.
- Top naan or pita with chicken, marinara sauce, cheese, and vegetables.
- Fill crisp lettuce leaves with chicken, cucumber, carrots, and sauce.
- Make hearty chili with beans, tomatoes, and chicken.
- Create creamy Alfredo pasta with chicken, baked under bubbly mozzarella.
- Layer crunchy tostadas with beans, chicken, lettuce, salsa, and cheese.
- Prepare light soup with chicken, zucchini, carrots, and green beans.
Tips and Tricks
Utilizing Leftovers
Use leftover bones to make bone broth, contributing to your fluid intake.
Read also: The Ultimate Guide to Rotisserie Chicken on Carnivore
Macro-Friendly Options
Explore macro-friendly meals to align with dietary goals.
Customization
Customize recipes based on personal preferences and dietary needs. For instance, switch the broccoli to carrots, green beans, or zucchini if broccoli is too gassy for you at this stage. Serve as is or add a salad instead of a steamed vegetable. If you have started to add back carbs into your diet then you could add a sweet potato on the side or cooked quinoa.
Storage
Keep chicken in airtight containers to maintain freshness.
Variety
Even the best meal prep can feel boring if you eat the same thing every day.
Four Meals One Prep: Rotisserie Chicken Edition
To avoid meal prep boredom, consider preparing four different meals from a single rotisserie chicken. Here’s how:
Strategy
To pull off 4 meals in 1 prep session, you need strategy.
Top Tips
- Invest in Good Quality Storage Containers: Glass, airtight food containers make prepped ingredients stay fresh longer and taste better. They also keep bacteria out and are better for the planet!
- Get Microwave-Safe Bowls: If you’re only cooking for one, you’ll have a left-over serving with this meal prep plan. Luckily, 3 of the 4 recipes below can be warmed up by combining the ingredients into a microwave-safe dish and reheating.
- Label Your Containers
Preparation
- Shred Your Rotisserie Chicken: Store it in a tightly-sealed container in the fridge.
- Prepare Crispy Chickpeas: Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas. Pour them onto a parchment-lined pan and roast them at 350F for 20-30 minutes, until beginning to brown. Once browning, toss them with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 teaspoons of maple syrup, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt until evenly coated. Spread the chickpeas out on pan and return them to the oven for 2-3 minutes until just slightly darker brown. Store them in a tightly-sealed container at room temperature.
- Make Saffron Rice: Crush the saffron between your fingers into a bowl, then add 1/4 cup hot water to bloom the saffron. In a medium pot, sauté the onion with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. When it’s turning brown, add the rice. Toast it for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is turning golden. Then, add the saffron water plus 1 3/4 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 more minutes. Store the rice in a container in the fridge.
- Prepare Vegetables: Wash & chop the romaine hearts. Store them in a tightly-sealed, paper towel-lined container in the fridge. Chop the red pepper, chives, and carrot. Store them in a tightly-sealed container in the fridge.
Health Benefits of Saffron
Saffron boosts the metabolism and makes you feel full longer. Research also shows that saffron promotes a healthy cardiovascular system. Saffron is also being used in scientific studies to treat anxiety and depression. Saffron is studied as an aphrodisiac and natural remedy for impotence with positive benefits for sexual function.
Meal Ideas
- Crispy Chickpea Paella: Mix together the saffron rice, salsa, and shredded chicken. Warm oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper and a shake of salt. Cook until it’s beginning to brown. Next, add the rice mixture from the bowl into the skillet and spread it out in an even layer, cooking until brown and crispy. Then, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the crispy bits and spread the rice out again. When warmed through, add frozen peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Sweet & Spicy Peanut Chicken Salad: Make the sweet and spicy peanut dressing. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the peanut butter, lime juice, garlic powder, ginger powder, tamari, toasted sesame oil, and maple syrup until combined. In a large bowl, toss together the romaine hearts, carrot, red pepper, and rotisserie chicken. Pour all the dressing on top and toss to combine. Garnish with the crispy chickpeas.
- Cheesy Chicken Tacos: Warm a small drop of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-heat. Add one tortilla and cook until just golden. Flip it and immediately and add cheese. As soon as the cheese melts, flip it again so the tortilla is cheese-side-down in the skillet. Wait 30 seconds, then gently work your spatula around the outside of the tortilla to loosen the cheese. Flip the tortilla onto a plate and immediately fold it loosely in half to make crispy taco shells. Repeat this with the 3 other tortillas. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chicken with the salsa. Divide the salsa chicken between the four taco shells. Top them with romaine and serve each taco with a lime wedge.
- Lemony Chicken Soup: Zest lemon into a small bowl and set the lemon aside. In a large bowl, crack open the egg and begin to beat it with a whisk. Add the lemon juice and keep whisking. In a medium pot, warm the vegetable broth over medium-high heat. When it’s hot but not boiling, remove a cup of it and add a splash at a time to the lemon-egg mixture, whisking constantly. Once the full cup of broth is incorporated into the lemon mixture, pour it back into the pot with the rest of the broth. Stir in the lemon zest, saffron rice, frozen peas, and chicken. Warm it until it’sheated through. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then garnish it with chives!
Five Simple Meals Using Rotisserie Chicken
Here are five quick and simple meal ideas:
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
- Ingredients: 113g cooked white rice, 112g pulled rotisserie chicken, 50g broccoli, 50g carrots, 30g soy sauce or coconut aminos, 15g rice vinegar, 15g honey, 15g cashews, Sriracha.
- Instructions: Sauté broccoli and carrots in a pan. Add pre-cooked rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Add chicken and mix well. Top with cashews and Sriracha.
Pressed Chicken Pesto Sandwich
- Ingredients: 100g ciabatta or French bread, 112g pulled rotisserie chicken, 30g pesto, 30g sliced mozzarella cheese, 10g sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach.
- Instructions: Mix pesto sauce and spread on bread slices. Layer chicken on one side, mozzarella on the other, and toast until cheese melts. Add spinach and sundried tomatoes after warming.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Ingredients: 2 tortillas, 112g pulled rotisserie chicken, enchilada sauce, ½ 8-oz can tomato sauce, bell peppers, yellow onion, 28g sour cream per enchilada, 14g shredded cheese per enchilada (optional).
- Instructions: Sauté bell peppers and onions. Prepare enchilada sauce. Spread sour cream on tortillas, add chicken, peppers, and onions. Roll them up, pour enchilada sauce over them, top with cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Macro-Friendly Balsamic Chicken Grain Bowl
- Ingredients: 185g cooked quinoa, 112g pulled rotisserie chicken, 15g kalamata olives, 100g cherry tomatoes, 30g red onion, 30g feta cheese, 30g balsamic dressing.
- Instructions: Cook quinoa. Assemble chicken, olives, cherry tomatoes, and red onion on top of the quinoa. Sprinkle feta and drizzle with balsamic dressing.
Sweet Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
- Ingredients: 112g pulled rotisserie chicken, 30g honey mustard dressing, 100g chopped apples, 100g red grapes, 14g walnuts, spring mix.
- Instructions: Start with greens on the bottom and layer in all the ingredients. Mix honey mustard with rotisserie chicken first.
Additional Tips
Part Customization
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.
Simplicity
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.