By Becky Hardin
Published Jun 15, 2023
Got some shredded chicken you want to use for dinner tonight? You’re in luck, because there are tons of easy recipes you can make with leftover shredded chicken. From tacos and other Mexican favorites, to pastas, sandwiches, and casseroles, there are endless ways to use it. Try out any of these dinner ideas for something the whole family will love.
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What to Make with Shredded Chicken
You’re going to want to keep these easy shredded chicken recipes on hand! They make for the best weeknight dinners or lunches because they’re all easy, quick, and delicious.
I love making up a big batch of shredded chicken to keep in the fridge or freezer, that way I always have this healthy protein on hand for quick meals. I use it in casseroles, soups, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and basically anything my heart desires. It’s my number one meal prep ingredient!
What’s the best way to make shredded chicken?
Cooking and shredding chicken breast is really quick and easy, and there are many different methods to make this staple. Whether you prefer to grill, bake, or use your favorite kitchen appliance, there’s an option for you.
- Crockpot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Best Baked Chicken Breast
Once you make it, store it in the fridge for a few days, or the freezer for 3 months. If you’re following one of the chicken breast recipes , just use two forks to pull it apart into shreds.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Quick and Easy Recipes
Dinner will be on the table in no time with these easy recipes. Start with shredded chicken, and cook up a meal in about 30 minutes !
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili : This creamy comfort classic is so easy to make in an Instant Pot. A few minutes of prep, then let the pressure cooker do the work.
- Chicken Salad : Classic chicken salad with celery, grapes, and creamy dressing is so quick to whip up. It’s perfect for sandwiches you can eat on the go.
- Chicken Parmesan Soup : You won’t believe how fast this hearty, cheesy soup comes together. It’s filled with pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and mozzarella.
- Chicken Enchilada Skillet Pie : Everything you love about enchiladas is cooked up into a skillet meal in just 25 minutes. It’s such a quick and easy dinner!
- Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad : Pasta salads are so quick to throw together, and great for meal prep too. This recipe is filled with black beans, corn, ranch seasoning , jalapenos, and more.
- Baked Chicken Nachos : Make the most delicious nachos in a sheet pan, with all the best toppings. You can easily use shredded chicken instead of the chicken tenders in the recipe.
Healthy Chicken Salad
Healthy Shredded Chicken Recipes
Make a healthy lunch or dinner with these ideas. These recipes are a great way to use up your meal prep chicken throughout the week.
- Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup : Make a lighter version of this classic soup to cut out the extra sodium and calories. It’s really simple to make in the slow cooker.
- Chicken Pita Sandwiches : This healthy lunch is stuffed with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and Greek yogurt.
- Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Soup : Throw beans, veggies, chicken, and low-sodium broth into a slow cooker for an easy, tasty, and nutritious soup.
- Chicken Sweet Potato Enchiladas : Sweet potatoes, black beans, veggies, and chicken make a healthy, well-rounded mix of ingredients.
- Healthy Chicken Salad Sliders : Apples, grapes, almonds, and more are mixed together with shredded chicken and Greek yogurt for a healthy meal prep recipe .
- Broccoli Chicken Ranch Wraps : Broccoli, rice, and chicken makes for a balanced meal, and the ranch seasoning adds incredible flavor. Even the kids will love these little wraps.
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup : Creamy coconut milk, mushrooms, chili, ginger, and more make the most flavorful soup. Better yet, it’ll be ready in just 30 minutes!
Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Casseroles with Leftover Chicken
Whip up a casserole by throwing that leftover shredded chicken in a baking dish with some other tasty ingredients.
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole : This recipe is filled with everything you love about pot pie, in an easy to make casserole. The fluffy buttermilk biscuits on top are so tasty!
- Chicken Salad Pie : A creamy, tasty filling is layered into a flaky pie crust, covered with cheese, and baked to make it hot and bubbly.
- Chicken Tetrazzini : Creamy, cheesy noodles with chicken and veggies is topped with breadcrumbs and baked until hot and melty. This is such a comfort meal!
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake : Pasta, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and more mix together to make a creamy baked pasta dinner.
- King Ranch Casserole : This Tex-Mex casserole only takes a few minutes to throw together, then just let it bake and enjoy.
- Chicken Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole : This easy casserole is filled with all the good stuff and topped with breadcrumbs. A great way to sneak in some broccoli at dinnertime!
Baked Chicken Tacos
Weeknight Dinners with Shredded Chicken
Everyone will love these easy and delicious dinners. These family favorites are easy to make, and kid-approved!
- Baked Chicken Tacos : This family favorite is always a hit at dinner time! Throw shredded chicken into taco shells with all your favorite ingredients and bake.
- Chicken Pot Pie : This comfort food classic is made with a creamy chicken and veggie filling, and baked inside of a flaky pie crust.
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice : Shredded chicken and rice is cooked in a creamy sauce and covered with cheese for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells : Mozzarella, alfredo, ricotta, and more is combined with chicken, then stuffed into giant shells and baked until hot.
- Chicken Spaghetti : This baked spaghetti casserole is made with chicken, mushrooms, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
- King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese : Make king ranch chicken casserole with macaroni for a meal that’s even more fun for kids.
- Creamy White Chicken Lasagna : Mozzarella, tomatoes, and chicken are combined with a creamy white sauce for this delicious lasagna.
- Crockpot Chicken Alfredo Sandwiches : If you love alfredo sauce , you’ll love these sandwiches. This hands-off recipe makes the most delicious chicken.
Chicken Enchiladas
Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipes
Mexican food is one of my favorites! Make tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more with any leftover chicken you have.
- Chicken Enchiladas : Enchiladas are a great way to use shredded chicken, because they’re easy to make and always delicious. This recipe has my favorite enchilada sauce!
- Baked Chicken Chimichangas : These crispy chimichangas are stuffed full of all the best ingredients, and make the most delicious Tex-Mex dinner.
- Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadilla : Make quesadillas for the whole family with this sheet pan recipe. Pop it in the oven and they’re ready to grab and eat.
- Mexican Lasagna : Switch things up for taco night with this lasagna! It’s filled with chicken, beans, corn, and uses tortillas instead of noodles.
- Chicken Taco Soup : Grab that leftover chicken and some pantry staples, and you’ll have a warm, flavorful soup ready in no time.
- Baked Chicken Empanadas : Flaky pie crust is used to make handheld pockets stuffed with a creamy, cheesy, flavorful chicken filling.
- Grilled Chicken Nachos : Choose from 2 flavors for these grilled nachos. It’s a quick lunch, appetizer, or dinner that’s easy to share.
- Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas : The honey lime marinade adds so much flavor to these enchiladas.
Any of these easy shredded chicken recipes are sure to please the whole family. Whether you’re making a weeknight dinner, prepping for healthy lunches, or just looking for a way to use that leftover chicken, I hope you’ll try (at least) one of these recipes.
More Dinner Ideas
Looking for something else for dinner? These easy recipes are a great place to start.
40 Easy Ground Beef Recipes (Dinner Ideas)
40 Comfort Food Recipes
28 Chicken Thigh Recipes
37 Easy Dinner Ideas for Kids
20 Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes
92+ Easy Freezer Meals to Make Ahead of Time
20 Chicken Casserole Recipes
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
