Rotisserie Chicken Salad
As a full-time employee at Valley Health War Memorial Hospital and a college student studying mental health counseling, my time for cooking is limited. Eating healthy and staying active are priorities for me, which has pushed me to get creative in the kitchen.
One of my favorite time-saving strategies is picking up a couple of rotisserie chickens each week. For just $5–$7, they’re affordable, versatile, and can be turned into several quick, healthy meals.
Now, my great-grandmother, Arizona Henry, probably wouldn’t approve of me buying a pre-cooked chicken, but with my schedule, convenience matters. And honestly, rotisserie chicken is a great solution for a busy household.
I always start by removing all the meat from the bones and setting it aside. One rule to never break is never to throw away the bones. Instead, boil them for about two hours to create a rich, homemade chicken stock. Store-bought broth is often mostly water and lacks the same nutritional value as homemade broth. This simple homemade version is perfect for soups, sipping when you’re sick, or freezing in Ziploc bags for later use.
Beyond comfort, chicken offers numerous health benefits. It’s low in fat and high in quality protein, especially the breast meat. It also provides essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12, tryptophan, choline, zinc, iron, and copper, all of which support overall wellness.
You can be creative with the chicken you picked off the bone, using it in many different recipes like chicken noodle or rice soup, chicken enchiladas, stir-fry, buffalo chicken dip, or just add the rotisserie chicken to a salad mix for a quick and healthy meal. Cheap and quick is my meal pattern until I complete my master’s program in December.
Easy Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
1 rotisserie chicken (meat picked off the bone)
¾ cup mayonnaise
cup chopped spring onions
½ cup grapes, quartered
¼ cup pickle relish
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve chilled on bread, crackers, or over a bed of greens.
Stacy Schultz is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, a former Morgan County Commissioner and is the author of “It’s Stacy’s Grandma ‘Zona’s recipes” and “Great Grandma Zona’s Wisdom & recipes: Comfort food made easy.” She has been in healthcare for 35 years at War Memorial Hospital.
