One of my favorite things to do when I’m scrambling at the last minute to figure out what’s for dinner when I haven’t planned ahead, or I forget to unthaw the meat that I need to cook in advance, is to rush to Walmart and grab a rotisserie chicken.
For less than $5, it beats ordering a $30 pizza or spending $25 at McDonald’s to feed my family. You see, we’ve got four young kids, so spending money on fast food and takeout really adds up quickly.
And it’s definitely not something we can comfortably afford to do four times a week.
So grabbing a $5 rotisserie has saved my budget more times than I can count! That’s why today, I want to share with you the five different ways you can serve this last-minute meal to your family fast and cheap!
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Here are our favorite $5 rotisserie chicken meals:
Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
This is a favorite meal in our house. We eat quesadillas in many different ways about once a week.
What you’ll need: shred the chicken, shredded cheese, and tortillas. Serve with chips, salsa or guacamole and sour cream.
Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Whenever I’m craving pulled pork but it’s too late to throw a shoulder in the crockpot, we’ll have shredded chicken sandwiches instead—it’s much cheaper too!
What you’ll need: shred the chicken, slider buns, top with your favorite savory sauce. Serve with fresh veggies.
Chicken Alfredo Pasta
My kids love this classic Italian dish. Make enough noodles and this meal can last you two days!
What you’ll need: noodles of your choice (I use Angel Hair most of the time), mushrooms or broccoli, chop or shred the chicken, Alfredo sauce (jar or homemade), top with Parmesan cheese.
Chicken Fajitas
What I love most about chicken fajita night is that my kids get to choose their own toppings. And they means no more fighting with picky eaters!
What you’ll need: peppers, onions, chop or shred the chicken, tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, rice, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Loaded Chicken Salad
Making a large salad bowl is so easy that it makes no sense! You can either chop the chicken and throw all the ingredients together or enjoy a salad with the chicken on the side.
What you’ll need: romaine salad kit, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, hard boil egg, bacon bits, dried fruit, salad seasoning, and your favorite dressing.
BBQ Chicken Tacos
The easiest taco you’ll ever make! It’s only three ingredients, but it’s packed with so MUCH flavor.
What you’ll need: shred the chicken, tortillas, Pico de Gallo, barbecue sauce and sour cream. Serve with French fries!
Why rotisserie chicken is the best last-minute family meal?
Because if you don’t have time to cook a full meal, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money at a drive-thru either, then grabbing a precooked rotisserie chicken will help you stay on budget—even when your original dinner plans fail!
For just $5, your chicken can feed up to 5 people (if you have small kids like me). However, I have found larger chickens at Kroger for about $8 which can feed 6 or 7. And Costco is also a great place to find a $5 rotisserie chicken if you have a membership!
So if you’re planning to grab a chicken at the last-minute, just make sure to do it no later than 7 pm before they’re sold out.
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