33 Leftover Chicken Cutlet Recipes That Are Anything but Boring

By Katherine Gillen

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Published Aug 11, 2022

Whether you bought a ten-pound bag of frozen chicken cutlets on sale in bulk or just have a few hiding in the fridge from last night’s dinner, you’re officially on your way to making a tasty, protein-packed meal without much effort. Looking for a little inspiration? Voilà: 33 leftover chicken cutlet recipes to try, from buffalo chicken-stuffed sweet potatoes to Thai-inspired lettuce wraps.

(Psst: According to the USDA, you can keep leftover cooked chicken for three to four days in the fridge, while raw chicken should be cooked or frozen within one to two days. If you freeze it, it’ll taste fresh for up to a year—basically forever.)

leftover chicken cutlet recipes grilled jerk chicken cutlets recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

1. Grilled Jerk Chicken Cutlets With Mango Salsa

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: <500 calories, high protein, <10 ingredients

Baking chicken cutlets on repeat is easy but boring. This grilled version is as simple as your old standby, but way more flavorful thanks to a blend of cinnamon and cayenne in the jerk seasoning. (Don’t get us started on the juicy mango salsa, which comes together with just six ingredients.)

leftover chicken cutlet recipes cheesy chicken milanese recipe

Aubrie Pick/Cravings: Hungry for More

2. Cheesy Chicken Milanese

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, high protein

The secret to extra-crispy results? Using a blend of both regular and panko breadcrumbs. Plus, the cutlets are stuffed with mozzarella so when you cut into them, they ooze cheesy goodness.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes potato chip crusted chicken with arugula pesto recipe

Aubrie Pick/Kitchen Remix

3. Potato-chip Crusted Chicken With Arugula Pesto

Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, high protein, low sugar

There are myriad ways to enjoy this take on chicken parm: Try it in sub form on a long, thick roll, slapped with extra pesto, topped with arugula and a squeeze of lemon, or sandwich it inside a homemade pretzel bun. Or you can eat the chicken sans cheese or pesto to take advantage of that crunchy coating.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes pasta florentine with grilled chicken recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Pasta Florentine With Grilled Chicken

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

Aside from taking practically no time at all, charring the chicken cutlets on the grill adds a little smoky je ne sais quoi to this beloved pasta dish. In fact, you might not believe that the whole thing calls for fewer than ten ingredients.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes avocado chicken salad recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

5. Avocado Chicken Salad

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why I Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, make ahead, low sugar, high protein

This creamy take on a classic works especially well if you have leftover chicken cutlets that are already cooked. Just chop or shred them up and mix them in with the avocado-laced dressing.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes skillet chicken fajitas recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why I Love It: <500 calories, high protein, low sugar, one pan

This one-skillet meal relies on your trusty cast iron skillet, but in a different way than usual. Instead of standing by the stove on sauté duty, you’ll toss all the ingredients in the pan, pop it in the oven and prep the rest of dinner while it cooks. Easy peasy.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes chicken tinga tacos recipe

The Minimalist Kitchen

7. Chicken Tinga Tacos

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, ready in <30 minutes

Went overboard on the grilled chicken cutlets last night? Shred them into this punchy chipotle sauce and break out the tacos. Just like that, dinner is ready in half an hour.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes garlic breaded roast chicken breast recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. Garlic-breaded Roast Chicken Breast

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, low sugar, high protein

Plain roast chicken: bo-ring. This garlicky, crunchy version: the exact opposite. You don’t even need to chop any cloves, thanks to the convenience of garlic powder. Since chicken cutlets are thinner than breasts, you’ll want to reduce the cooking time and keep an eye on them so they don’t dry out.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes family style chicken caesar salad recipe

The Minimalist Kitchen

9. Family-style Chicken Caesar Salad

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly

Keep this trick in your apron pocket: You can make a super-simple homemade Caesar dressing without any raw egg or anchovies. The salty-umami flavor comes from green olives, and the base is a blend of mayonnaise and yogurt.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes chicken gnocchi soup recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

10. Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <500 calories, beginner-friendly

Leftover cooked chicken and store-bought broth make for a lightning-fast dinner that tastes just as good as Mom’s recipe. Of course, you could use traditional noodles…but the gnocchi really takes the meaning of “comfort food” to another level.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes buffalo stuffed sweet potatoes recipe

Aubrie Pick/Eat What You Love

11. Buffalo-stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, <500 calories, high protein, low sugar

This ten-ingredient meal works as a light entrée if you pair it with a big green side salad, or as a side dish all its own. FYI, you can cook the spuds up to five days in advance; just re-warm them in the oven when you’re ready to eat.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes peach chicken ricotta pizza recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

12. Grilled Peach, Chicken And Ricotta Pizza

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, low sugar

Homemade pizza? With store-bought dough, why not? The pie comes together in an hour, which is faster than that delivery you were thinking about ordered. (Plus, it’s got peaches, fresh ricotta and perfectly charred chicken.)

leftover chicken cutlet recipes black pepper chicken recipe

Kristen Kilpatrick/The Defined Dish

13. Black Pepper Chicken

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein, low sugar, <500 calories

Not only is this takeout fave a chance for a fridge cleanout (it’ll use up your celery in addition to the chicken cutlets) but it’s also gluten-, grain- and dairy-free, paleo and Whole30-approved. Serve it with rice, or riced cauliflower if you’re watching your carbs.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes easy green chicken enchiladas recipe

Katherine Gillen

14. Easy Green Chicken Enchiladas

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

Leftover chicken cutlets? We have two words for you: chicken enchiladas. The green sauce is lighter and brighter than the usual red variety, not to mention it’s totally store-bought. You can even assemble the dish ahead and stash it in the freezer for a last-minute dinner in no time.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes greek lemon chicken skewers with tzatziki recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15. Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers With Tzatziki Sauce

Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, low carb, gluten free

The yogurt-lemon marinade tenderizes the chicken and ensures a gorgeously browned crust when you throw these skewers on the grill. Serve it with warm pita, a salad and chilled white wine for the full effect.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes gochujang chicken stir fry recipe

16. Gochujang Chicken Stir Fry

Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why I Love It: low sugar, beginner-friendly, one pan

Don’t be put off by the hour-plus time commitment. Most of it is hands off, as the chicken marinates in the fridge to soak up all that spicy-sweet gochujang flavor. The sauce can be made up to two weeks ahead, and the rest comes together in a single skillet. (We’re serving ours with steamed rice; what about you?)

leftover chicken cutlet recipes grilled chicken and corn recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

17. Crispy Grilled Chicken

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

Here’s a cooking magic trick: Coating the chicken in mayonnaise results in a super crispy, golden brown crust sans breading or deep-frying. Swap the breasts for chicken cutlets and they’ll be ready in even less time.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes firecracker chicken with rice recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

18. Firecracker Chicken With Rice

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <500 calories, high protein, beginner-friendly

Getting every single pot and pan dirty on a weeknight? We’ll pass in favor of this foolproof and irresistible sticky-sweet chicken recipe. Pan-frying results in a crisp coating without the mess of deep-frying, while the sauce is a combination of condiments you likely already have in your fridge.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes grilled lemon herb chicken and avocado salad recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

19. Grilled Lemon-herb Chicken And Avocado Salad

Time Commitment: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Why I Love It: high protein, low sugar, make ahead

Everyone knows the best part of a salad isn’t the lettuce, it’s the toppings. Here, we’re piling our bowl high with barley, avocado, cherry tomatoes and a citrusy dressing, not to mention expertly cooked grilled chicken.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes honey lime chicken and veggies in foil recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

20. Honey-lime Chicken And Veggies In Foil

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: high protein, <500 calories, beginner-friendly, gluten free

Each portion of this meal cooks inside a little foil packet that you place directly on the grill. Once everything’s cooked, just throw away the foil. Feel free to swap the asparagus for another similarly sized vegetable, like broccolini or green beans.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes grilled thai chicken lettuce wraps recipe

Matt Armendariz/Eat What You Want

21. Grilled Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, low sugar, low carb, <500 calories

Trade the chicken thighs in this recipe for your leftover chicken cutlets, reduce the cooking time and marvel at how fast your dinner just came together. (And wait until you taste the salty-sweet garlic-chile sauce.)

leftover chicken cutlet recipes sheet pan chicken and rainbow vegetables recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. Sheet-pan Chicken And Rainbow Vegetables

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, keto, high protein, <500 calories

When your dinner M.O. is more “no thought and no dishes” than “truss up a whole bird,” reach for this simple sheet pan number. You can use any combination of vegetables, so go wild and clean out your crisper drawer.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes baked caprese chicken skillet recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

23. Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: one pan, low sugar, crowd-pleaser

Can you top everything with mozzarella? The jury is out, but we’re certainly going to try. Inspired by one of our fave salads of all time, this one-pan meal is as delicious as it is easy to make. The spaghetti isn’t strictly necessary, BTW, and a salad would be just as lovely on the side.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes mini chicken shawarma recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

24. Mini Chicken Shawarma

Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, low sugar, high protein, crowd-pleaser

Typically cooked on a rotisserie and shaved off in thin slices, our take on this classic Middle Eastern dish is much simpler to make at home. A quick marinade and a creamy herb sauce ensures these two-bite pita pockets are delightfully zesty and flavorful (and most of the time commitment is hands-off marinating).

leftover chicken cutlet recipes chicken pesto focaccia sandwiches recipe

The Minimalist Kitchen

25. Chicken Pesto Focaccia Sandwiches

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: low sugar, high protein, <500 calories, beginner-friendly

Using leftover chicken cutlets instead of chicken breasts means you won’t need to spend as much time pounding them ultra-thin (and we love a shortcut). Use freshly baked bread to take things over the top, or just pick up a loaf from your favorite bakery.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes sheet pan cashew chicken recipe

Jessica Merchant/Everyday Dinners

26. Sheet-pan Cashew Chicken

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly, high protein

Many sheet pan recipes fall short on their promise of an all-in-one meal. This ingenious take actually delivers, since the vegetables and chicken are timed so they both cook to perfection. Add a pot of steamed rice and dinner is complete.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes make ahead spicy chicken and rice salad recipe

Katherine Gillen

27. Make-ahead Spicy Chicken And Rice Salad

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why I Love It: make ahead, <500 calories, gluten free, dairy free

Instead of a rotisserie chicken, use up your leftover chicken cutlets in this spicy, crunchy, cabbage-based salad. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to five days, if you want to make it ahead.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes creamy chicken corn tomato skillet recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

28. 30-minute Creamy Chicken, Corn And Tomato Skillet

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: one pan, gluten free, high protein

A handful of ingredients and just three steps are all it takes to make this creamy, 30-minute wonder. This is an ideal time to pick up some local tomatoes and fresh corn from your farmers market (as if you needed an excuse).

leftover chicken cutlet recipes one pot creamy chicken alfredo recipe

Inspired Entertainment/The Domestic Geek’s Meals Made Easy

29. One-pot Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why I Love It: one pot, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

And here we thought homemade alfredo required dirtying every dish in our kitchen. Better yet, this one-pan version makes for the creamiest results imaginable, thanks to the pasta starch, so you can use skim milk if you want to cut down on cals.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes chicken and snap pea stir fry recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

30. Chicken And Snap Pea Stir Fry

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, low sugar, high protein, low carb, <500 calories

When you really, really don’t feel like cooking, a stir fry is in order. It’s easy, healthy and tasty, all with just a few ingredients. Plus, you can swap the snap peas and peppers for almost any quick-cooking vegetable in your fridge.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes ultimate grilled chicken sandwich recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

31. The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why I Love It: high protein, kid-friendly

Once you put frizzled onions on a sandwich, you’ll never settle for plain old lettuce and tomato again. This is a great opportunity to use up pre-cooked chicken cutlets, if you want to save about 15 minutes of time.

finger food recipes: Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

32. Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why I Love It: kid-friendly, ready in <30 minutes, low sugar, crowd-pleaser

Frozen nuggets won’t know what hit them. These baked babies are crispy, moist and breaded in quinoa for a nutritious boost. Want to bread like a pro? Designate one hand for wet dredging and one for dry, to minimize the mess.

leftover chicken cutlet recipes julia turshen sticky chicken recipe

Melina Hammer/Simply Julia

33. Julia Turshen’s Sticky Chicken

Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein, gluten free, <500 calories

Here’s definitive proof that everyone should keep a bottle of ketchup in the fridge. It’s the secret ingredient behind this sticky sauce. Serve the dish with rice, noodles, steamed bok choy, broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes or stir-fried snap peas…the list goes on.

_{Katherine Gillen is a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she's an avid home cook and fanatic baker.}

Katherine Gillen

Former Senior Food Editor

Headed PureWow’s food vertical
Contributed original reporting, recipes and food styling
Studied English Literature at the University of Notre Dame and Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education