The Rotisserie Chicken Trick You Need For Salads With More Texture And Flavor

Rotisserie chickens are one of the easiest dinner options you can buy at the grocery store. While some grocery stores offer better chickens than others, they're always hot, ready, and coated with salty, savory skin. If you're trying to save money, you might as well find some genius ways to use every piece of that leftover chicken. Here's one: Don't throw the skin away. Instead, use it in place of croutons.

Peel the skin from the rotisserie chicken and broil it on a baking sheet for a few minutes on both sides to remove any moisture. Once the chicken is nice and crispy, break it into pieces. If it's crispy enough, it should break easily; if not, it needs a little more time. Top your salad with the crispy pieces to add some crunchy texture and savory flavor to the dish. If you're preparing chicken salad, you can do the same to add a hint of crispy texture there, too.

Chicken skin croutons are just one way to get the most from your rotisserie chicken. You can also use the leftover bones for homemade chicken broth; if you don't plan on making a salad any time soon, toss the skin in with the bones to add extra flavor. 

The chicken skin can also act as a crispy substitute for a sandwich topping, such as bacon. Simply add a piece of the skin to your favorite sandwich for a little crunch. You can sub it for bacon by wrapping it around vegetables, too, such as chicken skin-wrapped asparagus. 

If you need a quick snack, rotisserie chicken skin can be used as the base of a mini taco as well. This works better if it's not fully crisped up (so it remains pliable). Add a little chicken fried rice and chili crisp to the center of a piece of skin, fold it up like a taco, and enjoy.