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Start With: Roast Chicken
Grab a rotisserie chicken from the store or roast your own with this top-rated recipe. Serve half for dinner tonight. Then, click to explore easy recipes thatāll use up all the leftovers.
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas
This chicken enchiladas recipe is so quick and easy, and I always receive a ton of compliments. It quickly becomes a favorite of friends whenever I share the recipe. Modify the spiciness with the intensity of the salsa and the green chiles to suit your taste. āKristi Black, Harrison Township, Michigan
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Facebook fans of my blog, Chef in Training, inspired me to make this creamy pasta casserole out of ingredients I had on hand. Success! I took the dish for another flavorful spin and added a bit of smoky bacon and toasted bread crumbs. āNikki Barton, Providence, Utah
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Contest-Winning Broccoli Chicken Casserole
This delicious chicken and broccoli casserole recipe is a twist on chicken divan that came from an old boss. Itās quick, satisfying comfort food. āJennifer Schlachter, Big Rock, Illinois
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Chicken-Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers
Here's a different take on traditional stuffed peppers. I substituted chicken for the beef and used Cubanelle peppers in place of the green peppers that are usually featured in such a dish. āRon Burlingame, Canton, Ohio
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Favorite Chicken Potpie
This is the best chicken potpie recipe! Chock-full of chicken, potatoes, peas and corn, this recipe makes two golden pies, so you can serve one at supper and save the other for a busy night. āKaren Johnson, Bakersfield, California
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Start With: Cooked Shrimp
Cooked shrimp is healthy protein to pack for lunch and dish out for dinner. Weāll show you how to top it on a salad, toss it in a pasta or add it to a stew.
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Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss
No matter how you toss 'em up, shrimp and thyme play nicely with any spring-fresh vegetable. āTaste of Home Test Kitchen
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Seafood Cioppino
If you're looking for a great seafood recipe for your slow cooker, this classic cioppino recipe is just the ticket. It's brimming with clams, crab, fish and shrimp, and is fancy enough to be an elegant meal. āLisa Moriarty, Wilton, New Hampshire
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Forgotten Jambalaya
During chilly times of the year, I fix this slow-cooker jambalaya recipe at least once a month. Itās so easyājust chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this easy jambalaya. āCindi Coss, Coppell, Texas
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Shrimp & Nectarine Salad
For a cool salad on a hot summer day, I combine shrimp, corn, tomatoes and nectarines with a drizzle of tarragon dressing. We love it chilled, but it's delectable served right away, too. āMary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
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Shrimp Orzo with Feta
Tender, hearty and flavorful, this recipe is one of my favorites! Garlic and a splash of lemon add to the fresh taste and heart-healthy benefits of shrimp. āSarah Hummel, Moon Township, Pennsylvania
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Deluxe Mashed Potatoes
When it comes to mashed potatoes recipes, this is one of my favorites because they can be made ahead, refrigerated and then popped into the oven just prior to dinnertime. When my grandchildren come for dinner, I have to double this recipe. They love it! āVivian Bailey, Cedar Falls, Iowa
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Skillet Shepherd's Pie
This is the best shepherd's pie recipe I've ever tasted. It's very quick to make, and I usually have mostāif not allāof the ingredients already on hand. āTirzah Sandt, San Diego, California
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Pierogi Quesadillas
When I had hungry children in the kitchen and nothing but leftovers, I invented these quesadillas. Now it's how we always use up our potatoes, meats and sometimes veggies. āAndrea Dibble, Solon, Iowa
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Bacon-Cheddar Potato Croquettes
Instead of throwing out leftover mashed potatoes, use them to make this potato croquette recipe. The little baked balls are yummy with ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or Dijon mayonnaise for dipping. āPamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
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Meat Shell Potato Pie
Guests always comment on the presentation and flavor of this delightfully different dish. āJulie Sterchi, Flora, Illinois
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Spinach Quiche with Potato Crust
While this recipe is delicious using ingredients exactly as listed, itās also a smart way to make the most of any leftover potatoes and veggies. Use 2-1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes and whatever cooked vegetables you have on hand. You can also substitute 1/2 pound Italian sausage for the bacon if you want a heartier quiche. āHeather King, Frostburg, Maryland
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Ham Potato Puffs
This is a different way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It was an instant hit with our teenagers. āBrad Eichelberger, York, Pennsylvania
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Great-Grandma's Italian Meatballs
My great-grandmother started this easy meatball recipe with our family. We use ground beef and turkey for these meatballs, and the flavorās so good, you wonāt miss the extra calories. āAudrey Colantino, Winchester, Massachusetts
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Meatball Pizza
I always keep meatballs and pizza crusts in the freezer to make this specialty on the spur of the moment. Add a tossed salad and you have a delicious dinner. āMary Humeniuk-Smith, Perry Hall, Maryland
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Contest-Winning Bavarian Meatball Hoagies
When my husband is not manning the grill, I count on my slow cooker. These meatballs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser when I serve them as a party appetizer or spooned over crusty rolls and topped with cheese for irresistible sandwiches. āPeggy Rios, Mechanicsville, Virginia
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Dressed-Up Meatballs
Frozen meatballs and a jar of sweet-and-sour sauce make this microwave meal a last-minute lifesaver when racing against the clock. The flavorful sauce is dressed up with a hint of garlic and nicely coats the colorful mixture of meatballs, carrots, green pepper and onion. āIvy Eresmas, Dade City, Florida
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Easy Stuffed Shells
I threw this recipe together one day when we had unexpected guests. It was an immediate hit and is now a family favorite. Get the kids involved when putting together this simple, savory dish. āDolores Betchner, Cudahy, Wisconsin
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Herbed Turkey Breast
Like many of you, I always serve turkey for our family's Thanksgiving meal. But instead of roasting a whole bird, I opt for a turkey breast since most of us prefer white meat. The herb butter basting sauce keeps it so moist, and it's easy to carve. āRuby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana
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Crescent Turkey Casserole
How do you make a dinner of turkey and vegetables appealing to kids? You turn it into a pie, of course! My version tastes classic but doesnāt take any time at all. āDaniela Essman, Perham, Minnesota
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Skinny Turkey-Vegetable Soup
The blend of flavors and colors in this hearty soup will bring everyone at the table back for more. āCharlotte Welch, Utica, New York
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Turkey Bundles
This recipe is definitely a must-try, and all you do is bundle up creamy turkey filling in crescent dough. I usually double the recipe so I have extra for lunch the next day. āLydia Garrod, Tacoma, Washington
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Turkey Biscuit Stew
This chunky stew makes a hearty supper, especially in the fall and winter. It'salso a great way to use extra turkey during the holidays. āLori Schlecht, Wimbledon, North Dakota
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Mediterranean Turkey Potpies
Your clan will love these wonderful stick-to-the-ribs potpies with a Mediterranean twist. I always use the leftovers from our big holiday turkey to prepare this recipe. I think my family enjoys the potpies more than the original feast! āMarie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
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Savory Pork Roast
I love this herbed roast so much that I make it as often as I can. It's wonderful for special occasions, particularly when served with sweet potatoes and corn muffins. āEdie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
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Carne Guisada
While living away from Texas for a while, my boyfriend and I grew homesick for the spicy flavors of home. We've made this recipe a few times now, and it goes really well with homemade flour tortillas. We love it over rice, too. āKelly Evans, Denton, Texas
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Quick Tacos al Pastor
We loved the pork and pineapple tacos from a food truck in Hawaii. My husband, a high school football referee, gives my version a thumbs-up. āLori McLain, Denton, Texas
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Pork Chile Verde
Pork slowly stews with jalapenos, onion, green enchilada sauce and spices in this flavor-packed Mexican dish. It's wonderful on its own or stuffed in a warm tortilla with sour cream, grated cheese or olives on the side. āKimberly Burke, Chico, California
Originally Published: January 25, 2019