A Word About Storage

• Plan to cook with the same roasted chicken on consecutive days. Cooked chicken may be safely stored in the fridge for three to four days or in the freezer for up to six months. Help the chicken stay as juicy as possible by keeping the meat in large pieces rather than dicing or shredding it after the initial roasting. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap before putting it into an airtight container, and stash the container in the middle or back of the fridge to keep it as cold as possible.

Prepping and Reheating Chicken

• When the roasted chicken initially comes out of your oven, it should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Recreating that texture is tricky with leftover chicken, so when possible, cut skinless chicken into small pieces before incorporating it into meals on day two or three. The longer you cook the chicken, the drier it will become. Add cold cubes or shreds to soups and casseroles in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Alternately, eat fully cooked chicken cold or heat foil-wrapped pieces in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven or on a grill until a thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Comforting Favorites

• Nearly any soup you crave will be improved by the addition of shredded roasted chicken. Add the meat to store-bought vegetable soups or make a simple chicken stew with beans, spices and chunks of day-old bread. Leftover chicken is perfect in a pot pie with peas, carrots, potatoes and a crusty topping, or tossed with pasta and alfredo sauce or pesto. For a quick and filling lunch, mix shredded chicken with barbecue sauce and eat it on a hamburger bun with a side of coleslaw.

Less Expected Dishes

• After a few nights of creamy chicken dishes, a bright salad will be a welcome meal. Add sliced chicken, toasted nuts and sliced apple to a green salad, or create a deconstructed salad of chicken, avocado, roasted red peppers and balsamic vinaigrette. Make grilled cheese sandwiches loaded with chicken and tomato slices, or top store-bought pizza crust with a garlicky white sauce, chicken and shredded cheese. Think beyond lunch and dinner: hearty roasted chicken has a place at the breakfast table, too. Use the leftovers in breakfast burritos or bowls of scrambled eggs and salsa.