50 Easy Canned Chicken Recipes 🥗 Easy Dinner Ideas with Canned Chicken (2024)

Canned chicken? It's not just emergency food. From casseroles and dips to soups and salads, there's so much you can whip up with a can of shredded chicken breast!

Your pantry is a treasure trove. All it takes is a dash of creativity (and a can opener) to make weeknight dinners exciting again!

Easy Canned Chicken Recipes for Weeknight Dinners

Check out these super quick, easy, and mouth-watering canned chicken recipes that'll make weeknight dinners a breeze.

With these recipes up your sleeve, canned chicken is no longer the overlooked item in your pantry. Whether you're cooking for one or hosting a dinner party, these canned chicken recipes promise flavor, convenience, and creativity.

1. Old Fashioned Canned Chicken Salad Recipe

Combine your canned chicken with some mayo, mustard, chopped celery, and seasonings. Toss it on fresh greens, and voila - an old-fashioned classic.

2. Cheesy Chicken Pasta Recipe

Stir fry canned chicken, add in cooked pasta, and smother with your favorite cheese sauce. Dinner's ready faster than you can say "cheesy goodness."

3. Mini Chicken Pot Pies for Easy Dinner

Canned chicken, veggies, and creamy goodness snuggled in mini pie crusts. If you enjoy eating pie for dinner, check out my Turkey Shepherd's Pie and Ham Pot Pie!

4. Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Think comforting chicken noodle soup, but in a casserole form. Mix canned chicken with pasta, cream, and your fave veggies, and dive into the nostalgia.

5. Buffalo Chicken Dip

Love buffalo wings? This one’s for you! Creamy chicken meets hot sauce, cream cheese, and a sprinkle of ranch. Dip in and set your taste buds on fire.

6. Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps

Chicken, zesty salsa, ranch dressing, and cheese wrapped up in tortilla goodness. Quick, messy, delicious.

7. Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole

Canned chicken, rice, broccoli, and cheese sauce - that’s all you need! Layer them in a dish and bake until bubbly and delicious.

8. 7 Can Chicken Taco Soup

Dump seven cans including beans, corn, tomatoes, and of course, chicken, into a pot. Heat and eat!

9. Mexican Chicken Enchiladas

Rolled tortillas stuffed with a spicy canned chicken mixture, doused in enchilada sauce, and baked. Your homemade Mexican fiesta is served!

10. Creamy Chicken Flautas

Creamy chicken mix rolled in tortillas, crisped to perfection. Don’t forget the salsa!

11. Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice

Sauté canned chicken in teriyaki sauce, toss in leftover rice and veggies. A quick trip to flavor town.

12. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Dinner Recipe

Imagine spaghetti in a creamy chicken sauce, sprinkled with cheese. Sounds divine, doesn’t it?

For more yummy casserole recipes, check out my Cheesy Chicken Casserole and Dorito Chicken Casserole.

13. Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

Craving for a delicious chicken soup minus the grains? You’ll love this one.

Blend canned chicken, broth, and your gluten-free thickener for a warm and comforting appetizer.

14. Pantry Chicken Noodle Soup

Just when you thought soups take forever. Canned chicken, stock, noodles, and a handful of veggies. Hot soup in 30!

15. BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Mix canned chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce, pile it onto buns. Add slaw on the side and you've got a winner!

16. Chicken Pizza Crust

Who says pizza needs flour? Mash canned chicken, cheese, and egg for a crust, top with your faves, and munch away! Healthy and delish!

17. BBQ Chicken Pizza

Spread BBQ sauce on your pizza dough, add canned chicken, red onion slices, and cheese. A smoky, tangy treat for your taste buds!

18. Thai Chicken Salad

Give your canned chicken a Thai twist! Toss it with veggies, herbs, and a spicy peanut dressing. It’s like a trip to Bangkok in a bowl.

Pair it with Thai Iced Tea and Mahi Mahi with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce for an awesome Thai experience.

19. Canned Chicken Pasta Salad

Boil some pasta, throw in canned chicken, veggies, and your go-to dressing. Refreshing and hearty at the same time.

20. Cold Chicken Macaroni Salad

A creamy mix of macaroni, canned chicken, mayo, and crunchy veggies. Perfect for picnics and potlucks!

21. Chicken Caesar Wraps for Easy Meal

Fill tortilla wraps with a mix of canned chicken, romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, and parmesan. It’s like Caesar went on a roll. Literally.

Be sure to check out Chicken Wrap Recipes for more tasty leftover chicken wrap ideas.

22. Mayo-Free Avocado Chicken Salad

Ditch the mayo, mash some avocado. Mix with canned chicken and you've got a creamy, dreamy, healthy salad.

23. Pesto Chicken Pasta

Pasta, canned chicken, and a dollop of pesto. Sometimes, the simplest things bring the most joy.

24. Canned Chicken Patties

Shape canned chicken into patties, season, fry, and indulge. Who knew canned chicken could look (and taste) this fancy?

25. Quick and Easy Chicken Quesadillas with Canned Chicken

Tortilla + cheesy canned chicken mixture + pan-frying = Quesadilla heaven. Serve with a side of salsa!

26. Keto Canned Chicken Nuggets

Craving nuggets but watching carbs? Mix canned chicken with almond flour and spices, then air fry. Crunchy, keto-friendly goodness!

27. Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Layers of tortilla, creamy chicken, and sour cream sauce baked to perfection. Oh, and did I mention cheese?

28. Easy Recipe Using Chicken and Rice Soup

Sometimes, all you need is a bowl of warm chicken and rice soup. With canned chicken, it's quicker and just as heartening.

29. White Cheddar Mac & Chicken Bake

Creamy white cheddar macaroni, mixed with canned chicken and baked. Yum!

30. Leftover Chicken Cakes and Remoulade Sauce

In this recipe, chicken is shaped into cakes and fried until golden. Dip in a tangy remoulade for a lunch like no other.

31. Chicken Taco Casserole with Orzo

Combine orzo and chicken with a hint of taco flair. Your taste buds will thank you!

32. Easy to Make White Chicken Chili

Chicken meets beans and peppers for the coziest chili ever. Seriously, it's like a warm hug in a bowl.

33. Chicken Calzones

Golden pockets of dough, filled with a spicy chicken blend. Dunk them in marinara and you’re in for a treat!

34. Shredded Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

The juiciness of the grapes, the crunch of pecans, and the creamy backdrop of chicken come together for a mouth-party you'll RSVP 'yes' to every time.

35. BBQ Chicken Roll-Ups

Roll it, bake it, love it. Tortillas wrap around BBQ chicken, creating a finger food that’s not just delicious but irresistibly fun.

36. Angel Hair Pasta Recipe with Chicken

Angel hair pasta paired with the hearty canned chicken makes for a meal that's both light and fulfilling.

37. Chicken Sandwich Melts

Imagine gooey cheese, succulent canned chicken, sandwiched between perfectly toasted slices. Heaven!

38. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Another comforting soup, this one screams "hug me" with every sip. Perfect for cold weather!

39. Chicken With Wide Noodles And Alfredo Sauce

Wide noodles? Check. Creamy Alfredo? Check. Mix them up with your canned chicken, and you've got a plate of creamy dreamy perfection.

40. Crispy Chicken Fritters

Dip, fry, devour. Take that can of chicken out of your fridge, combine with your fave veggies, and fry. Bite-sized delights ready to party!

If you loved this recipe, you might also enjoy my Zucchini Fritters and Crab Corn Fritters.

41. Chicken Curry Bowl

You know what spices up life? Curry! Toss your canned chicken in a fragrant mix of spices, serve over rice, and garnish with cilantro.

42. Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

This is pasta’s risqué cousin from Italy. Combine canned chicken, spaghetti, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce together. Bake until bubbly.

43. Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Whisk yourself away to an Italian villa. Canned chicken, soft gnocchi, fresh spinach, and creamy broth come together for a meal that’s molto delizioso!

44. Chicken and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese's older, fancier sibling. Layer chicken, prosciutto, and cheese and grill it to golden perfection.

45. Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

Spice up dinner nights with Chicken and Black Bean Burritos! Roll chicken, beans, cheese, and salsa into tortillas. Roll, eat, repeat!

46. Canned Chicken Fajita

Bring the sizzle to your dinner table. Quickly sauté peppers and onions, throw in the chicken, and serve it up. Add some fiesta vibes with salsa and guacamole on the side.

47. Chicken Empanadas Recipe

This isn't your average pastry. Gently unfold your pastry sheets, spoon in a spicy chicken mixture, and bake to a crispy golden brown.

48. Chicken Stuffed Pepper

Take a vibrant bell pepper, generously stuff it with a zesty chicken mix, and bake until it's meltingly tender.

49. Quick Chicken Stir Fry

Got veggies? Got chicken? Toss 'em in a pan, add soy sauce, and bam - dinner's ready!

50. Nacho Chicken Ravioli

Where Italy meets Mexico. Tender ravioli pouches stuffed with chicken and cheesy goodness, served up with zingy salsa and creamy guacamole.

📖 Recipe

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.