Chicken Frittata

A lighter version of a breakfast classic, this chicken frittata is beautiful, simple, and quick to make. Rotisserie chicken mixed with eggs, ricotta, parmesan, bell pepper, scallions, and rosemary comes together into a dish that is herby and full of flavor.

This dish is great for a busy weekend. Not only will you have a healthy meal to feed your family, but you’ll also have leftover chicken for salads and sandwiches during the beginning of the week. 

This chicken frittata combines the roasted flavors of rotisserie chicken, hearty flavors of sauteed vegetables, and herby aromas of rosemary, in a ricotta-egg mixture. Serve this alongside a slice of crusty bread, or a simple salad made with baby lettuces and a light balsamic vinaigrette.

If you’re looking to make the meal a little fancier, try having it alongside a bourbon-rosemary cocktail, or glass of unsweetened iced tea.

I offer suggestions for how to assemble the chicken frittata decoratively. The final result of this assembly is a visually beautiful dish — you don’t have to do this, but it’s fun and not too time-consuming to take this extra step. To get long strips of parmesan, I used a vegetable peeler insead of the grater.

When you prepare the chicken, I recommend using a fork to shred the chicken, rather than cutting it into cubes. Also, sauteeing your scallion and pepper adds a really nice depth to this dish. If you don’t saute them, you’ll miss out on their caramelized flavor.

What You Need to Make Chicken Frittata

This recipe requires eggs, ricotta, parmesan, rosemary, rotisserie chicken, bell pepper, olive oil, salt, ground pepper, lemon, and scallions.

You can also use thyme or another woody herb. While I prefer fresh, you can also use dried herbs. If you can’t use scallions, you can also substitute half a leek (be sure to wash it very well!) or half of a small sweet white onion.

The cheese can also be modified to your tastes. I often use farmer cheese or cottage cheese as a substitute for ricotta and pecorino romano for parmesan, but you could also try feta cheese, soft goat cheese, and asiago. Just make sure that you have two kinds of cheese, one mild and soft and one sharp and hard. 

Ingredients:

• Large eggs
• Whole or part-skim ricotta
• Parmesan 
• Lemon
• Rotisserie chicken
• Bell pepper 
• Scallion 
• Table salt
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

Tools:

Chicken frittata does not require too many kitchen tools. You will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, a fork, a small skillet, a medium baking dish, a bowl, a whisk, and a grater.

How To Make Chicken Frittata

Prepare the chicken: Take one chicken thigh and leg and one chicken breast and remove the skin. Using a fork, shred the cooked chicken into thin strips. Set aside.

Prepare the scallions and bell pepper: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Slice the scallions and bell pepper into small pieces and saute for 6-7 minutes, until caramelized. Remove from the heat. 

Prepare the eggs: Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, salt, lemon zest, and pepper until smooth. 

Prepare and bake the frittata: Grease a small 7 x 11 inch baking dish and pour in the egg mixture. Evenly spread the shredded chicken across the eggs, pressing down on the chicken to help submerge it. Sprinkle the sauteed vegetables over top of the chicken, then the herbs.

You can tear the rosemary leaves in half with your fingers. Top with grated or thin slices of parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven set to 375ºF for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggs have set. 

Serve: Slice and serve.

Recipe FAQs

I prefer to prepare the chicken myself. What should I do?

I like having the whole rotisserie chicken because it could have been the basis of a dinner the night before, or the key ingredient for a chicken salad or chicken sandwich later in the week! But, if you want to use fresh meat rather than buying a cooked chicken, you can roast 2 chicken breasts, 2 chicken thighs, or 1 thigh and 1 breast, and shred them yourself. It’s nice to have a little dark and white meat to add flavor and depth, but use what you prefer. 

Some rotisserie chickens are already seasoned. What should I choose?

Rotisserie chickens are great because they are reliably moist and easy to find. When they are already seasoned, I would look for flavors that are neutral – lemon and pepper, for example. While I suggest using blander options, if you can only find chickens with strong flavors like barbeque, don’t worry. Most of that seasoning is typically applied to the skin, which you will be removing in this dish.

What can I do with the rest of the rotisserie chicken?

Rotisserie chickens from the grocery store are so versatile. With the leftover chicken you can make chicken salad with celery, mustard, mayonnaise, and onion, or a chicken Waldorf salad with apples, grapes, walnuts, and mayonnaise. Or simply slice the meat to make roast chicken sandwiches on a bun or in between two slices of crusty bread with a slice of lettuce and spread of mustard. Nearly effortless and delicious! 

Can I make this in advance?

You can definitely make this dish in advance. While it tastes best just out of the oven, you can also rewarm it in a 300ºF oven before serving. It also lasts up to three days and makes great leftovers.

Here are some recipes you might also like!

• Chicken and Waffle Sandwich
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich
• Chicken Omelette
• Air Fryer Frittata
• Omelette Bites
• Ham and Egg Sandwich