The store-bought rotisserie chicken is the busy cook's best friend. So delicious! So easy! And as these recipe ideas prove, very versatile, too. What's not to love?

We've created 31 different suggestions—one for every day of the month—for turning that plain old roasted chicken into creative meals for the whole family.

1. Bacon, Broccoli and Chicken Pasta
Cook your favorite pasta (any shape) according to manufacturer's directions, but three minutes before it's done, add broccoli florets to the cooking water. Meanwhile, cook bacon and crumble. Toss pasta and broccoli with bacon, diced chicken, a few tablespoons of pesto and a glug or two of a nice olive oil. Season to taste and sprinkle with Parmesan.

2. Coronation Chicken
Chop cold chicken into bite-size pieces. Mix with mayonnaise and a healthy dose of curry powder. Stir in cut-up apples and golden raisins. Serve on bread or over lettuce.

3. Chicken Adrean
Place a layer of shredded chicken in the bottom of a casserole dish. Pour a can of your favorite condensed cream soup (cream of chicken or cream of mushroom are good choices) over the chicken, add some frozen peas or any other vegetable of your choice, top with plenty of shredded cheese and bake at 350 F until bubbly.

4. Barbecue Chicken Salad
Mix equal parts mayonnaise and barbecue sauce. Toss with chunks of chicken, diced yellow or red pepper and thin slices of scallion. Serve on crusty garlic bread or over crunchy romaine lettuce.

5. Walnut Blue Cheese Chicken Wraps
Soften a tortilla in the microwave for 15 seconds to make it easier to roll. Blend equal parts blue cheese and whipped cream cheese and spread on the inside of the tortilla. Layer shredded chicken, chopped walnuts and watercress or arugula down the middle of the tortilla. Fold up one edge and roll tortilla into a wrap.

6. Chicken Quesadilla
Put a layer of shredded Monterey jack cheese over a tortilla. Top with shredded chicken, a little more cheese and then place another tortilla on top. Place in a preheated pan and heat through. Once the cheese has begun to melt, flip the quesadilla and heat through on the other side. Cut quesadilla into triangles and serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

7. Sherry Chicken Fricassee
Saute sliced onion in butter until soft. Cut up the rotisserie chicken and place on top of the onion. Add a few allspice berries, some salt and pepper and a few big glugs of sherry. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the meat is tender. Add more sherry or chicken stock as needed to keep it juicy.

8. Chicken and Mustard Cream Pasta
Saute sliced mushrooms with diced shallots in olive oil until soft. Add about a cup of white wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed by the mushrooms. Add a half cup chicken stock and reduce by half. Add a few tablespoons whole-grain mustard and cook until heated through. Swirl in 2 to 3 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy cream. Season to taste and toss with fettuccine.

9. Herb Cheese and Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms
Blend soft herb cheese, minced garlic and chopped chicken. Scrape out the gills from the underside of some portobello mushrooms, fill with the cheese mixture, top with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan, and broil until golden.

10. White Chicken Pesto Pizza
Spread a ready-made pizza crust (such as a Boboli) with a thin layer of pesto. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken, mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes, drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil and bake at 450 F until cheese is bubbly.

11. Macaroni and Chicken Cheese
Make boxed or fresh macaroni and cheese according to the directions or recipe. Add diced chicken, crumbled bacon and peas. Top with garlic-toasted bread crumbs and broil until bubbly.

12. Greek-Style Stuffed Peppers
Cook orzo according to the package, drain and mix with chopped chicken, some minced garlic, diced onion, grated zucchini, crumbled feta, chopped parsley and oregano. Add a beaten egg and mix. Remove the tops of red bell peppers, seed them and stuff with the orzo mixture. Crumble some extra feta over the top, and bake at 350 F for about an hour.

13. Chicken and Leek Pie
Saute chopped leeks in a generous amount of butter until soft. Add chunks of chicken to the pan, pour in about 6 ounces of chicken stock (enough to cover the mixture in the pan) and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in creme fraiche, some mustard, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 F until bubbly.

14. Chicken Curry
Saute onions, carrot slices and cauliflower florets in canola oil until crisp-tender. Add bite-size pieces of chicken and your favorite jarred curry sauce. Simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with rice and warm, buttered naan.

15. Chicken with Couscous and Moroccan Spices
Saute onions and garlic in oil in a large pot until soft. Add Moroccan spices to taste (1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon coriander make a quick blend) and cook until fragrant. Add couscous and chicken stock (follow amount listed on couscous box), lemon zest, green olives and pieces of chicken (with skin on). Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until couscous is cooked.

16. Chicken, Bean and Chorizo Stew
Saute garlic in olive oil until softened, then add slices of chorizo and fry for 2 minutes. Add a can of drained, rinsed white beans, shredded chicken and half a bottle of beer. Cover and simmer until heated through. Add more beer or water if necessary. The stew should be slightly soupy.