Veggie & Cheese Chicken Muffins – Fridge-Raid Recipe

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Chicken muffins are a quick, easy, and delicious way to use extra ingredients stashed in the fridge. Chicken is mixed with veggies, cheese, and spices and baked into mini on-the-go casseroles. They are perfect for a quick meal or snack and are ready in under 30 minutes!

Some days, I open the fridge, and all I see are scraps that I don’t know what to do with: a single carrot, a handful of broccoli, and a few fermented peppers and onions. Sure, I could make the world’s saddest veggie platter with the stragglers in the veggie drawer.

Or I could raid the fridge and make savory muffins with chicken, veggies, and cheese. Clearly, the latter is the better option.

I’m a sucker for quick meals like Instant Pot Hawaiian pork and gravy and easy beef and broccoli. But chicken muffins are beyond easy because they take 25 minutes, and use just about any veggie you have in the fridge.

Many chicken muffin recipes call for specific ingredients, but I am always in the spirit of scrappy cooking. A little bit of this. A little bit of that. And voila! You have delicious, savory chicken muffins that the whole family will enjoy.

Through the process, you’ll whip up a batch of on-the-go meals or snacks, reduce your food waste, and save a ton of money (because wasted food is wasted money).

With this base recipe, you can use your favorite ingredients to concoct your own chicken muffin recipes. All you need is cooked chicken, veggies, cheese, spices, and a few pantry staples.

Watch How I Made Chicken Muffins

What’s a Fridge-Raid Recipe?

Fridge-raid recipes call for ingredients you have left over in the fridge. Rather than tossing that food in the trash, you can use it up for creative meals. Build-your-own chicken muffin recipes are perfect for a fridge raid because you can use just about any veggie or cheese you have.

Why You’ll Love Chicken Muffins

• Reduce food waste – Fridge-raid meals are great for using up that half of an onion and carrot hiding in the back of the drawer. Rather than throwing them away, chop them up and toss them into the chicken mixture. Check out my no-spend meal ideas on YouTube for more ideas about fridge-raid meals.
• Perfect for any meal – We eat chicken muffins for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. They are versatile and easy for any time of day and on the go.
• Great for meal prep – Chicken muffins are great for large batch meal prep. Just pop them in the freezer and grab one to go.

Tips for Making Chicken Muffins

• Use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken – I like to slow cook a whole chicken once a week and use it for easy recipes like chicken muffins or tossing it in gnocchi with sage cream sauce. But in a pinch or if I’m just not in the mood to cook a chicken, I’ll grab a rotisserie chicken.
• Use muffin liners – Muffin liners aren’t 100% necessary. Greasing the muffin tin will definitely work. But liners make cleanup much easier.
• Don’t sweat the measurements – If you are the type of cook who likes to measure the ingredients perfectly, this might stress you out. But since this is a forgiving recipe, I usually eyeball the measurements.
• Use your favorite ingredients – Don’t be afraid to get creative. Use your favorite veggies and seasonings. I also think this would be really yummy made with parmesan cheese or smoked gouda. Remember, it’s a fridge-raid recipe, so use what you have.

Chicken Muffin Ideas

Really, the world is your oyster when it comes to flavor combinations and profiles for chicken muffin recipes. The recipe card at the end of the post has a base list of ingredients. But if you want to mix it up, here are a few variations:

• Chicken parmesan – Add onions, basil, oregano, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Serve with a little marina sauce or tomato sauce.
• Mexican – Use onions, bell peppers, black beans, and jalapenos. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
• Chicken cordon bleu – Add chopped ham and Swiss cheese. Top with Dijon mustard or Alfredo sauce.
• Chicken pot pie – Use carrots, peas, celery, and parmesan cheese.
• Healthier options – Use lean ground chicken and veggies. Go light on the cheese, or skip it altogether.

Tools You Will Need for Chicken Muffins

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• Muffin pan – Use a muffin pan or silicone mold. I use a standard muffin tin with liners for easy cleanup, but you could use a mini muffin pan if you make these for little ones.
• Muffin liners – I often keep tulip muffin liners around because they look pretty, but regular muffin cup liners will do the job.
• Large bowl – One of the best parts about this recipe is that you only need one bowl.
• Large spoon – You will need a spoon to mix the ingredients and transfer the mixture into the muffin pan.
• Knife – If you are chopping veggies, you will need a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can also shred them on a box grater.

Ingredients

• Chicken – Use pre-cooked chicken, either leftovers or rotisserie chicken. Also, you can use pre-cooked chicken breast, ground chicken, or turkey. Really, any lean protein will work for the meat mixture.
• Veggies – Any fresh veggies will do. Our favorites are zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, sweet potato, and onions. Just make sure they are finely chopped or shredded. You can also add fresh or freeze-dried herbs. Tip: if you have more leftover veggies use them in a garden vegetable soup.
• Egg – The egg holds the muffins together
• Shredded cheese – I prefer shredding a block of cheese because it doesn’t have the added powder coating that pre-shredded has.
• Mayonnaise – This adds moisture and flavor to the muffins. Homemade French mayo will work if you have some, but any mayo will do the trick!
• All-purpose flour – The flour helps bind the ingredients and hold a muffin shape. You might need to add a little extra flour if you use veggies with a high water content, like zucchini. For a gluten-free chicken muffin, use almond flour (1:1 ratio).
• Apple cider vinegar – The vinegar lightly aerates the batter.
• Spices – I usually keep chicken muffins simple with onion powder and garlic powder, but use your favorite spices. Smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and basil are great options.
• Salt and black pepper – I included measurements for the salt and black pepper, but you can always add them to taste. Keep in mind that some of the other ingredients, such as the cheese or a rotisserie chicken, are salty, so you don’t want to overdo it.

How to Make Chicken Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake or parchment liners, and set aside about 1/3 of the shredded cheddar cheese.

In a large mixing bowl mix together all of the ingredients, except the reserved cheddar cheese. Mix until well combined.

Spoon the chicken mixture into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. The muffins should reach an internal temperature of 165° F.

Remove the muffins from the oven.

Bump the heat up to 425° F.

While the oven gets to temp, sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Return the muffins to the pre-heated oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melty, lightly golden, and delicious!

Enjoy! Top them with your favorite condiments, such as hot sauce. Or if your chicken muffins have an Italian flare, serve them with a dollop of marinara sauce.

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How to Store Chicken Muffins

Leftover chicken muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. If you want to bulk prep them or save them for more than 5 days, put them in a freezer-safe bag and toss them in the freezer. Use any frozen chicken muffins within 3 months.

Before freezing, either let them cool to room temperature first or refrigerate them overnight. If they are still warm when put in the freezer, they will get mushy when thawed.

More Recipes You Will Love

• Sourdough Fried Chicken (Made with Breadcrumbs)
• Creamy Lemon Chicken – (30-minute recipe)
• Sourdough Carrot Cake – (No-Wait Recipe)
• Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe (Freezer Meal Option)
• How to Freeze Dry Eggs at Home (with YouTube Video!)

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