Don't Sleep On Chicken For An Amazing Omelet Filling

When it comes to making an omelet, chicken is not exactly the most common ingredient — in fact, it doesn't even show up on Tasting Table's ranking of popular omelet fillings. But, that doesn't mean that chicken should be overlooked when it comes to making omelets. Chicken is a great protein choice for when you want to include meat in the omelet but want to cut back on red meat for health reasons — after all, red meat options contain more saturated fats than skinless chicken.

Plus, chicken is no stranger to breakfast foods, as chicken sausage shows up on plenty of breakfast menus, as does waffle's partner: fried chicken — so why shouldn't it be used for an omelet? And, if you prefer lunch over breakfast, a chicken-stuffed omelet can blend the day's first two meals outside of typical brunch options.

To use chicken for your omelet, one option is to buy a full rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and shred it yourself; you can use the leftovers in plenty of other delicious ways. Or, maybe you have some extra canned chicken lying around — since most canned chicken comes pre-shredded (or at least in small chunks), it's basically ready to be added straight into the omelet. Chicken omelets are also the perfect opportunity to use up any leftover chicken from last night's dinner.

For a straightforward take on a chicken omelet, you can start with a simple omelet and add just shredded chicken and your favorite type of cheese: Monterey jack, cheddar, and gruyere are all great options. Despite being just three ingredients, this omelet will make for one delicious breakfast and showcase how tasty a chicken omelet can be.

You can also opt for a more complex chicken omelet full of other fresh and delicious ingredients. Start with the simple chicken omelet idea and add in a few of your favorite veggies — perhaps diced bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Or, if you're looking to get some greens in there, spinach always makes for a great omelet filling.

You could also take inspiration from other chicken dishes — for example, you can make an omelet version of caprese chicken and add grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Or, look to our recipe for a grilled Greek chicken grain bowl and add the bulk of the ingredients (minus the grains, of course), which includes olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, and plenty of herbs.