13 Creative Ways To Repurpose A Rotisserie Chicken Container Around Your Home & Garden

Supermarket rotisserie chickens are a staple for those seeking to make the most of their weekly food budget and have the protein ready to eat when they want it. How much better would this meal item be if you could also upcycle the container it comes in? After all, you paid for that plastic, too! And, generally, these particular takeaway containers are incredibly sturdy. What a shame it would be to simply throw it away or dump it in the recycling bin. Thankfully, there are all kinds of ways you can repurpose this nifty freebie. Of course, you could simply use it as is to store, say, sewing haberdashery or children's coloring supplies. That's all fine and well, but we're certain you're more creative than that. You could reuse leftover rotisserie chicken containers in an unexpected way for your garden, your craft room, or even to entertain your pets.

What makes rotisserie chicken containers so repurpose-able is the fact they're crafted from polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), both of which are FDA-approved for hot food. These plastics are among the most durable, making rotisserie chicken containers perfect for all kinds of DIYs. One caveat is that you need to clean the containers really well before using them. Wash them in hot water using a mild dish detergent, scrubbing into all those cracks and crevices to remove any embedded chicken grease. In fact, if the plastic continues to feel oily after a good wash, it's no good for reuse and should be discarded.

Traveling with bored kiddos is tough. Instead of packing a big bag with toys, upcycle a rotisserie chicken container into a portable play set. Make them a Lego builder's kit by gluing a baseplate to the lid of the container. Pack the container itself with their favorite bricks, and they can build their creations right on top of the lid. Alternatively, fill the plastic box with toy cars, crayons, small coloring books — whatever you (or they) like best. Kids can even write their name on the lid in permanent marker to mark their box.

Give your plastic takeout containers new life with TikTok's clever planter hack — that is, turn it into a seed-starting greenhouse. Get yourself a rotisserie chicken container and a few cardboard tubes from inside a toilet paper or paper towel roll. Cut the rolls to fit them inside the container's base. Fill the container with potting soil and pop a seed in the middle of each tube. If it's still chilly outside, sit it somewhere warm — atop the hot water heater or on a sunny windowsill, for example — to hasten germination.

If you're a crafter, you probably have desk drawers messy with string and ribbon. Sort the tangle out using a rotisserie chicken container. The simplest option is to cut holes in the front side of the base (or the lid) of your container, thread one end of the ribbon or string through said holes, and drop the rolls inside. Snap on the lid and pull. Alternatively, cut two sets of opposite holes in the long sides of the base, push through two disposable bamboo chopsticks, and thread on the rolls. This trick works for bracelets, too!

All you need to transform a rotisserie chicken container into a faux decorative basket — with a matching lid, if you so desire — is some scrap hessian fabric, thick twine or rope, and your trusty hot glue gun. Glue the hessian inside of the container. Flip the base upside down and, starting at the rim, coil the string or rope tightly around the outside, applying glue to each row. Do the same for the lid. If you wish to use the basket for, say, food, only coil the twine around the outside of the container.

Get your hands on the largest rotisserie chicken container — likely containing the biggest bird — for this DIY. Cut a hole in the top of the lid (you don't want it to get too moist inside your terrarium), fill the base with a planting medium appropriate for your plants of choice, and get planting. Work your way out from the tallest plants in the center to the shortest at the edges. Prefer usefulness over aesthetics? Grow plants you can actually eat, like fast-growing, quick-harvest lettuce, instead of ornamentals.

Use rotisserie chicken containers to organize your stationery — think pens, paperclips, rubber bands — or store art supplies (the plastic material and tight lids are great for containing stainable liquids like paint or ink). Use the bases by themselves as an affordable alternative to pricey purpose-made drawer organizers. These containers almost always have a transparent lid, and that makes it easy to see what you have inside each container, whether it's on a shelf or in a drawer. Or, if you prefer, use painter's tape and a marker to write the contents on the top.

Okay, so this DIY by TikTok user @pro_craft_world may seem a bit more involved, but it's honestly easier than it looks. Cut a hula hoop in half and place one half atop the other, forming a dome. Working your way around the dome from the bottom up, glue rotisserie chicken containers — lid and base separated — onto the tubes using a hot glue gun. Whether you have a small dog or cat, your pet will love being able to hide out or play in their little DIY igloo. Also, feel free to paint or customize your containers as you see fit.

If you love salads, but don't have the space to grow leafy greens outdoors, repurpose your next rotisserie chicken container into an indoor grow box for microgreens. All you need to do is punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage and in the lid to reduce moisture build up — no one likes moldy greens. Fill the base with a food-safe potting mix and sow abundantly with any vegetable seeds you have on hand. Microgreens are also a great educational tool for developing children's green thumbs; after all, they're pretty much just a miniature vegetable garden.

Lidded boxes keep items out of the public eye — think money-related items, important personal documents, or any number of discreet possessions. Transform a rotisserie chicken container into your personal safe by covering the base and lid with fabric, paint, or paper stuck on with a craft glue like Mod Podge. For example, channel vintagecore and cover the lid and base, decoupage-style, using pages torn from an old book. Fashion a knob from any crafty doodad you have lying around — such as a wooden block or something more ornate sculpted from air-dry clay.

When it comes to ways to make a DIY bird feeder, rotisserie chicken containers can't be beat. They're generally weatherproof, easy to keep clean, and soft enough to cut through. Make either the lid or base of the container into a tray-style bird feeder by piercing eight holes into it, two side-by-side in each corner. Thread four long pieces of sturdy rope or chain through said holes, and hang the feeder outside. Fill it with your favorite birdseed. You could also thread two bamboo chopsticks lengthways through the base and secure the twine to those.

Having trouble with your plant cutting stems sinking too far into the water and rotting? Solve this problem by removing the lid from the base of a rotisserie chicken container, punching a bunch of basil stem-sized holes into it, flipping it upside down, and placing it back on top of the base. When you're ready to start growing some roots, lift the lid and fill the base with water. Place the lid back down, and thread your cuttings through the holes until they reach the water. The leaves and upper stem will stay decomposition-free.

Paint two rotisserie chicken container bases with craft paint and use wooden skewers (wrapped in paper if you want them wider) as the legs and support between the two tiers. There's no reason you can't use the lid to protect whatever you store on the top shelf, too. This DIY is one that can be completely personalized, whether you want to use a solid paint color, add patterns with stencils, or even construct a third tier.

Looking to make use of your walls for storage or decoration? Create wall pockets from your rotisserie chicken container. After cutting the lid in half, you can gently sand any rough or jagged edges. Then, it's really just a matter of decorating and attaching them to your wall. While you can stick them on directly, you can also attach them to some cardboard or sturdy paper and mount that on the wall instead. These plastic wall pockets also work great for air plants or faux foliage, too.