Rotisserie Chicken Recipes | The Leaf (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to Costco rotisserie chicken? ›

Now every time I eat a Costco rotisserie chicken, I think back to those times and the memories we've shared in the 15 years since my first bite (a "meat cute," if you will). The reason Costco's chicken is so juicy is because of a salt solution pumped inside, which is basically like super-brining.

Use your favorite preserves, chutney, barbecue sauce, or build your own thick and sticky concoction to coat the bird with. Think honey and lemon or brown sugar and soy sauce; just be mindful of how much salt the glaze contains as most store-bought rotisserie chickens are already seasoned with salt.

This transfer of fat can be viewed as a kind of hands-off basting, the results of which speak for themselves. Thanks to the fat, the chickens develop a fantastically intense flavor. Basting also prevents the meat from drying out and is a key factor in developing the rotisserie chicken's trademark brown hue.

Many of the ingredients found on the label of a Costco rotisserie chicken are injected into the flesh of the bird. This is typically done to add flavor.

For starters, "our bodies are meant to eat all the macronutrients — proteins, fats, and carbs — on a daily basis. If we were to eat only rotisserie chicken, we would be surviving off of fat and protein, but no real carb," Meshulam says. "Our gut health relies on carbohydrates (specifically fiber) to survive.

Goldstein interviewed Harshavardhan Thippareddi, PhD, professor of poultry science at the University of Georgia, who explained that chickens are injected with phosphate to keep them juicy through the rotisserie preparation process, and some consumers may interpret this addition as a soapy or chemical-like flavor.

To achieve maximum crispness, the skin has to start dry and stay dry – if water is present, it will create steam, which inhibits crisping. For the ultimate crispy skin, start your prep the day before. After quickly rinsing your bird, be sure to thoroughly dry it inside and out with paper toweling.

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

The white stuff coming out of chicken as it cooks is simply extra protein that dissolves in water and is forced out of the meat by heat. Food scientist Topher McNeil, PhD, explains, “The [chicken] muscles themselves actually contract and squeeze out the liquid that's in between muscle cells.”

What is the difference between roasted chicken and rotisserie chicken? ›

However, despite the fact that both dishes utilize dry heat, their preparation methods are actually a bit different: Roasted chickens are cooked in the oven at high heat, whereas rotisserie chickens are cooked on a rotating spit, allowing all parts of the bird to be heated evenly.

As the bird freezes and then thaws, it sometimes causes pigment to leach out of the bone marrow and accumulate as a deep red color around the bone. You'll also likely notice it in the meat right next to the bone.

Again, this is because most rotisserie chickens contain an “injection solution” of sugars, sodium, and other processed ingredients. Because they are injected into the meat, these additives, salts, and sugars are distributed throughout the chicken—so you can't avoid them by not eating the skin.

How Much Chicken Do You Get from a Rotisserie Chicken? The average rotisserie chicken weighs about 2 pounds and yields about 3 cups of chicken (2 cups of white meat and 1 cup of dark meat).

Overcooking or cooking at too high a temperature can result in tough, dry chicken. Undercooking can leave chicken undercooked and chewy. Proper cooking techniques, such as roasting, grilling, or braising, can help maintain moisture and tenderness.

Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge.

Another reason why you might have to do a lap around the store before more chicken appears is that there is no limit on how many rotisserie chickens shoppers can buy. According to the post, the employee saw one shopper grab 50 chickens that day and in a follow-up edit, stated a different person took 40 the next day.

One rotisserie chicken equals about 4 cups of shredded chicken, both white and dark meat (skin not included). Typically, the average chicken would mean about 12 ounces of light meat and 8 ounces of dark meat (skin not included), which totals to about 1,037 calories.