Rotisserie Chicken: Purchase Or Roast Yourself?

Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Recently, an online discussion on NextDoor piqued my interest. There was a lively discussion about where to get the best Rotisserie chicken. The consensus was Costco for $4.99.

I have tried the Rotisserie chicken from Costco, and it is okay. That is a bargain.

Upon further research, the Costco chicken is cheaper because it is much smaller than the average whole raw chicken you would roast at home. The Costco chicken is only 3 pounds, whereas the 5-pound chicken at Trader Joe’s is $9, and it would yield just under 4 pounds. Costco still wins because it is cheaper, only by about .59 per pound.

For me, I prefer roasting my chicken for two reasons.

1) The first and most important thing is to keep added sodium low and base my eating plan on foods that are not ultra-processed. There are over 10 additives to the Costco rotisserie chicken in the way of the saline solution pumped into it, and sodium is about 350 mg per 3 oz serving, whereas a whole chicken without brine is far less. Some other grocery store chickens may have much more sodium per serving so you should read the Nutrition Facts Panel.

2) The second is that I can roast once and serve three times because I get about 1.5 times the meat. The spatchcock chicken is fast and way more delicious, and it cooks faster than going to the store.

It merely requires you to cut the backbone out of the chicken and then roast it flat on a sheet pan or roasting pan. I can serve as roasted chicken the first night, tacos the second night, and chicken noodle soup the last night. Or you could throw it in a salad for lunch or dinner, too.

Spatchcock Chicken

Spatchcock Chicken

Yield 8
Author Judy Doherty
Prep time
5 Min
Cook time
55 Min
Total time
1 Hour
Spatchcock is a method of roasting poultry where you remove the backbone so it roasts flat. The result is not only 30% less cooking time but a very moist meat!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, thawed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme,
  • 1 tsp dried chopped rosemary,
  • pinch of red pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Remove the backbone from the chicken. The best way to accomplish this is to stand it in the sink on a clean towel. Then, use a sharp knife to cut out the backbone by sliding it down the backbone on both sides. Never put your hands in the way of the knife - hold the chicken from the top with a clean towel.
  2. Place the chicken flattened out on a large baking pan. Rub it with the oil. Mix the seasonings in a bowl, then rub them into the oil on the chicken.
  3. Roast at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour. The chicken is done when the juices run clear, and the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. A thermometer placed deep in the thigh is a good idea to monitor the cooking process. Remove the chicken from the oven.
  4. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

212

Fat

15 g

Sat. Fat

4 g

Carbs

1 g

Fiber

0 g

Net carbs

0 g

Sugar

0 g

Protein

18 g

Sodium

67 mg

Cholesterol

71 mg
copyright foodandhealth.com
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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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