How To Pick The Most Flavorful Rotisserie Chicken Every Time Just By Looking At It

Rotisserie chickens are one of the easiest things you can grab for dinner that's hot, fresh, and delicious. Timing your trip to stores like Walmart or Costco around when the chicken is prepared is a great way to snag a roasted bird fresh off the spit, but there are other ways to make sure you've grabbed the best one in the lineup. Looks can tell quite the story when it comes to a pre-cooked chicken, so don't be afraid to analyze the selection.

One of the clearest ways to tell you're getting the best bird out of the warmer is to look at the color on the chicken. If the skin looks evenly colored without any overly dark or light spots, there's a good chance that it's a smart pick. Discoloration in meat is never a good sign, and it can indicate that the chicken was close to its expiration date or was beginning to spoil before it was ever put on the spit.

Along with that, making sure that the skin is nice and taut is one of the most helpful tips for picking the best rotisserie chicken. Any sort of loose skin can indicate that the chicken is drying out on the inside. Pair that tight skin around the outside with a chicken that's pressing against the package from its size, and not only are you sure to get more bang for your buck, but you've also got a recipe for something flavorful and juicy when you get it out of the package. Plus, be sure to check the skin between the drumstick and breast, because if that's separated, it's a sign of the meat underneath drying out.

Even though you can get a good idea of how to buy the best grocery store rotisserie chicken by eyeing the bird itself, the packaging has a tale to tell as well. Checking how much juice is sitting at the bottom of the package is a great way to see how much juice is left in the bird. You might think that more juice at the bottom means you've got a good one, but actually it shows that much of the moisture has left the chicken before you've even cut into it.

In a similar vein, if you pick up the packaged chicken and it feels heavy, that's a good sign you've grabbed a juicy, flavorful meal. Moisture is heavy by nature, so the heavier the package, the more moisture is likely packed into the bird, especially if you're not seeing it pooled around the bottom of the container. Just make sure that the chicken is nice and plump too, and you can be sure to have plenty of juice in the bird when it's time to cut it open and use it.

Another thing to look out for is the freshness of the chicken. Store employees often rotate the stock so that the fresher stuff doesn't get purchased before the ones that have been sitting there longer. Take a look in the back of the warmer to see if there are any options that came out more recently and try to avoid those that have been sitting for longer than two hours. Knowing that it's fresh makes it easier to spot red flags in your rotisserie chicken that aren't just symptoms of sitting under the warmer for too long.