Do you buy/use the rotisseirie chickens they sell in stores? [Archive]

Tiam

1-8-14, 3:28am

The Winco where I shop has these. All my life I've adverse to buying these things. They seemed gross, sitting there on a heating tray. I have had many friends who eat ok say they are not bad. So I tried one. $5.00 for the whole chicken. Cheaper than if I had bought a whole uncooked chicken there, and they are the discount groceries store. So, cheaper it is. I took it home and made chicken tacos, a chicken stirfry and then cooked the bones for chicken soup. So for a bit more than a dollar and a half per dinner, I was able to include this item. I could have been even thriftier and stretched it to a fourth meal. But it seems pretty thrifty to me. I know they are not organic, but they are tasty, well cooked and reasonably priced. Does anyone else use these? What do you make with them.

sweetana3

1-8-14, 7:04am

I get my 3 pound bird at Costco because they use less seasoning and cook it just to the right temp. Sam's Club pours on the seasoning and cooks it to death.

I strip it and use the meat in at least four meals for two, sometimes scraps in salad and then use the carcas in soup for another two or more meals. I add meat to rice mixes, add BBQ sauce and serve in sandwich buns, serve the breast meat plain, etc. I cannot make for the same price even if I could find such good chickens.

razz

1-8-14, 9:46am

I love what is called "bubble chicken" here rotisseried and served in the plastic container. I do enjoy them as an occasional change and you are right, there are a number of meals in them especially for one person.

SteveinMN

1-8-14, 9:56am

We buy them. Even at the co-op, it's cheaper than buying a raw whole chicken -- and AFAICT it's the same brand. I don't know how they do it. But it's a decent chicken, a quick real meal with some fresh or frozen vegetables, and good for leftovers or future other dishes.

Float On

1-8-14, 10:09am

From what I've heard, they pick out the chickens from the bin that are close to their expiration date, roast them, instead of having to toss them. That may be totally urban legend, I have no idea. Around here they run $7-8 or more (tourist town, our groceries are high). I've bought a few when traveling. They were great to take to the art shows and have quick protein in our cooler or eat in the hotel room. I don't buy them here at home because I process my own and stock my freezer.

redfox

1-8-14, 11:18am

At our food coop, the herbed roasted chicken is local, organic, and at $10, makes at least 5-6 meals for the two of us. It's a weekly staple.

Sad Eyed Lady

1-8-14, 12:46pm

Occasionally. I think they are good, and I have noticed lately that there are organic ones being added.

new2oregon

1-8-14, 12:59pm

I buy these Occasionally to and I end up making 4 or more meals out of it. I make soup with the bones, Have chicken sandwiches, chicken on salads. A chicken goes a long way when you by for 1.

nswef

1-8-14, 3:10pm

We love them, especially when on vacation ( time shares with kitchens) and it makes several meals. Quite a bargain. The first one we ever bought was at a BiLo ( ?) on Cape Cod when we had a time share with only a small microwave. Lemon Pepper and we were hooked. This was in the 1980s..

leslieann

1-8-14, 3:18pm

We call them "cheater chickens" and they have saved us from many an expensive meal out. Plus provided lunches for the rest of the week and maybe even a curry.

frugal-one

1-8-14, 4:09pm

We get them here too when they go on sale for $5-$6. Usually, make tostadas, fahitas, stir fry, chicken pot pie, and if any is still left it goes in the freezer for another day. As others mentioned, it beats fast food.

Gardenarian

1-8-14, 9:32pm

My dh buys them once in a while (I'm veg.) Dd can pretty much eat an entire chicken in one sitting, but there is usually something left over to make fried rice, soup, etc. There is a van that sells free-range organic local rotisserie chickens at our farmer's market. (they actually have the rotisserie cooking in the side of the van.)

Simplemind

1-8-14, 9:51pm

We buy one twice a month on our Costco run. We can get three meals out of it. They are so good we look forward to Chicken Night as much as Pizza/Movie night.

danna

1-8-14, 11:11pm

At least once a month at Costco...again only two of us that eat chicken so several meals.

creaker

1-8-14, 11:44pm

I used to - the "contains up to 20% solution of the following:" labeling (at least where I shop) has made me shy away from them.

iris lilies

1-9-14, 1:06am

I've purchased two of them in my lifetime. Both times they were hugely salty. They looked much better than they tasted.

ApatheticNoMore

1-9-14, 1:20am

I used to - the "contains up to 20% solution of the following:" labeling (at least where I shop) has made me shy away from them.

Yea I've always been suspicious of them, what's in them. But hearing there are organic ones and the like, maybe they don't put as much junk in them as I've always imagined (or maybe they do, organic doesn't forbid it, but not if they're trying for that market is what I mean).

I had them occassionally growing up, I do remember them as way tastier than normal chickens (another reason to be suspicious of them - just what exactly are they putting in them?). So mostly I don't eat poultry because I find it boring (prefer fish or red meats) but I might like duck or something at least has some fat (aka flavor).

Glo

1-9-14, 2:33pm

Use these for quick meals. Can't beat the price.

Stella

1-9-14, 3:49pm

I do. I get several at a time from Costco, freeze the meat and make stock from the bones. They are economical and easy.

SiouzQ.

1-10-14, 5:56pm

I am a rotisserie chicken wrestler as part of my job at Whole Foods. I think they are pretty tasty and when they are on sale, they are an excellent deal for me when I get my employee discount on top of that! The ones that we don't sell (we have to take them out of the warming display case after four hours to get stored in the big back cooler and the chefs use the meat for any number of things) - they can get cut up and put on the hot bar for BBQ'd chicken, we shred the meat and use them for chicken quesadillas too.

We have organic ones as well - they sell for $13 and the conventional ones are $9 each.

try2bfrugal

1-10-14, 6:02pm

I do. I get several at a time from Costco, freeze the meat and make stock from the bones. They are economical and easy.

+1. I can't cook them for less money after adding in electricity costs. I usually just buy one. I hadn't thought of buying extra and freezing the meat. I might do do that today. That is a great idea.

Suzanne

1-10-14, 7:49pm

Not any more. A few years ago, I noticed that the leg bones of my Costco rotisserie chicken were so badly bowed that the bird was unlikely to have been able to do more than shuffle a few paces.

early morning

1-11-14, 3:12pm

ApatheticNoMore

1-11-14, 3:27pm

I'm so tempted to buy a rotisserie chicken now :). Well maybe it's to see if I can get myself to like poultry if seasoned well and try to duplicate it. But I think it might be hopeless and I should just stick to fish, beef, lamb, and good vegetarian meals with: legumes, veggies, occasional cheese and the like. I can afford to feed one person (with occasional guests): humanely raised, fair trade, and certified organic foods, and Pollan says if you can .... you should.

try2bfrugal

1-11-14, 4:43pm

I have come to terms with the fact that not all of my food's background is as idyllic as I'd like it to be, and I am unable to feed my family only humanely raised, fair trade, certified organic foods. We do what we can, but I refuse to lose sleep over it...... I buy rotisserie chickens off and on, for a quick and simple dinner. Better for us than grabbing a bag of McBurgers, and cheaper. The bones make great stock, and the ones I get at Sam's Club are pretty big. Never noticed them being overly salty, I generally get the ones roasted with rosemary and such.

+1. I have a family with high calorie needs in a high cost of living area. It would cost $10K a year more to eat all organic. I can often get produce in season for 50 cents a pound at the local ethnic stores. I find it hard to economically justify spending 5 times that for the organic versions.

SteveinMN

1-11-14, 8:58pm

I find it hard to economically justify spending 5 times that for the organic versions.
Understandable. I've been using the "Dirty Dozen" (http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214) list to buy produce. There are lots of reasons for buying organic and local, but, if you can't, you can't. At least this way I'm maximizing the bang for my food-shopping buck.

Azure

1-12-14, 11:27am

try2bfrugal

1-12-14, 2:03pm

I signed up for Sam's Club using a Groupon last month. Part of the deal was free food including a rotisserie chicken, a box of pre-made scalloped potatoes and an apple pie. We picked those up last night and had them for dinner. The chicken was really good and I'm going to make chicken pot pie with the leftovers. May make stock from the bones if DH doesn't dispose of them first.

I don't buy them often but I do use them from time to time. Sometimes when I want bbq chicken pizza I will pick up a bbq flavored chicken from Meijer and use that as a quick start.

Good score. We plan to rejoin Sam's again and I wish I had a deal like that. We went during their open weekends last month. Sam's does have enough deals and different products from Costco to make membership in both clubs economical for us.

sweetana3

1-12-14, 3:17pm

That is how Sam's Club got us to come this year. We may not keep it after the one year mark (since we have Costco and are only 2 people). The deal was a good one as the membership was almost free.

Blackdog Lin

1-12-14, 7:14pm

This thread was kind of an eye-opener for me. I've always dissed the rotisserie chickens as "too expensive", without really checking. Our nearest Wal-Mart is the only place around to offer them, and they're always either $6.00 or $7.00 apiece (I think).

Well, I just went out and looked at the whole chicken I have in the freezer (purchased at a sale price - I almost never buy meat unless it's on sale in the sale ad), and it cost me $5.20. So I guess the rotisserie chickens aren't that expensive after all. I may need to start purchasing them now and again.

Dhiana

1-12-14, 7:51pm

The low price is what made me think twice about purchasing one for my husband to eat. Why was it so inexpensive? What are they trying to hide by cooking it and adding those spices and selling it for lower than a fresh one uncooked one?

pinkytoe

1-12-14, 9:25pm

I don't know that there is any secret. These are factory raised chickens, ie cheap and plentiful. They provide protein and flavor and the general public love them. Like so many other convenience foods, they have overtaken the original item (in this case whole uncooked chicken) as they are easy and fool-proof. I would bet they are probably raised for this very purpose. I find them too salty too as someone mentioned so rarely buy.

sweetana3

1-13-14, 7:23am

There is not any secret. Costco and other huge retailers have the ability (like restaurants) to buy what they need like perfect 3 pound or so chickens with high meat ratio because they use them 7 days a week in huge amounts. They cook them to add convenience and save money since they cook a bunch in one oven at one time. You should see the people lined up to get them right out of the oven.

Note: If any are unused at the end of the day, Costco apparently breaks them down and sells them packaged and cold or as the ingredients in a variety of freshly prepared food.

SteveinMN

1-13-14, 9:46am

These are factory raised chickens, ie cheap and plentiful.
I can assure you the rotisserie chickens sold at our coop are the same brand as the ones in the meat case. They're free-range, fed only grain, and not given routine antibiotics.

They may be (as someone else posted earlier) close to or at their sell-by date. But I would buy a chicken there at the sell-by date and cook it myself, so I don't see that as a drawback if it saves me money, time, and mess and does not compromise the quality of the chicken.

razz

1-13-14, 4:36pm

They had these chickens on sale this week and then 50% off today so I bought three to enjoy and freeze. It so rarely happens that they are discounted as they sell out very quickly each day.

larknm

1-19-14, 1:42pm

Our friend just got food poisoning the third time from rotisserie chickens from Whole Foods. This time he called the board of health about it, and was told, Whole Foods is our highest rated company, and would not take the complaint seriously.

JaneV2.0

1-19-14, 4:45pm

I feel kind of left out--I've never gotten food poisoning from anything. Unless you want to count the one too many maple bars I ate once when I was a kid, and I'm pretty sure that was just gluttony. Does your friend have a sensitive digestive tract in general?

sweetana3

1-19-14, 6:01pm

I would need a whole lot more info before believing and sharing anyone's thoughts on food poisoning. Unless tested, it is all an assumption. Well cooked properly stored rotisserie chicken is unlikely to be a cause of food poisoning. Not impossible just unlikely. Now, if it was left on a counter all day at home and then consumed or consumed after sitting in a sandwich with mayo and other things that were not properly refrigerated maybe. Whole Foods, Costco, etc. usually sell chicken so fast that it does not sit around and is almost always kept at the proper temps. Buy it hot, put in refrigerator at home and eat promptly. If you cut into it and it is red or bloody or uncooked, take it back, dont eat it.

I see far more problems with restaurant food. Plus after the second time, I would not eat anything I thought might have given me problems no matter where it came from.

new2oregon

1-19-14, 6:18pm

I have never gotten sick from rotisserie chickens from a store. I'm with sweetana3 on this also. some people go to a grocery store and make other stops and the food doesn't get put away right away etc. when people get food poisoning its not always the last thing you ate.Proper food handling goes a long way also checking the temp of refrigerator and freezer. I worked at a restaurant before and if you really see how some places handle food you wouldn't eat out. When it gets busy all rules go out the door.

Gregg

1-22-14, 10:51am

I buy 3 or 4 at a time, debone them and put the meat in baggies with about 1/2 a chicken each. Into the freezer to pull out for quickie meals when I don't feel like making a production for dinner. Then I also use the bones from all those chickens for stock that also goes into the freezer. DD wasn't feeling good last night and a batch of really tasty homemade chicken soup only took about 30 minutes start to finish. And who knows, the fact that she is getting about 12 doses of antibiotics from the chicken may speed her recovery.