That
Rotisserie Chicken thoughts?
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The rotisserie chickens in the regular groceries here are a bit over twice the cost of a whole raw chicken. BUT, they are on sale very often, as is a whole fried chicken, as a loss leader for about a US dollar more than the cost of a raw whole chicken. We buy one every once in a while now. Craig is rarely interested in cooking one on his Weber anymore, but it would have been a sacrilege to buy one years ago.
GinnyPNW
Master Chef
As past pictures have shown, like @caseydog, I prefer to make my own rotisserie chickens. I have a number of recipes (marinades). I enjoy the process and the end product too. I buy raw whole chickens, when they are on sale. The trick is to get them out to defrost, before you actually want to use them! 
OP
OP
I have that afflictions too! Think I was born with it..... I buy raw whole chickens, when they are on sale. The trick is to get them out to defrost, before you actually want to use them!
Kathleen
Cupcake
I have a rotisserie, and like to make my own, but the Sam's Club and CostCo rotisserie chickens are delicious. I use them to make many things, including boiling the bones for bone broth for soup or even chicken and dumplings. So generally, a main meal, perhaps chicken salad, and soup or chicken and dumplings. Our CostCo and Sam's Club have huge chickens, so it is always a 3 to 4 meal thing.
GinnyPNW
Master Chef
To me, even better than rotisserie chicken is an oven roasted chicken, IF you can find a Roaster chicken. Generally 6+ pounds. They are older and have so much flavor. But, they can be hard to find. I guess the chicken places would rather produce Fryers since they are younger?
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
For the folks that prefer to grill their own chicken this marinade and basting sauce
Is a Central New York favorite.
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. salt (or less, to taste)
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. pepper
Place broiler halves over coals after flame is gone. Turn every five to ten minutes, depending on heat. Chicken should be basted with sauce at each turning—lightly at first, then heavily near end of cooking.
Cook about one hour. Test by pulling wing away from body: if meat splits easily and no red is visible in the joint, chicken is done.
Is a Central New York favorite.
A Staple of Upstate BBQs, ‘Cornell Chicken’ is a Grilling Tradition - Cornellians | Cornell University
With summer in full swing, we offer an homage to the beloved recipe by Robert Baker ’43—plus a tofu version for vegetarians!
alumni.cornell.edu
Ingredients
1 egg1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. salt (or less, to taste)
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. pepper
Directions
Beat egg, then add oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir.Place broiler halves over coals after flame is gone. Turn every five to ten minutes, depending on heat. Chicken should be basted with sauce at each turning—lightly at first, then heavily near end of cooking.
Cook about one hour. Test by pulling wing away from body: if meat splits easily and no red is visible in the joint, chicken is done.
OP
OP
When I was raising my own meat chickens... one year I had a couple of chickens heavier than some of my turkeys. They came in about 13 pounds. Sold one, ate one. Delicious.
Rotisserie Chicken thoughts?
I buy them from a local IGA. Not listed/reviewed and they are OK. Never tried them hot though…
Food Republic is new to me. An interesting, 2024 approach, to quality of Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken. If you have any/all of those stores in your area it is a very good starting point, but I don’t have any of the stores listed. Just the local IGA, which was a Piggly Wiggly a couple years ago. Rural living, we just crested 10,000 in population. Biggest city in our 250 Sq. mile county! WooHoo!
Anyway, This is a repeatable, favorite technique of mine that I make from Rotisserie Chicken at least three times a year and I'm glad you asked!
I only use Rotisserie Chicken as follows.
Step 1- Buy 3 cold rotisserie chickens (Reduced price) along with the Mirepoix ingredients. (6# of Onions, 3# carrots and 3# celery) for the soup making process.
Step 2- Once home, trim and prep veg. Trimmings, peels, and a few rough chopped veg. (2# onions, 1# each carrot and celery) just purchased to go into the roasting pan. Reserve trimmed, peeled whole veg. into the “holding pattern” mixing bowl, to await slice and dice into the size for the finished soup.
Step 3- At the kitchen table, Roasting pan to my left, cutting board in front of me, Mixing bowl to my right. Chickens in front of cutting board. (Have a paper towel or two sitting there too!) One by one dismantle birds, by hand. (I don’t use a knife for this step.) Anything I don’t want to eat or serve to others, like bone, skin, cartilage, etc. goes into the roasting pan on top of the Mirepoix, Chicken meat goes into the mixing bowl. Wipe hands!
Step 4- Put roasting pan in a 325º oven till browned to your liking. About 60 minutes or so… Add approx.1 qt water to roasting pan to deglaze during the last 15 minutes of roasting to let the water do its job and loosen fond. Transfer to stock pot and add about another gallon or so of water and 2 Tablespoons of salt. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain and return liquid to stock pot.
*If you don’t want the extra step. or the darker flavor or darker color, substitute a Stock pot for roasting pan, for mirepoix veg., skin and bone, and move directly to adding water for making a blond Chicken stock.
Step 5- Once the roaster is in the oven, or the stockpot is on the stove, Cut chicken meat into a size you like and refrigerate.
Step 6- Now you can finish cutting the Celery, Carrots and Onions. I normally go with a half moon carrot cut. Add veg. to hot stock and simmer for 30 min. then allow to cool.
FWIW, I do use the greasy cutting board from processing the COOKED Chicken! Cooked Chicken, not raw chicken and those veg. are going in hot water in the next few minutes, not in the fridge for days, potentially allowing bacterial growth…
Step 7- Add cooked chicken meat into cooled soup and portion into Ziplock bags. Since the Chicken is fully cooked the next time it needs heat is when you want to eat it.
Sandwich bags for 1 portion (*** Cross reference to cooking for one!), Quart bags for 2 portions, Gallon for 4 or more. (Write date and contents before filling)
Reason for this under seasoned way of cooking? No herbs or spices at all?
Flexibility is my only focus. Usually based on leftover items.
My favorite version of Chicken soup uses Rosemary and Thyme, but many cultures don’t use them. I just want to start with a blank flavor profile so the flavor whim of the day and fridge contents dictate the direction. If you make the base soup with a salt level of a table ready soup, you can't add any ingredient like Soy sauce, Olives , Feta, Parmesan, etc. without risking making it too salty. Flexibility...
Now you find a chicken soup recipe that sounds interesting to you and you can skip the recipe and go straight to the flavors and seasonings. Not perfect, but no failures has its appeal. As long as you remember the adage "You can always add more, until you add too much!" so season with restraint, then taste. You can always add more...
Asian versions- use that nub of fresh ginger, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, Green Onions, Coconut milk, etc.
Mexican version- A corn chip or two, Adobo, Chipotle, Oregano, Fresh/dried Chiles, Fresh Lime, etc.
Italian- Basil, Oregano, Garlic, Tomato, Leftover pasta or beans, Parmesan, pesto, etc
Greek- Fresh Lemon, Orzo, Spinach, Feta, Olives, Capers, etc.
Arabian/North Africa- ras el hanout spice blend, harissa, Cumin, cinnamon, Coriander seed, etc.
India- curry powder and diced Apples, Coconut milk, Yogurt, etc.
Cuban- Black beans, Oregano, Cumin, Sofrito, etc.
Poland- Mushrooms, potatoes, Marjoram, Cabbage, etc.
Just search for “flavors of”. whatever country or region you choose.
Thicken liquid for Pot Pie filling or a chicken version of Shepards pie.
I also add rice or pasta to make into a hot dish/one pot meal.
I live with the shortcomings of this methodology, like the veg aren’t cut properly for asian cuisine. But again, I only want the flexibility of flavor choice on that particular day, starting with a homemade product.
I buy them from a local IGA. Not listed/reviewed and they are OK. Never tried them hot though…
Food Republic is new to me. An interesting, 2024 approach, to quality of Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken. If you have any/all of those stores in your area it is a very good starting point, but I don’t have any of the stores listed. Just the local IGA, which was a Piggly Wiggly a couple years ago. Rural living, we just crested 10,000 in population. Biggest city in our 250 Sq. mile county! WooHoo!
Anyway, This is a repeatable, favorite technique of mine that I make from Rotisserie Chicken at least three times a year and I'm glad you asked!
I only use Rotisserie Chicken as follows.
Step 1- Buy 3 cold rotisserie chickens (Reduced price) along with the Mirepoix ingredients. (6# of Onions, 3# carrots and 3# celery) for the soup making process.
Step 2- Once home, trim and prep veg. Trimmings, peels, and a few rough chopped veg. (2# onions, 1# each carrot and celery) just purchased to go into the roasting pan. Reserve trimmed, peeled whole veg. into the “holding pattern” mixing bowl, to await slice and dice into the size for the finished soup.
Step 3- At the kitchen table, Roasting pan to my left, cutting board in front of me, Mixing bowl to my right. Chickens in front of cutting board. (Have a paper towel or two sitting there too!) One by one dismantle birds, by hand. (I don’t use a knife for this step.) Anything I don’t want to eat or serve to others, like bone, skin, cartilage, etc. goes into the roasting pan on top of the Mirepoix, Chicken meat goes into the mixing bowl. Wipe hands!
Step 4- Put roasting pan in a 325º oven till browned to your liking. About 60 minutes or so… Add approx.1 qt water to roasting pan to deglaze during the last 15 minutes of roasting to let the water do its job and loosen fond. Transfer to stock pot and add about another gallon or so of water and 2 Tablespoons of salt. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain and return liquid to stock pot.
*If you don’t want the extra step. or the darker flavor or darker color, substitute a Stock pot for roasting pan, for mirepoix veg., skin and bone, and move directly to adding water for making a blond Chicken stock.
Step 5- Once the roaster is in the oven, or the stockpot is on the stove, Cut chicken meat into a size you like and refrigerate.
Step 6- Now you can finish cutting the Celery, Carrots and Onions. I normally go with a half moon carrot cut. Add veg. to hot stock and simmer for 30 min. then allow to cool.
FWIW, I do use the greasy cutting board from processing the COOKED Chicken! Cooked Chicken, not raw chicken and those veg. are going in hot water in the next few minutes, not in the fridge for days, potentially allowing bacterial growth…
Step 7- Add cooked chicken meat into cooled soup and portion into Ziplock bags. Since the Chicken is fully cooked the next time it needs heat is when you want to eat it.
Sandwich bags for 1 portion (*** Cross reference to cooking for one!), Quart bags for 2 portions, Gallon for 4 or more. (Write date and contents before filling)
- Freeze bags flat, on cookie sheets, then stack, to expedite thawing and stackable storage. I use cans with top and bottom removed to hold empty bags for filling. Fold bag over can top to hold bag and keep sealing surface clean, soup cans for sand. bags, coffee can for Gallon bag, in-between for quarts. Fill, lift can to regrip top, seal 90%, lay flat, except the open corner, allow liquid to barely touch seal to remove air. seal. Yes you can stack bags on top of each other till frozen.
Reason for this under seasoned way of cooking? No herbs or spices at all?
Flexibility is my only focus. Usually based on leftover items.
My favorite version of Chicken soup uses Rosemary and Thyme, but many cultures don’t use them. I just want to start with a blank flavor profile so the flavor whim of the day and fridge contents dictate the direction. If you make the base soup with a salt level of a table ready soup, you can't add any ingredient like Soy sauce, Olives , Feta, Parmesan, etc. without risking making it too salty. Flexibility...
Now you find a chicken soup recipe that sounds interesting to you and you can skip the recipe and go straight to the flavors and seasonings. Not perfect, but no failures has its appeal. As long as you remember the adage "You can always add more, until you add too much!" so season with restraint, then taste. You can always add more...
Asian versions- use that nub of fresh ginger, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, Green Onions, Coconut milk, etc.
Mexican version- A corn chip or two, Adobo, Chipotle, Oregano, Fresh/dried Chiles, Fresh Lime, etc.
Italian- Basil, Oregano, Garlic, Tomato, Leftover pasta or beans, Parmesan, pesto, etc
Greek- Fresh Lemon, Orzo, Spinach, Feta, Olives, Capers, etc.
Arabian/North Africa- ras el hanout spice blend, harissa, Cumin, cinnamon, Coriander seed, etc.
India- curry powder and diced Apples, Coconut milk, Yogurt, etc.
Cuban- Black beans, Oregano, Cumin, Sofrito, etc.
Poland- Mushrooms, potatoes, Marjoram, Cabbage, etc.
Just search for “flavors of”. whatever country or region you choose.
Thicken liquid for Pot Pie filling or a chicken version of Shepards pie.
I also add rice or pasta to make into a hot dish/one pot meal.
I live with the shortcomings of this methodology, like the veg aren’t cut properly for asian cuisine. But again, I only want the flexibility of flavor choice on that particular day, starting with a homemade product.
- When I look into my freezer it looks like a Library of food! Stacks of soups, Chili, and sauces. Great to reach in and have a homemade shortcut to fast meals!
Linda0818
Head Chef
13 pounds? Wow! I've bought turkeys that weighed less than that.
Were they 13 pounds before they were cleaned and trimmed? Or after?
OP
OP
Linda, it was after processing and yes some of the turkey were smaller. Never figured out why the turkeys were so small that year.
Linda0818
Head Chef
That is very interesting about the small turkeys, especially if all of them were affected. Makes one wonder why.
OP
OP
Could just be as simple as the pecking order in the barn yard... like in any society, there are the bosses who get first choice and the rest who dibble in behind.
Linda0818
Head Chef
Snooze ya lose
In all my years, it has never occurred to me to buy a rotisserie chicken. So I checked and a whole, raw, non-frozen, medium sized chicken is around £5. (Which is pretty reasonable.) And a cooked whole chicken is £5.75. Wow. For sheer convenience, a 75p markup is pretty good! (I would always prefer to cook my own, but this is an eye opener!)
I doubt very much that these chickens are rotisserie cooked BTW, probably deep fried.
I doubt very much that these chickens are rotisserie cooked BTW, probably deep fried.
Last edited:
Vinylhanger
Sous Chef
You had me at apple cider vinegar.For the folks that prefer to grill their own chicken this marinade and basting sauce
Is a Central New York favorite.
A Staple of Upstate BBQs, ‘Cornell Chicken’ is a Grilling Tradition - Cornellians | Cornell University
With summer in full swing, we offer an homage to the beloved recipe by Robert Baker ’43—plus a tofu version for vegetarians!alumni.cornell.edu
Ingredients
1 egg
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. salt (or less, to taste)
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. pepper
Directions
Beat egg, then add oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir.
Place broiler halves over coals after flame is gone. Turn every five to ten minutes, depending on heat. Chicken should be basted with sauce at each turning—lightly at first, then heavily near end of cooking.
Cook about one hour. Test by pulling wing away from body: if meat splits easily and no red is visible in the joint, chicken is done.
Edit: Just went and read the link. Can't wait to try this. Probably tomorrow night. How would I convert this down to just maybe one or two chickens, or maybe a big pack of thighs?
Maybe cut it in thirds?
Last edited:
For the folks that prefer to grill their own chicken this marinade and basting sauce
Is a Central New York favorite.
A Staple of Upstate BBQs, ‘Cornell Chicken’ is a Grilling Tradition - Cornellians | Cornell University
With summer in full swing, we offer an homage to the beloved recipe by Robert Baker ’43—plus a tofu version for vegetarians!alumni.cornell.edu
Ingredients
1 egg
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. salt (or less, to taste)
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. pepper
Directions
Beat egg, then add oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir.
Place broiler halves over coals after flame is gone. Turn every five to ten minutes, depending on heat. Chicken should be basted with sauce at each turning—lightly at first, then heavily near end of cooking.
Cook about one hour. Test by pulling wing away from body: if meat splits easily and no red is visible in the joint, chicken is done.
I've actually heard of that. I've never had it, but I've heard of it.
CD
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I used to love Boston Market rotisserie chicken, but then Boston Market in the area disappear, I was so upset about I started keeping kosher, no I am joking of course. But I do love rotisserie chicken, but to get one I have to drive across town to the kosher store, and it's not even right from "the grill" so to speak, no fun basically.
I used to love Boston Market rotisserie chicken, but then Boston Market in the area disappear, I was so upset about I started keeping kosher, no I am joking of course. But I do love rotisserie chicken, but to get one I have to drive across town to the kosher store, and it's not even right from "the grill" so to speak, no fun basically.
Do you remember when Boston Market was actually Boston Chicken?
CD
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I don't. When they came to Minnesota they were market. I think that's what killed them, they were expending into area they knew nothing about.
