We Tried 7 Grocery Store Rotisserie Chickens And Ranked Them Worst To Best

There are so many reasons store-bought rotisserie chickens are popular. They are a quick fix for an easy meal. The chicken can be used in so many different dishes or easily eaten on its own with a simple side. They are generally well-priced, and many stores offer weekly deals so you can get even better savings. And most of us don't have the means or time to make a rotisserie or full roasted chicken at home. So, it's nice that this affordable and tasty option is available.

But who has the best one? That is what I went in search of when I taste-tested seven different grocery store rotisserie chickens. And I am about the most blind taste tester you can get when it comes to this particular item. Never before had I purchased a store-bought rotisserie chicken!

Growing up on a farm and currently having chickens of my own (that we should not have named) makes it difficult for me to eat bone-in chicken. While I have tasted some delicious roasted chicken in family homes, I prefer some cognitive dissonance in my own. But I knew where my bar was set.

I went into this tasting looking for something well-seasoned, visually appetizing, and offered a serving size that could easily make a meal for two to four people. Little did I know, it wasn't going to be that easy. So, doing my best to stick with those criteria, here is my ranking and subsequent explanations.

If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can get $2 off every week on a Whole Foods rotisserie chicken. And after seeing the lovely golden-brown bird in the store, I felt that was a really great deal. The skin looked seasoned and crispy. The aroma was strong and deliciously tempting. It weighed in at a decent 1 pound 12 ounces — a nice portion. And the package even noted that the chicken was raised without antibiotics or hormones, which is something nice to see these days.

The flavor, though — or perhaps I should say, the lack of flavor. While I must point out that Whole Foods labels its chickens as plain, I didn't expect it to be so literal. There simply was no flavor to this bird at all, and the meat was a tad bit chewy. However, this would be a great, ample serving of chicken if someone were looking for something fresh to whip up some chicken salad. Add in some dressing, grapes, and nuts, and you would have a delicious meal option.

So, while this wouldn't be my first choice due to the lack of flavor, I wouldn't discount this chicken altogether. I only paid $5.99 for this fresh, ready-to-use option. If you want to put in a little extra work, you may find this option worth it.

The most interesting thing about Publix rotisserie chicken is the packaging. It comes in a nice white paper bag, which is different from all the other chickens. Also different from the other chickens is the information one is able to garner about the product. Nowhere on the package or store site does it tell how big this chicken is. Looking at it, it seems a bit smaller than the Whole Foods option, but probably not by much.

As far as taste goes, the Publix bird was just okay. It wasn't dry or necessarily moist either. There was a hint of a smoky, savory flavor, which I appreciated. And visually, it was a nice-looking bird — golden-brown with a crispy-looking skin.

Knowing there are tastier options out there, I wouldn't necessarily make this $7.99 choice the first one on my list. But in a pinch, the flavor profile would be great to make up a quick pot of chicken and dumplings or pot pie. If that sounds up your alley, know that the freshest choice chickens are generally put out around 10 a.m. and then restocked every couple of hours throughout the day.

I have always heard great things about Costco's Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken. And just walking through the store to go buy one I saw that almost every cart had one or two in it. So, this is probably the one I was the most excited about tasting.

When I first picked it up, I was hit by the delicious aroma that wafted off the warm package. The next thing I noticed is that it was considerably larger than the other chickens I had seen — a whopping 3 pounds. It also looked quite lovely with an array of golden-brown hues crusting the crispy skin. But the taste just didn't match up to the presentation.

The Costco chicken was a bit drier than I expected, especially knowing that these chickens are regularly changed out every two hours, if they make it that long under the heat lamp. I was also a bit disappointed by the depth of flavor. The meat held no more than a slight hint of everyday bouillon, something easily replicated at home and kept juicier in a boil.

But at $4.99, you cannot beat the amount of freshly prepared chicken. In a time where it is growing ever more difficult to feed a family, Costco is really bringing some quality and quantity to the table. And that makes this bird far more valuable than the lower-ranked ones. Even if you have to throw on some more seasoning or do a bit of work with this one, it's worth it.

A small heating station by the checkout counters held about 10 of these ready-to-take birds, without even having to step into the grocery section. But at first glance, I felt that they had been there a while. The first bird I picked up was extremely brown and shriveled, which I quickly set back down and began questioning my options. I really had to hunt around for one that I felt secure in trying. While Meijer starts selling its rotisserie chickens at 11 a.m., I'm not sure how long they sit out.

However, despite all my misgivings, the Meijer chicken far exceeded my expectations when it came to taste. Coming in at almost 2 pounds for only $6.99, this was the first of the chickens to come close to the moisture content I was hoping for, giving the meat a nice, soft texture. Even more surprising was the amount of savory spices that filled my mouth and clung to my palate as I chewed through my first bite. This was by far the first rotisserie chicken I felt would be enjoyable eaten on its own.

This chicken was by no means perfect. Had I had it at someone's home, I would not have requested the recipe. However, it was far superior to the ones ranked lower. With a simple side, this would make a very cheap and quick meal for at least two people.

The smell of fried chicken hit me as soon as I exited my car in the Walmart parking lot. It smelled wonderful and must have been enticing to many more than me because when I reached the inside, I was shocked to see that there was only one chicken left.

When I took it out of the bag, I began to have my doubts. As good as it had smelled, the sight of it was a little disappointing. While it weighed in at over 2 pounds, it looked rather small and slightly shriveled. The skin had separated fully from the bird and moved about in a manner that was somewhat comical. Thankfully, the flavor was nothing to laugh at.

The texture and richness of the meat were nearly delectable. There seemed to be almost an oiliness to it, giving the meat a silky quality that was lovely to eat. The flavor tasted very much like the fried chicken I had smelled upon arriving at the store, and I wondered if all the chicken was prepared in the same area, possibly passing its oily flavor through the air.

For only $5.97, this is definitely a chicken I would suggest to my son when he calls me for dinner advice. For a college-aged kid looking for a nice home-cooked meal, I think this would give him the taste and comfort he was craving. And it's at an affordable price that would offer him more than one serving.

By the time I got to Kroger's Home Chef chicken, the hopes of finding a bird that looked as good as it tasted had long since vanished. However, I never could have imagined that I was about to be presented with the most difficult ranking choice on this list.

Through the plastic window of the Home Chef package, I could see the neck of the chicken hanging limply from the body, wobbling as I walked to the checkout. Upon closer inspection, I also spied a couple of feathers at the base of the wing. Now, that is not something unheard of in packaged chicken. Although, it isn't something incredibly common either.

I honestly had to sit with this one for some time before I could bring myself to taste it. And I didn't expect to take more than one bite. But I was more than shocked to discover that the flavor was a polar opposite difference to the visual, literally hitting the complete other side of the spectrum.

This chicken was so moist, soft, and silky. The juices filled my mouth with an abundance of flavor — savory spices, seemingly buttered, and perfectly salted. For a 2-pound chicken at $6.99 ( $5 deals on Thursdays), with this flavor profile, I can tell myself that the presentation of this bird was a fluke. And if not, I have paid more and experienced far more disturbing sights at trendy farm-to-table restaurants. So, you do you, Kroger. Your chicken is tasty.

Just when I thought it wasn't going to happen, The Fresh Market delivered on what I had begun to believe was merely a dream — a rotisserie chicken that tasted as good as it looked. This chicken had crispy skin that glistened with a golden-brown crust. Visible pieces of rosemary were scattered across the top. This beautiful bird looked like something I had only seen come out of the oven on television cooking shows.

I kept my expectations at bay as I sat down to give this one a taste. I had been disappointed too many times already. But with just one bite, I knew I had found my number one. There was a slight saltiness that covered my tongue as I bit into the meat, which seemed to melt between my teeth. That quickly gave way to succulent juices that told my brain someone had rubbed butter underneath the skin to heighten the flavor and lock in the moisture. And they had achieved just that! The salt level was perfectly executed, and I could taste rosemary and thyme.

There was no question that this chicken more than earned the top spot. This bird could be served at a holiday meal! For $8.99, at a little over 1.5 pounds, this is the rotisserie chicken I will always choose if the need arises. On my best day, as hard as I try, I know I could not create this level of excellence in my kitchen. Highly recommend.

I took the utmost care in choosing the rotisserie chickens I would be tasting, taking into account time of day, visual appearance, and the best option available to me. I tried both the skin and breast meat of each one as it was still warm and as fresh as I knew it to be. Time was also taken between options to clear any lingering flavor from the palate and fully prepare to cleanly taste the next. Sadly, there wasn't a lot of flavor that needed to be cleansed, and it wasn't long before I realized that my ranking scale was going to need to change. At the end of the day, there was only one bird that hit all the marks I was looking for.

Across the board, I was disappointed. That being said, there is not one of these that isn't worth the price per pound. Even at the lowest level, the quality of meat and the fact that it is already prepared makes each option on this list worth the price to deliver a meal to the table. While some will need more help than others, they all offer the opportunity to cheaply feed an individual or family well.

Now, if you are looking for something to wow dinner guests, The Fresh Market has you covered. This chicken is on a whole different playing field than the rest of the list. I honestly may host a nice dinner just knowing now how easy it could be to create a very lovely meal around this bird. Throwing together a few nice side dishes to go with the number one rotisserie chicken is going to overly satisfy even the most discerning of palates.