Don't Buy Rotisserie Chicken Until You Check For This Red Flag On The Bag

Rotisserie chicken is a simple and effective addition to your dinner table. On its own, the popular poultry can be the star entree of your mealtime, or you can easily debone it while it's still hot for use in a variety of different dishes. When picking up a chicken at the grocery store, it's important to keep an eye out for an oft-overlooked red flag. Be sure to check if the rotisserie chicken is labeled with a cook time to give you an idea of just how fresh the fowl is.

Tasting Table interviewed multiple experts about rotisserie chicken red flags to watch out for at the grocery store and chef and food safety expert at Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate, Mark McShane, shares, "Paying attention to the cook time is a good idea to ensure that you're getting a rotisserie chicken that hasn't been sitting out for too long, but at some grocery stores, you might run into another problem: There's no cook time listed at all."

If you can't find a cook time listed, McShane suggests, "Your first step should be to ask someone working at the deli. They might be able to tell you when the last batch of rotisserie chickens was put out." More than mere taste, this is a matter of safety. McShane says, "Once a product sits outside of refrigeration for longer than two hours, regardless of what temperature it has maintained at, both quality and safety begin to decline."

As long as you're aware of this red flag, you can seek out the proper information to help you choose the very best rotisserie chicken available. Once you've picked a fresh, flavorful, and hot rotisserie chicken from the bunch, there's no limit to the poultry-rich possibilities. For example, rotisserie chicken is the key to easier homemade enchiladas. Simply debone and shred the chicken meat to prepare a delicious filling.

You can swap in a ready-made rotisserie chicken for nearly any recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Use this convenient protein in soups, stews, chili, sandwiches, salads, and more. No matter how you choose to use rotisserie chicken, it's imperative to be mindful of the labeled cook time or if this is missing from the package.

Make sure that you grab a chicken that's been cooked within two hours for optimal quality. A single chicken can go a long way depending on how you wish to serve it. All you need is a sharp eye for any major red flags and a fair amount of culinary creativity.