If You Spot This Rotisserie Chicken Red Flag, Leave That Bird At The Store

Packaged rotisserie chicken has become a staple grocery item, offered hot and ready to-go at a range of stores. We tried 7 grocery store rotisserie chickens, and ranked them worst to best, and while our focus was on flavor, it's equally important to make sure you're picking up a bird that's safe to eat. That's why we spoke with a food safety expert about rotisserie chicken red flags. According to Mark McShane of Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate, dirty packaging is a sign that you should walk away.

"If there is residue smeared across the top or bottom of the container or if it has signs of excessive contact, then I question how well this was handled," warned McShane. The last thing you want is a chicken that has been poked or prodded by too many customers, was left on a back counter too long before going under the heat lamp, or even worse, dropped on the ground and put back on the shelf. You want to select a respectable-looking chicken in clean packaging.

If you can't find a rotisserie chicken in a clean-looking package while at the grocery store, and your dinner was depending on it, what do you do? Just ask the deli when a fresh batch of rotisserie chicken is coming out of the oven. Costco is known for pulling chickens from the shelf every two hours – which is when quality starts to decline. Meat that exceeds the two-hour cut-off is then used for prepared foods in the refrigerated section, like casseroles or salads. This means new batches of fresh chicken are coming out all day long — and one may be coming out while you're still in the store.

Not every grocer operates like Costco, but it is typical for grocery stores to replenish when they run out by making freshly cooked chickens every two to four hours. The peak times are around lunch and dinner, meaning a better selection. If you want to know how long a chicken has been sitting under the heat lamp, just check the time stamp that says when it was cooked. If there is no time stamp — that's another rotisserie chicken red flag.

If you're just plain out of luck, you'll have to pick up a raw whole chicken to cook. Our classic roast chicken recipe is easy to pull off, and the bird only needs to be in the oven for about an hour.