Making the perfect rotisserie chicken is both an art and science. After picking up your preferred rotisserie grill of choice, it only takes a few sessions of practice to pick up the right technique. You’ll need to clean, season, and roast that chicken to perfection to get the maximize that rotisserie flavor. Here’s a quick guide to cooking rotisserie chicken like a pro:
Choosing the Right Rotisserie Oven
There are dozens of rotisserie ovens on the market, but you don’t have to settle for the infomercial products to enjoy perfectly cooked chicken. Some of the best choices according to consumer reviews and feedback include the Ronco Showtime Standard Rotisserie, DeLonghi Convection Oven with Rotisserie, and the George Foreman GR82B George Jr. Rotisserie.
Picking the Right Chicken for Rotisserie Cooking
Choosing the right chicken for rotisserie is an important step in your cooking process; while generic grocery store brands may be cheaper, you may be compromising on quality. The ultimate rotisserie chicken is an organic variety, and although considerably more pricey, you’ll be almost guaranteed a succulent and tasty chicken every time. Still, the most trusted brands include Gold n’ Plump, Pilgrim’s, and Foster Farms.
Preparing Your Rotisserie Chicken
Since fresh chicken works best for rotisserie cooking, you’ll need to wash the chicken completely and let it chill for about an hour before adding seasoning. The chicken cavity and skin needs to cleaned and rinsed with care; make sure you remove all excess fat and pieces you don’t want to cook at this stage. Then cut small slits in the chicken and douse with a generous heap of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt. Let it sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours for a brief marinade.
The Rotisserie Chicken Rub
There are hundreds of recipes for rotisserie chicken available, but the basic seasoning calls for a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and perhaps some chili powder. Take your pick of any classic meat rub – Southwestern, BBQ, or even an assortment of Indian spices work out great – and make sure your chicken is well-covered before placing it on the grill. You’ll also need to put some of the seasoning inside the chicken cavity.
Cooking the Chicken in the Rotisserie Oven
Preheat your rotisserie grill for at least 20 minutes before beginning the roasting process. Then, place your prepared chicken on the chicken spit and set the timer for 1.25 hours. You may need to cook the chicken for a little longer depending on its size, and the power of your rotisserie oven. The whole process should not take longer than 1.5 – 1.75 hours, and your chicken is done when it’s a dark golden brown. Overcooking the chicken will leave you with something that’s simply too dry, so watch it carefully as it hits the 1 hour mark.
Carving the Rotisserie Chicken
After your rotisserie chicken is finished roasting, pull it off the spit – carefully – and set it on a serving platter. You’ll need to let it cool for about 10 minutes before carving. Then just grab those carving utensils and serve!
If you and your family enjoy rotisserie chicken from the deli or market, you can now enjoy the same tasty chicken at home; just follow these simple steps for the perfect rotisserie chicken.
