The Best And Worst Rotisserie Chickens You Can Find At The Grocery Store

Rotisserie chicken is a fast and easy way to add protein to your meal prep routine. According to the National Chicken Council, broiler chicken is the most widely consumed protein in the U.S. You can add chicken to everything from Caesar salads to frozen pizza to get more protein and make your meals more filling. Rotisserie chicken is flavorful due to the constant turning of the meat, which keeps it moist and tender and prevents the chicken from drying out.

Many grocery stores roast chickens in their deli but not all are created equal. Even though many use the same techniques and even similar spices and seasonings, some rotisserie chickens end up dry and bland. Others get low marks because they aren't consistent and you never know if you'll end up with a chicken that is overcooked, still raw, or just right. Fortunately, there are deli counters that routinely make delicious and convenient rotisserie chicken for you to take home. Here are some of the best grocery stores and worst chains to go to for your rotisserie chicken. 

The rotisserie chickens from Sam's Club are delicious and seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper. It includes a spice rub made of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and other spices. The chicken is consistently moist and tender, perfect for leftovers since it's not as prone to drying out when reheating. Plus, the exterior of the chicken is crispy and packs in tons of flavor from the rub as well. Many customers noted that they pick up a rotisserie chicken every time they visit Sam's Club.

It's also a great value at around $5 for a large rotisserie chicken that is typically around 3 pounds. However, you do need to purchase a store membership, which costs extra but can be useful to save on other items as well. These chickens are available as early as 9:00 a.m. in some Sam's Club stores, which is a couple of hours earlier than most other grocery stores.

Harris Teeter has a lot of great deli items but the rotisserie chicken isn't one that gets rave reviews. This rotisserie chicken earned low marks on a Washington Post taste test due mainly to its texture, described by some as dry and mushy at the same time. They can be overcooked and often spend hours under the warming lights after they are cooked. This can result in wings that are too tough to eat. Even though they are available beginning at 11:00 a.m., some chickens are labeled that they were prepared at 9:00. 

Some customers also noticed that the chickens would come out with legs missing. Given that the Harris Teeter rotisserie chickens are not the largest out there, any missing pieces are more noticeable. Depending on what you plan to do with the chicken, a small bird with missing legs might not be enough meat. They're a good deal at around $7 for a small chicken but don't be surprised if you have to buy multiple chickens to feed your family.

One of the best things about buying a rotisserie chicken at The Fresh Market is the great selection. This upscale grocery store has classic chicken as well as three seasoned options, including butter garlic thyme, lemon and rosemary, and white wine herb. The skin is extra crispy and flavorful as well thanks to the seasoning blend that is spread over the chicken as it roasts on the rotisserie spit. You can also turn it into a meal deal with sides such as baked potato salad and broccoli cranberry slaw to take care of everything for dinner in one stop.

At just under $10 each, these chickens are one of the more expensive options out there. The quality and consistency means that many customers prefer paying a little bit more to be sure that they'll enjoy every part of the delicious chicken. The chain also runs occasional specials that make these quality chickens more affordable.

If you get them when they are fresh, the Food Lion rotisserie chickens are okay but they dry out quickly. They are on the smaller side so they don't retain a lot of moisture when they spend time under the heat lamp. Unless you're lucky enough to get one of these birds right when it comes off the rotisserie, there's a good chance that the wings will be inedible and even the rest of the chicken will be bland as well.

Food Lion rotisserie chickens come in two sizes, a 28-ounce package good for several people or a couple of meals as well as a 40-ounce family size. Unfortunately, the case doesn't typically have many larger options available and it's predominantly stocked with the smaller chickens. You can call ahead to see what they have but that might defeat the purpose of a quick dinner that requires minimal planning. Both sizes are reasonably priced but the 40-ounce option for $8.99 is a better deal than the smaller chicken for $6.99. You can make either into a deli deal by adding two side dishes from the deli counter for just $12 total.

Not only are these rotisserie chickens moist and tasty, but they also have a few options routinely stocked so that you have choices even if you're strolling into Wegmans on a whim. The plain roasted chicken is okay, especially if you're using it in other recipes like BBQ chicken pizza or chicken gyros. The meat is well-cooked and the birds are pretty sizable, enough for any dish. But for the best flavor, try the roasted rosemary chicken, which combines salt, rosemary, sage, and garlic to make the chicken extra tasty. The store also has one of the only options available that uses barbecue seasoning rub.

They're a bit on the pricey side at just under $10 for a 34-ounce bird but they are consistently good with crispy skin and tender meat. These are a good size for a few meals without being so big that you're going to throw it out before you can get through all of the chicken. They're made with antibiotic-free chicken and even the seasoning blend is gluten-free, so they'll work even for those with food sensitivities. 

Kroger has a reputation for being hit-or-miss when it comes to rotisserie chicken. When they're done well, the chickens are flavorful and delicious but they can be overcooked or undercooked at times. Kroger offers a savory seasonings roasted chicken and a version seasoned with garlic and herbs. However, many customers wanted a stronger garlic flavor and more zest to the chicken. Some reviews noted that their chicken was dry while others ended up with a bird that was still raw. The lack of flavor was one of the only consistent complaints.

These chickens are a decent price at just under $8 each. If you're using your chicken in a recipe that will add plenty of flavor, it might be worth picking one up from Kroger while you're there getting the rest of your ingredients. When you pair it with certain soft drinks, you can get a combined deal that makes it an even better value for the beverage and chicken.

Safeway has one of the best rotisserie chicken selections with a variety of flavors and seasonings. The chain carries classic rotisserie chickens seasoned with salt and pepper which have crispy skin thanks to the rotisserie roasting. Safeway makes a lemon pepper version as well as a delicious rosemary and garlic option. The only downside is that not all flavors are available all of the time. While they do make their birds fresh each day and restock at various times, during the peak dinner rush, it can be hard to find the exact flavor you want. 

Each 30-ounce rotisserie chicken costs $8.99. This is middle-of-the-road when it comes to cost and value but considering that the quality is very consistent. You can count on being able to use all of the meat on the bird. The Signature Cafe chicken, which is Safeway's store brand, is the best value but you can also get an antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed rotisserie chicken for a few dollars more when they're available. Like Safeway's flavor options, these specialty birds are not always stocked in the case.

We like the fact that there are a lot of options at Whole Foods deli, but due the higher cost, it ranks low and ultimately just doesn't make them the best value. The rotisserie chickens come in regular and organic, as well as a paleo diet-friendly option. Whole Foods uses few ingredients but still makes reliably tender and flavorful chicken. The classic version just lists three ingredients: chicken, salt, and black pepper, so you don't need to worry about hidden additives that might cause issues for those with sensitivities.

In addition to its price, these chickens aren't the largest out there. Each chicken has enough chicken for around two family-sized dishes, is just under $9. They don't offer any larger options so you'll need to get two chickens if you need more. Fortunately, the quality is very consistent and they put fresh chickens out throughout the day.

Costco's budget-friendly rotisserie chickens are some of the largest out there. Similar to those at Sam's Club, the best one for you depends mostly on the warehouse and location. While there aren't many flavors as compared to other grocery stores, the meat is always perfectly cooked and full of flavor. When you pick up a rotisserie chicken from Costco, you can be sure that it's one of the freshest out there because the store only keeps chicken out for 2 hours and they ring a bell whenever they put new rotisserie chickens out for sale. 

Thanks to their fantastic value and delicious flavor, Costco's rotisserie chickens are some of the most popular items at member warehouses. They have such a loyal following that when Costco switched the packaging from plastic clamshells to plastic bags, customers had trouble adjusting to the new look and worried about the bags' potential leakage. These chickens cost only $5 and are around a whopping 3 pounds, enough for multiple meals, even for a large crowd. That's not surprising given Costco's reputation as a fantastic place to buy in bulk. Many customers come for the $5 chicken and end up spending a lot more on Costco's other fantastic offerings, something that works out for the retailer's marketing as well.

Sprouts has a lot of items that work with a healthy diet but they're not known for a great deli counter. They don't have a lot of options even though they list multiple on their website. Flavors you might find include plain, seasoned, barbecue seasoned, and hatch chile seasoned. But most of the time, they have a few plain and herb-roasted chickens and maybe one or two of the other styles. The quality can also be inconsistent. Sometimes the chicken is overcooked to the point where the wings and other smaller sections are so tough they aren't edible. Other customers shared that they got undercooked or raw chicken.

The herb seasoned roasted chicken tastes good but it's quite small for the cost. It is fantastic to make chicken salad but you might need more than one to prep for a crowd. Each chicken is around 25 ounces and costs $9.99. When you compare the price per pound to other grocery stores, especially warehouse membership stores, it's almost double the cost or more. The organic chicken, which is the same size but made with antibiotic-free, free-range, organic chicken is $14.99 each.

For a consistently good rotisserie chicken that is a good value, try the bird from Giant. There are multiple types of rotisserie chickens in the deli case at Giant, including smaller portions of rotisserie chicken pieces or fried chicken. The honey flavoring is particularly good because it has crispy skin and a good blend of salty, savory, and sweet. If you want something simpler, you can stick with the plain rotisserie chicken instead, available in hot or cold. If you're reheating your bird, you can use the air fryer to keep the outside extra crispy while getting the inside to the desired temperature.

The rotisserie chickens from Giant are a good balance of price, size, and quality. A standard rotisserie chicken from the Giant costs $6.99 for a 30-ounce package. Giant also carries an antibiotic- and hormone-free version, also available in hot or cold, for just $8.99. If you want to enjoy even better savings and completely eliminate your dinner prep, make it a meal deal for just $10 and get two deli counter sides in addition to your chicken.

Walmart chickens are known to be inconsistent, their texture ranging from super dry to still raw. The lackluster flavor and dry texture are two of the biggest complaints and give these chickens a negative reputation among rotisserie chicken customers. For the best chances, try to get there when fresh chickens are put out in the deli case. But if the chicken has been sitting out under the heat lamps, it will dry out even if some sections are still raw. You'll end up needing to throw the chicken in the oven or microwave, drying it out even further and likely ruining any chances of a crispy, savory rotisserie chicken skin.

The chickens are $6.97 for a 36-ounce bird. This is a good value but not the best out there, even if the chicken was well cooked. Because the quality is so hit-or-miss, the cost savings isn't worth it for many customers who say that they're not likely to get another rotisserie chicken from Walmart. The only thing consistent about these chickens is that they are poorly cooked and lack flavor. Some customers also complained about the packages leaking on the way to get the chicken home.

We utilized our first-hand knowledge of rotisserie chickens from some of the most popular chain grocery stores, including Sam's Club and Costco, two of the best values, as well as Safeway, Wegman's, Harris Teeter, Giant, Whole Foods, Walmart, and Sprouts. After using them for meal prep and convenient weeknight family dinners at least three or four times each month, we have learned which rotisserie chickens are worth an extra trip or an extra couple of dollars and which are better left as a last resort. We compared our experience with customer reviews and national taste tests from the Washington Post.

Poor flavor, dry chicken, and raw meat were three of the top complaints. Some of the most common issues we've seen depend on the time of day that you pick up the chicken. If you go by the deli during off-peak times, there's a good chance that the bird has spent a few hours under a heat lamp to stay warm and is on the dry side. It pays to get to know your grocery store's schedule so that you can be there when the fresh rotisserie birds are put in the deli case. Not only do you get the best quality, but it's often the only way to find some of the flavor options beyond the classic or plain rotisserie chicken that most chains carry.