The Simple Way To Serve Rotisserie Chicken That Tastes Like You Cooked All Day

We've all been there: you buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store with the best intentions, but after a while, it takes on a unappetizing taste, and the texture of leftover fast food. But there's a way you can prepare rotisserie chicken to make it taste homemade, fresh, and like you've been cooking it all day — and that's by reheating it in a sauce. When you reheat a rotisserie chicken in sauce or marinade, you are giving the meat a second chance to absorb new flavors.

Rotisserie chicken has already been through the protein coagulation process, so the muscle fibers have tightened and expelled their moisture. But when you add a new liquid, like a flavorful sauce, the fibers soak up whatever you are cooking them in, like a sponge. So a piece of rotisserie chicken simmered in buffalo sauce will taste much more like buffalo chicken instead of just chicken with sauce on it, because it was actually cooked in buffalo sauce.

Remember to peel the skin off (it won't crisp or add flavor in liquid, and will actually just get soggy). You can also break your chicken down into bite-sized pieces to open up the surface area, allowing for maximum flavor absorption. After you chop your chicken, select your liquid medium of choice. This could be as simple as broth made with leftover rotisserie chicken and herbs, or as complex as a coconut curry or smoky chipotle marinade.

While reheating in sauce is a great way to revive your rotisserie chicken after it's begun to lose flavor or texture, you should still take a couple of precautions before you bring the chicken home in the first place. Whether you're buying rotisserie chicken from Costco or another supermarket, pay attention to a few things, like the chicken's size and coloring. Also, be wary of excess container juice in your chicken's packaging. These tips go a long way in ensuring you buy the best quality. If you're ready to go deeper into flavor territory, braising-style sauces will dramatically elevate the quality of your rotisserie chicken. A very brief simmer in something like a mushroom wine sauce or a creamy mustard preparation, or even a simple pan gravy from the drippings, will yield chicken that rivals a restaurant-style meal.

The timing is also very important, regardless of what sauce method you choose. You want to add your additional flavors and sauces when you begin the reheating process, not afterward. This gives the flavors and sauces the opportunity to be maximally absorbed and integrated, rather than just coating the surface of the chicken. Start at medium-low heat, stir in your sauce, add your chicken pieces, and let them simmer gently until warmed through. This simple transformation will make the rotisserie chicken in your refrigerator the starting point for dozens of varied meals, instead of simply reheated leftovers.