Moist, tender, juicy—who doesn’t love a good rotisserie chicken? The smell of those crispy, golden-brown birds wafting through the grocery aisles is enough to make you buy one even when you weren’t planning to. It’s the perfect option for when you need dinner in a snap, or you simply want to jazz one up on its own.
We know that there are so many options to choose from when it comes to slow-roasted chicken, and how you plan to use it differs, too. That’s why we tasted several store-bought rotisserie chickens and evaluated them based on taste, texture, and overall experience, so that you know what you’re getting yourself into next time you head to the store.
Our favorite chicken was unanimously selected by our editors. It’s classic, moist, and what you expect a rotisserie chicken to taste like. It would be best enjoyed on its own or added to a recipe. Keep reading to see what our editors thought about the rotisserie chicken taste test.
How We Tested
We cut up each rotisserie chicken into small, bite-sized pieces, so each tester could add some to their plate. Store packaging was hidden so testers tasted without seeing which brand they were tasting.
Editors sampled the chickens side by side, scoring them on taste, texture, and overall experience using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. After everyone ranked their picks, we tallied the results to find the winner.
The Contenders
- Sam’s Club
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
- Publix
- Costco
How Each Brand Scored
Sam’s Club
“Tender, juicy, and full of balanced, natural flavor,” Sam’s Club’s rotisserie chicken was well-liked by our editors. Tasters noted the moist yet balanced flavor with hints of pepper without being overwhelming. One editor even said, “the flavor is savory and comforting, very nostalgic.” It’s what you expect out of a rotisserie chicken: moist, flavorful, and tender.
Walmart
This one was a bit on the drier side, but editors still felt like it had good flavor with a hint of smoky pepper. While some did not like the chewier texture, others felt it would be a good option to throw into a casserole or soup, where the texture wouldn’t be as big of a focus.
Whole Foods
This one was drier and a little less flavorful than the other chickens, which is why our editors thought it would be a nice addition to a soup or sauce where moisture will help with the texture. While some preferred the mild seasoning on this one, overall our editors didn’t enjoy this one as much as others.
Publix
A perfect choice for a soup or casserole, this rotisserie chicken may lack seasoning, but the generous amount of meat means that it would go great in recipes. Many editors noted the lack of spices or herbs on this one, while others felt like it may have been overcooked, resulting in a drier texture. Regardless, our editors all agreed that this would be a good one to add to recipes where the flavors come from elsewhere.
Costco
“The most moist of all the chickens,” wrote one of our editors. This was clearly one of the meatier chickens on the table, but while it didn’t lack moisture, some editors noted this one was a little bland. One editor said, “This one belongs in chicken noodle soup,” and we couldn’t agree more. It’s moist texture and mild seasoning would lend itself well to a seasoning-rich chicken noodle soup.
The Winner
Morgan Ward; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
“This is by far the most flavorful of all 5 chickens.”
“It’s the most flavorful and well-rounded in terms of taste and texture.”
“Most moist of the bunch. Good flavor on its own, but would be good in something too.”
“I like this one the best. It wasn’t dry or stringy like some others. It was moist, very tender, and didn’t have a weird aftertaste.”
The result was unanimous. Sam’s Club’s rotisserie chicken was the clear winner among our editors. Tender, meaty, juicy, and full of flavor, this rotisserie chicken checked all the boxes. At the end of the day, it depends on what you’re buying your rotisserie chicken for, but our editors felt like Sam’s Club’s chicken was an all-around winner for enjoying on its own or mixed into a flavorful dish.
