Rotisserie chickens are a family favorite all across the country.

Who doesn’t love a perfectly cooked, juicy, well-seasoned rotisserie chicken? Our recipe for homemade rotisserie chicken guarantees that there will be fresh and tasty chicken available for any recipe that comes up throughout the week!

slices of Rotisserie Chicken with the chicken on a cutting board

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While a storebought rotisserie chicken is convenient, a homemade one is super easy, and so juicy! Especially with a “chicken machine,” you literally set it, and forget it until it is done. And it is always succulent and tender. It’s one of our favorite easy meals. We usually serve it with a side of brussels sprouts or broccoli, homemade fries, and gravy for dipping! 

Rotisserie Chicken cooked a table

What to Do with Rotisserie Chicken

Homemade rotisserie chicken is the hero of the kitchen! Of course, serve it up hot off the rotisserie for a fresh and delicious meal. Make an extra, with no real extra work! You’ll have one for dinner, and one for other uses.

Perfect for salads, soups, pastas, tacos, casseroles, enchiladas, chili, pot pies, or even a quick chicken and rice dinner! Toss with spaghetti sauce or add to an Asian noodle soup! Add shredded chicken to an orzo pasta salad— the possibilities are endless! Try it in our homemade queso dip, buffalo chicken dip, or add to a chickpea pasta salad for an entrée style meal!  Or use cut-up chicken to make Peruvian chicken chili! Don’t forget to save the carcass for bone broth!

slices of Rotisserie Chicken

How to Make Rotisserie Chicken

Why buy big box store rotisserie chicken when it can be made so easily at home? A few seasonings, a proper tie-up, some time in the rotisserie chicken cooker…and now there’s leftover chicken for the entire week’s lunches, dinners, and snacks! Most in-store rotisserie chicken machines take about an hour to two hours to cook a chicken, but you can make a delectable rotisserie chicken at home without heading to the store!

  1. Rinse the outside and inside of a whole chicken. Pat dry.
  2. Season inside and outside of chicken. We use Hy’s Seasoning Salt most of the time, but use your favorite seasoned salt.
  3. Tie legs together with cooking twine. Place chicken on the rotisserie spit.
  4. Brush on additional oil, seasonings, or herbs as desired.
  5. Cook according to recipe below!

How Long to Rotisserie a Chicken

  • 20 minutes per pound is the rule of thumb here. We find the perfect amount of time is 1 hour and 10 minutes to one hour and 15 minutes. It’s perfect every time.
  • No heat rotation, or resting on a cutting board for about 10 minutes, helps with distributing the juices and makes the chicken perfect.

Tent the bird with aluminum foil to keep the outside from overcooking if needed.

Rotisserie Chickens on the rack in the oven

How to Tie a Chicken for Rotisserie

Tying a chicken keeps the insides and the breasts from overcooking and drying out, so properly tying a chicken for rotisserie baking can be an important thing.

  • We like to truss the legs at a criss-cross angle with kitchen twine.
  • Some home cooks tie the wings as well, but for a rotisserie recipe, the wings will usually end up being part of the bone broth, so they don’t need to be trussed. Tuck the tips back or under the drumsticks if desired. 
Rotisserie Chicken on the rack in the oven

How to Cut Rotisserie Chicken

Cutting a rotisserie chicken is easy!

  1. Start at the top of the bird, near the backbone at the top of the breast.
  2. Carve as though it were a holiday turkey, separating the breast from the carcass. Cut the thigh and drumstick. Serve as one serving, or separate the drumstick and thigh.
  3. Shred pieces for a variety of meals throughout the week.
slicing a Rotisserie Chicken

How Long is Rotisserie Chicken Good For?

Since rotisserie chicken is cooked, it will last longer than uncooked chicken in the fridge. 4 to 5 days is a good time frame for rotisserie chicken. Simply refresh the flavors with salt and pepper and add the chicken to a new meal or reheat it alone as a side dish.

close up of Rotisserie Chicken

How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken

Since rotisserie chicken is already cooked, it’s easy to reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop! Add it to some chicken gravy and serve over homemade bread and fries for the best hot chicken sandwich dinner ever!

Other Easy Chicken Recipes To Try!

close up of a sliced Rotisserie Chicken
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Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie Chicken is juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Candace

Ingredients  

  • 3-4 pound whole chicken *
  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons seasoned salt or Hy's Seasoned Salt

Instructions 

Rotisserie Machine:

  • Turn on rotisserie machine.
  • Truss the legs at a criss-cross angle with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips back, or under the drumsticks. Add chicken to spit rod.
  • Rub chicken with olive oil, and sprinkle entire chicken with seasoned salt, pressing to rub it in. (It is easier to rotate and season the whole bird once it is on the spit.)
  • Cook for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Turn off heat and continue on no-heat rotation for 10-15 minutes before carving.

BBQ:

  • Preheat rotisserie setting on bbq to medium-high.
  • Truss the legs at a criss-cross angle with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips back, or under the drumsticks. Add chicken to spit rod.
  • Rub chicken with olive oil, and sprinkle entire chicken with seasoned salt, pressing to rub it in. (It is easier to rotate and season the whole bird once it is on the spit.)
  • Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

*For the rotisserie machine, 2 birds can be cooked at the same time. If possible, separate with a small ball of tin foil to allow more even airflow (they’ll still cook fine if you cannot do this). Add 5 minutes to the cook time if needed.
*For the BBQ rotisserie, up to 3 birds can be cooked at the same time, with the same timing & temperature.
Leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. 
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Nutrition Information

Calories: 382 | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 5347mg | Potassium: 309mg | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

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About the author

I am a wife, mother of two, and professional accountant. I love fantastic food, and it is so often the center of our lives, from everyday dinner, to family gatherings, and special evenings at fabulous restaurants. I have always loved cooking and baking, with my mom and grandma, and now, with my daughter and son. I love trying new recipes while enjoying my favorites too. I’m so happy to share them with you.
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  1. We take the fresh, crunchy and zesty Mexican flavor and add our all-white meat chicken tenders, then wrap it all up in a fluffy tortilla that’s toasted to perfection. This delicious fiesta is ready to go!