Is There A Way To Replicate Rotisserie Chicken From Home?

There are lots of different weeknight meals to make with rotisserie chicken, from burritos to stir fry to about a million dinners in between. It's chicken, after all. Rotisserie chicken is a straightforward style which involves skewering a whole chicken on a spinning metal pole which rotates it over heat until it's evenly cooked. Most people purchase these from the store (the best time of day to buy a rotisserie chicken is noon or early evening). But if store-bought isn't cutting it for you, the simplicity of rotisserie chicken can make it appealing to try cooking up yourself. The problem with that is most people don't own a spinning rotisserie oven. 

To get some expert advice on the matter, we spoke to Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and founder of Pinch and Swirl. To simulate a true rotisserie oven, you just need a cheap roasting rack. Stevens says you should cook it hot at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes, cooling it to 325 degrees Fahrenheit at the end. "The rack allows airflow under the bird, which helps mimic the even browning of a rotisserie," says Stevens. "Basting helps, too, but not too early or you'll steam the skin."

Of course, cooking the chicken is only one half of the puzzle — seasoning rotisserie-style chicken is a different story. Rotisserie chickens aren't seasoned with anything fancy or unusual, mind you. Unlike the specialized spit roasting oven, you likely already have everything you need to season a rotisserie chicken.

Stevens has a specific concoction she uses for seasoning a rotisserie chicken. "For that classic rotisserie flavor, I use a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar." Don't feel like you're restricted to using just the ingredients on her list. You can leave some out or add extras (like cayenne pepper if you want to spice up the chicken). That being said, you're going to get the best results by sticking to the classic seasoning blend first and then innovating from there. At minimum, the bare-bones essentials are salt, pepper, and paprika.

To apply these seasonings onto the chicken, Stevens suggests a dry brine. "A dry brine (just salt and air-drying) gives great results — moist meat, seasoned throughout, and crisp skin." If you've ever noticed that store-bought rotisserie chickens taste like chemicals, it's a little peace of mind when you control the seasonings yourself. Plus, lots of store-bought rotisserie chickens are close to their expiration date. Cooking something fresher is always a plus.