For millions of shoppers, grabbing a supermarket rotisserie chicken is one of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table. But a new analysis suggests the bird many consumers swear by isn’t the best one available.
Consumer Reports tested rotisserie chickens from 10 major grocery chains and warehouse clubs, evaluating taste, nutrition, sodium levels and potential chemical exposure from packaging. The nonprofit’s experts crowned Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark seasoned rotisserie chicken the overall winner, edging out Costco’s famously popular Kirkland Signature bird.
The findings challenge one of the most enduring assumptions among warehouse shoppers, as Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken has built a devoted following over the years. While Consumer Reports praised Costco’s chicken for being moist and well seasoned, testers ultimately preferred Sam’s Club’s version for its deep roasted flavor, juicy texture and balanced seasoning.
Researchers said most of the chickens they tested offered good value and were suitable for a healthy meal when paired with vegetables and a starch. They also found encouraging news on food safety, with no detectable PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” in either the packaging or the meat from any of the products tested.
Taste, nutrition and value all played a role
Consumer Reports evaluated birds purchased from multiple locations of each retailer to account for consistency. Samples were bought on different days and tasted while still warm in a blind tasting.
Sam’s Club earned the top overall distinction thanks to its paprika-rubbed skin, moist meat and roasted flavor with subtle onion and garlic notes.
Costco landed among the top-performing chickens, alongside offerings from Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods Market.
The publication noted that Whole Foods stood out for a different reason. Its chickens were the only ones in the test that were not injected with a salt-based brine before cooking. That means fewer additives, though tasters found the meat slightly drier than some competitors.
Meanwhile, chickens from BJ’s, Hannaford, ShopRite and The Fresh Market were considered better suited for recipes such as soups, casseroles, salads and sandwiches rather than serving as the centerpiece of a meal.
Researchers also discovered shoppers may be getting more chicken than they pay for. Several retailers sold birds that weighed more than the package label indicated, with Whole Foods averaging nearly a pound heavier than its listed weight. That effectively lowered the cost per pound for consumers.
Sodium remains one of the biggest concerns
Although rotisserie chicken is a convenient source of protein, Consumer Reports said sodium remains one of its biggest nutritional drawbacks.
Most retailers inject chickens with a brine solution before cooking to improve moisture and tenderness. Those solutions typically contain salt, sugar and other ingredients that increase sodium content.
Nutrition labels for the chickens in the study listed between 250 and 460 milligrams of sodium per 3-ounce serving. Laboratory testing generally found actual sodium levels to be lower than those figures, though results varied considerably between samples.
Experts also noted that some brines include additives such as carrageenan, an ingredient used to retain moisture that has generated debate among researchers studying digestive health.
Consumers looking to reduce additives can compare ingredient lists and choose chickens with simpler seasoning blends.
Plastic testing found mixed results
Consumer Reports also examined packaging and meat samples for chemicals associated with plastics, including bisphenols, phthalates and PFAS.
The researchers reported no PFAS contamination in any packaging or chicken samples.
Bisphenols, including BPA, appeared in packaging from several retailers but were not detected in the meat itself.
Phthalates proved more common. They were found in nearly every chicken tested, although most contained levels well below the organization’s health threshold for adults.
Costco and Walmart recorded the highest levels of one phthalate known as DEHP. Consumer Reports said those amounts were not considered a health concern for adults unless consumed in unusually large quantities, but advised limiting consumption for young children because of their lower body weight and greater sensitivity to chemical exposure.
Despite those findings, the publication noted the levels detected in the rotisserie chickens were still significantly lower than amounts it has measured in some other poultry products.
Food safety doesn’t end at the checkout
Consumer Reports said consumers can reduce food safety risks by eating rotisserie chicken within two hours of purchase or refrigerating leftovers promptly.
The organization also recommends transferring leftover chicken from its original plastic packaging into a covered glass container before refrigeration and reheating, rather than microwaving it in the original container. Leftovers should be refrigerated for no more than four days or frozen for longer storage.
For shoppers looking for a quick, affordable dinner, the report concludes that most supermarket rotisserie chickens remain a solid choice. But for consumers focused on flavor, Consumer Reports says the best bird this year isn’t found at Costco — it’s waiting at Sam’s Club.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.