Rotisserie chickens are pure gold when it comes to convenience. A ready-cooked chicken that you can take home and carve up to use in a variety of ways, served with a few quick sides, saves a lot of time and hassle for a hungry family. But the freshness and moistness of a rotisserie chicken vary depending on how soon you buy it after it’s been cooked. At Sam’s Club, from Mondays to Saturdays, you’ll want to get there around 8 a.m. or 30 minutes after to get the freshest, just-out-of-the-oven chickens. Literally!
Unlike many other stores that only get their chickens into the ovens at opening time, Sam’s Club staff pop theirs into the rotisserie as they get to the store, a fair time before opening. Sundays, however, are a little more chilled, with staff getting there a bit later. So, if a recipe using rotisserie chicken is on your Sunday lunch menu, aim for around 10 a.m. to get a delicious, fresh, and plump roast chicken.
With that said, many stores, including Sam’s Club, do two or more runs of rotisserie chickens during the course of the day, as these popular ready-cooked items can sell out fast. Your next best time would be around 11 a.m., just before the lunchtime rush, and then 5 p.m., as the workday ends and people pop into the store for dinner ingredients. Avoid going nearer to 7 p.m. or afterwards, as those will be the very end-of-day chickens, so they will probably be quite dry and unappetizing.
Why rotisserie chicken should be snapped up the soonest after cooking
Chicken is at its best between 15 and 20 minutes after cooking. That’s because this resting period allows the proteins in the chicken to relax and rehydrate the meat, as the juices that were being pushed out by the tightening proteins move back into the meat, keeping the moistness where it should be. So, if you’re buying your rotisserie chicken for dinner but only eating it later, the commute home will give it ample time to chillax and be super juicy when the family tucks in.
But life happens, and you aren’t always able to eat your chicken at the ideal time for the juiciest bites. If you’re buying it for later, how you store your chicken will help keep it as moist as possible. Allow the chicken to reach room temperature, which will take about 2 hours, then pop it into the fridge until it’s time to reheat it.
There are a few ways to rescue dry chicken and introduce a bit of moisture back into your meal when reheating it, such as popping it into a heat-proof bowl with some broth poured into the bottom of the dish. Cover it and heat it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Alternatively, cut it into pieces and simmer it in a pot over low heat, with a few tablespoons of broth or even just water, until it is warm. The easiest thing to do, though, is just make some quick gravy or sauce and douse your chicken to taste.
