A rotisserie chicken is a delicious yet simple meal. You can make sandwiches or salads with it, put some on top of a nice vegetable salad, serve it hot or cold over rice, or even use it in soup. While cooking a rotisserie chicken is simple, cutting it up is a challenge to many.
To cut a rotisserie chicken, position the chicken on a cutting board, breast side up. Grab one thigh and cut through the skin that connects the thigh to the body and disconnects the thighs. Target the breast bone and cut along it until you have the breast meat away from the bone.
This article will discuss how to cut a rotisserie chicken the right way. You’ll also learn the nutritional value of a rotisserie chicken and how to store it for later use.
Table of contents
Preparation
Before cutting into your rotisserie chicken, let it cool down for 20 minutes. Cooling down the chicken will make it easier to cut. It will also ensure that the chicken’s juices stay intact.
Tools you’ll need
- A wooden cutting board: The best wood for a cutting board should be sturdy, durable, and relatively soft to prevent damage to blades.
- A sharp knife: A good choice for cutting your chicken is a chef’s knife. It has an edge to cut well through bones and the flexibility to make cuts with precision.
- A boning knife: Use a boning knife to separate the drumsticks from thighs, wings from breasts, or any necessary dissection of your bird.
- A pair of kitchen shears or poultry scissors: A clean pair of kitchen shears are great for cutting through skin, cartilage, and smaller bones.
- A bowl: You’ll want to collect all the pieces you cut from your chicken in a bowl.
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Best way to cut a rotisserie chicken
Step 1. Set your working space
Before you begin cutting your chicken, place your tools in an area where you can easily reach them. A flat surface with enough room to work will make the task easier. Ensure you have a clean, sturdy cutting board that can handle the job.
Step 2. Position your chicken with the breast side up
Place the rotisserie chicken on the cutting board with the breast side up. This position gives you easy access to the legs and thighs. It will also make it easier to remove the breasts and wings later.
Step 3. Expose the hip joint
Pull back the leg of the chicken to expose the hip joint. Use your hands to keep the thigh steady while cutting through the skin connecting the thigh to the body. Use a pair of kitchen shears or a knife to cut through the skin and flesh. Repeat the same for the other side.
Step 4. Cut through the hip joint
After exposing the hip joint, use a sharp knife to cut through the cartilage and bone. Wiggle the blade back and forth to separate the hip joint from the body. After cutting through the joints of both legs, use your hands to pull them away from the body and remove them altogether.
Step 5. Remove the wings
Grab one of the wings with your less dominant hand and a sharp knife with your dominant hand. Cut through the skin and flesh until you reach the bone of the wing. Cut through the bone with your knife and remove it from the body. Repeat for the other wing.
Step 6. Remove the breast
Hold the chicken steady, grab a sharp cutting blade, and cut along the breast bone through the skin that connects the breasts. Keep your knife parallel to the table as you cut. Move your knife at an angle to the breast bone as you run it through the skin to separate it.
Step 7. Pull the breast meat
With a clear lateral cut between the breasts. Gently grab the flesh of one breast side and pull it away from the bone and towards your body. Do the same to the other side of the chicken to remove the breasts.
Serving a rotisserie chicken
It’s best to serve rotisserie chicken right away. Place the rotisserie chicken breasts on the wooden cutting board and slice them into serving sizes. 1/4 inch thickness is ideal, but you can cut the chicken pieces to a size of your liking.
Arrange the platter and serve family style by laying the chicken pieces out on a metal or wooden platter. Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs, shredded cheese, hot sauce, or a sauce of your choice.
Do not throw away the carcass. You can use it to prepare chicken stock or use it in a homemade chicken soup. Place it in a pot and add onions, carrots, celery, and other seasonings to your liking. Add water and simmer for a few hours before straining the stock and disposing of the solids.
Rotisserie chicken nutrition
Eating a rotisserie chicken has a ton of benefits. It’s a healthy alternative to fried or baked chicken, and it’s full of protein and nutritional B vitamins. It’s also a great source of potassium, iron, selenium, zinc, niacin, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Great source of proteins
The human body needs about 0.8 grams of proteins per kg of body weight to maintain its growth and repair tissues. A rotisserie chicken is chock-full of proteins, making it the perfect meal after a workout or for those trying to build muscle.
A 3-ounce serving of chicken breast provides about 12 grams of protein. Eating the white parts is an excellent source of lean proteins. Lean proteins are crucial because they provide the necessary amino acids to fuel our muscles while keeping calories low.
Full of B vitamins
Rotisserie chicken is rich in vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Vitamins provide an array of benefits to the body.
For instance, vitamin B2 helps generate energy, while pantothenic acid ensures optimal growth and development in children. Vitamin B12 is essential for normal brain function, while vitamin B6 boosts immunity among older people.
Having a few servings of chicken per week is an excellent way to get these essential vitamins in your diet. For maximum benefits, have the white meat of the chicken. It contains fewer fats, which is vital to maintaining a healthy weight.
How to store a rotisserie chicken
You may not want to eat the rotisserie chicken straight away. An excellent way to store a rotisserie chicken is by keeping the meat in an airtight container and placing it in the fridge for up to three to four days.
Deep freezing
Suppose you don’t use up all your rotisserie chicken in three days. In that case, you can freeze the chicken. To freeze it, separate the chicken pieces with plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together. Place the wrapped chicken in a resealable freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
Canning
Another way of preserving the rotisserie chicken is by canning it. Canning helps you maintain all the flavor and nutrients in your chicken.
To can the chicken, remove the skin and bones, separate the meat into pieces, and process it in a pressure canner following your canning recipe directions for recommended processing time and pressure required. Store it in a cool and dry place.
Dehydrating
Dehydrating is another way to store your rotisserie chicken for up to six months. Dehydration removes the moisture from the meat without cooking it. This way, the chicken remains safe for consumption even after months of storage.
Forgotten leftovers
Leftover rotisserie chicken can make a wonderful meal for your family or friends. If you have leftover roasted chicken but don’t feel like eating it right away, freeze the chicken and save it for later.
You can also use the chicken pieces to prepare the chicken stock. If you have leftover meat, use a boning knife to remove it from the bone and dice it into cubes.
Set them aside and use the bones to make a bone broth. Add carrots, onions, celery, garlic cloves, parsley stalks, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, tomato paste, or diced tomatoes to your stock.
The flesh will provide lots of proteins, while the vegetables will help give your stock a unique flavor. Bone broth is loaded with minerals that have beneficial effects on the body, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
FAQs
How do you keep a rotisserie chicken moist?
To keep a rotisserie chicken moist, avoid cutting the meat into pieces until you’re ready to eat it. You can pour a cup of broth, wine, or anything with sodium into the cooking tray. Place the chicken in the oven and roast it for 15 to 20 minutes.
How long can you leave a warm rotisserie chicken out?
Keep a warm rotisserie chicken out for two hours to prevent it from deteriorating or catching bacteria. If you want to keep the meat warm for more than two hours, reheat it in the oven. Or you can store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days before consuming.
How do you keep a rotisserie chicken warm for 2 hours?
To keep a rotisserie chicken warm for two hours, wrap the meat in aluminum foil, place it on a baking sheet, and warm it up in the oven for 20 minutes. A meat thermometer helps ensure that the chicken heats appropriately.
Closing
Understanding how to cut a rotisserie chicken is the first step to enjoying your chicken. As long as you are careful about how you store, prepare, and cook it, the rotisserie chicken has many ways to please your taste buds. Use a sharp knife for the perfect cut, or learn how to hold a knife for the best grip every time.
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