It’s fast, it’s easy, and – if you pull the skin off – it’s a super-lean source of protein. But we rarely think of the differences in how rotisserie chickens compare, nutritionally speaking – and the reality is, there can be a LOT of variation! Today we’re Getting the Skinny with Molly on some of the best and worst options in stores.
NOTE: Nutrition facts like calories, fat, saturated fat, carbs, etc won’t really vary with rotissierie chickens, since most are seasoned with dry rubs, not sugary or oily marinades. The nutrition facts are essentially the same as other types of roasted chicken, which vary by cut like breast, thigh, or wing. Instead, it’s the quality of ingredients & sodium that have the most variation.
LOVE IT!
Whole Foods Market NAKED Chicken – $9.99
- Ingredient: Chicken
- 120 mg sodium per serving (1 serving = ¼ chicken)
LIKE IT!
Jennie-O Rotisserie Turkey Breast Roast – available locally at Rouses – $8.99
- Ingredients include turkey breast, water, salt, modified food starch, sodium phosphate
- 280 mg sodium per 3-ounce serving
Sam’s Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken
- Ingredients include water, seasoning (sodium phosphate, salt, yeast extract, maltodextrin, chicken fat, chicken broth), rubbed with corn flour, salt, spices.
- Ingredients aren’t super “clean” but better than the ingredients in the “hate it” rotisserie chickens
- Nutrition facts not found on label, on SamsClub.com, or via phone call to corporate store
HATE IT!
Winn Dixie BBQ Rotisserie Chicken – $6
- Ingredients include seasoning (including salt, modified food starch, molasses, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, corn syrup solids, sucrose, caramel color, sugar), sodium phosphates, carrageenan.
- 290 mg sodium per 3-ounce serving
Walmart Traditional Rotisserie Chicken – $4.98
- Chicken broth, salt, carrageenan blend (carrageenan & sugar), rubbed with spices, garlic powder, salt, dehydrated lemon peel, paprika…
- 400 mg sodium per 3-ounce serving
CostCo Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken – $4.99
- Ingredients include water seasoning, (salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato starch (potato, tapioca) and potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, spice extractives.
- Approximately 470 mg sodium per 3-ounce serving (based on Costco leg quarter nutrition stats)
###
Want more from Molly? Click here to sign up for Nutrition Bites, her weekly e-newsletter with links to her Get the Skinny TV segments here on WGNO, and her weekly column in NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune! And you can follow Molly on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram: @MollyKimballRD
