Make the most of your chicken
Its easy-on-the-pocketbook price and ready availability make the rotisserie chicken a quick go-to for last-minute meal prep. Follow these tips to get the most out of your bird.
Chicken safety
Rotisserie chickens come hot off the roasting spit to container. A “sell by” time is usually listed to ensure food handling safety. Follow the “2-2-4” rule to ensure safe food handling.
Hot, perishable foods that sit out more than two hours are considered unsafe to eat. The USDA recommends throwing out food if it has been at room temperature longer. After two hours, the food is in a danger zone, where bacteria may rapidly reproduce and contaminate it. Remember that the two hours includes travel time from store to kitchen, so make sure the chicken is the last thing placed in your cart.
Two inches is the desired depth for storage containers. This allows the food to cool quickly and evenly.
Four days is the amount of time refrigerated leftovers are safe to eat. Frozen items, wrapped properly, should be consumed within two months.
Removing chicken meat
The chicken meat is easiest to remove while the bird is still warm.
After removing the meat, break the chicken carcass into large pieces and place cooled bones in food storage or freezer bags.
Quantities
An average 2-pound chicken (32 ounces) will yield about 3 1⁄2 cups meat. If using the chicken for a recipe that has lots of additional ingredients, like the quesadillas or white chicken chili recipes, half a chicken is all you’ll need. For recipes where the chicken is the main ingredient, plan for one chicken to serve four people.