Homemade Rotisserie Chicken.

One thing I like is going to the store and being able to get a whole chicken, already cooked, ready to go. The downside, is I don't honestly know what all they put on it or in it. This recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated. There was an article on how to make the best Rotisserie chicken and to date, homemade has been hands down better than any store bought.

What's your favorite part of a chicken.... for most people, including me it's the skin, when it's crunchy... and that is why I love this recipe. It comes out of the oven and it's smells divine, the skin is crunchy and the meat is so juicy.

I can get 2 whole raw chickens at Sam's for 8-9 dollars, making the whole chicken 4-4.50. And usually we can split a chicken breast (portion wise on a whole chicken 1/2 a breast is a serving). So we get 2 dinners and some 2+ lunches, making it 50 cents - 1.00 for the meat. You can't get plain boneless chicken breast for that cheap... well sometimes, but not usually. If you don't have a Sam's card, look at Wal-mart or your grocery store for sales on the chickens.

We served this with a serving of instant mashed potato and steamed squash and zucchini. If you've never tried this, make some instant mashed potatoes and add a tbsp of dried ranch to it. It gives such a great flavor to the potatoes without add a ton of calories.

Rotisserie Chicken

WW pts: vary on what part of the chicken you eat.

1 Whole Thaw Chicken

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp Rosemary

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp Canola oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Place whole chicken with breast side up in a roasting pan or cake pan, in my picture you can see the breast, they will bulge out a little more than the dark meat. Leaving the skin attached, slide you hand to seperate the skin from the chicken breast to create a pocket. In a small bowl combine Butter, Rosemary, pepper, garlic salt cayenne pepper. Take 1/2 of the butter compound and place between 1 side of breast and the skin, on the outside of the skin use your fingers to spread the butter into a layer. Then repeat for other side. It doesn't have to be perfect you just want the flavor to cover the breast and keep it juicy. Take the canola oil and spread it on top of the skin. Rub it in gently with your hand. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven 20 minutes per pound. Usually around 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.

To check the chicken use a meat thermometer and when it reads 165-170 degrees it's done. Most thermometers say 180 it's done, but that usually means it's dried out. If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can cut the chicken and see if the juices run clear, if they do, then the chicken is done. If not leave and check 10-15 minutes later. When chicken is done, pull out of oven and let sit for 10 minutes. It will lock the juices into the meat, and it will also make it easier to cut.

The spices can be varied depending on your mood. Here are some of the alternatives we've used in the past:

Lemon pepper

Cumin & Cayenne (mexican flavor)