When I think of easy-peasy meal options, my first idea is always rotisserie chicken. It's a surprisingly affordable meal choice, and one that's big enough to feed several people, which in this economy is a major win. Don't even get me started on the mental load it takes off my brain knowing I can just pop by any old grocery store, grab a steaming bird, and plonk it onto the dining table. But are they all created equal?
I went on a mission to find out, grabbing one from Loblaws, Metro, and Costco to get to the bottom of things — because we're all about shopping smarter, not harder these days, and I'd hate to see any of you wasting your money on a sub-par meal. Without further ado, here's what my extensive research has shown me.
Loblaws
The hardest choice was picking between BBQ and Portuguese-style.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $13
Rating: 7.5/10 with points deducted for sneaky pricing tactics.
Here, I had the choice between Portuguese-style and BBQ (I obviously got both because I am nothing if not thorough and also perpetually hungry), and let me tell ya — in terms of flavour, Loblaws did not disappoint.
Both birds were juicy, well-cooked, and had deliciously seasoned skin that I gleefully snagged off my husband's plate. No dry, chewy meat here! It was great on its own, and even better in a chicken salad with lots of crisp, crunchy veggies. I do, however, have one major beef, and that's the price.
During our checkout, the kind lady behind the counter whispered that the same chicken — yes, the VERY SAME — was several bucks cheaper at No Frills. Naturally, we had to go see for ourselves. To our surprise, she was right. The same options (both by President's Choice, no less), which cost $13 and change at Loblaws, were only $10 a mere ten-minute walk away.
Now, I know that Loblaws and No Frills are owned by the same company, but I just can't get on board with this type of price trickery. I will say that both Loblaws and No Frills opted to package their chicks in easy-to-carry containers, with a nifty top handle that made carrying them home a lot easier (they also both made amazing chicken salads — just saying).
Metro
Go big or go home.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $13.99
Rating: 6/10
I was expecting the same ol' chicken options here, so colour me surprised when we came upon a "Mammoth Barbeque Chicken" option that I, quite frankly, did not have on my bingo card. For comparison, the Loblaws chickens were around 900 grams, but Metro decided to be a total overachiever by giving us an extra 100 g of protein (perfect for proteinmaxxing, am I right?). But did the extra meat make it a winner? No. No, it did not.
Despite the massive size, the flavour was surprisingly small-scale, and what little there was came only from the roasted skin, which somehow, against all odds, was shockingly bland and a bit too rubbery for my liking. And while most rotisserie chickens offer up plenty of options for meals and lunch leftovers, I found it so unappetizing that it went uneaten in our fridge.
Costco
Top chicken on the block.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $9
Rating: 10/10
This is the platonic ideal of a rotisserie chicken. When you Google "rotisserie chicken," this is the chicken you'll see. This is the chicken all other rotisserie chickens aspire to be.
First of all, offering a whole 1.2 kg bird for under $10 bucks is absolutely wild, Costco. The price is so good that I'd probably be willing to overlook any flavour shortcomings. Luckily, I didn't have to, because this rotisserie chicken is great. I
'm sorry in advance for this, but it was so damn MOIST, even the next morning when I stacked it high on toasted bread. Oddly enough, it comes in a literal bag, which at first raises questions like, "Who thought this was a good idea?" But once you get over the fact that it's literal CHICKEN in a BAG, you'll realize that it serves a purpose: it's really, really good at sealing in all those delicious juices so the meat inside is tender as hell and melt-in-your-mouth good.
Where the Loblaws chicken fell short on size, this one overdelivered, and I freakin' LOVE that (it also made a really great chicken salad).
Before doing all my research for this, I really didn't think there was all that much to this whole rotisserie chicken thing. A chicken is a chicken, you know? But now that I've tasted, and tasted, and tasted some more, there's definitely a few things to consider before grabbing one for your next dinner.
First, the price. There's a surprisingly big discrepancy from store to store, and that's before you start factoring in total weight and size, so keep your eyes peeled for those flyers to get a good deal.
Second, don't expect any fancy-schmancy flavours (unless you're going to a specialty spot, or paying a few bucks more for a deluxe option).
Ultimately, it all comes down to personal choice. What works for me might not slake your cravings! Thankfully, rotisserie chickens are a supermarket classic — and a classic never goes out of style.
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The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.