7 Costco Rotisserie Chicken Tricks That Stretch Your Meals for Days
Costco's rotisserie chickens are iconic for good reason—there are few places you can get a whole cooked chicken for just $5. Not only is the chicken delicious, but it's incredibly convenient to have a cooked chicken ready to go for other recipes, saving you time, money, and effort. If you like the idea of getting a whole chicken but worry it will go to waste before you can eat all of it (this is probably not a problem for large households) there are a few tips and tricks you can employ to enjoy every bite of that delicious bird. Here's what Costco members recommend for making a rotisserie chicken last for days.
Debone While Warm
Many Costco members recommend pulling the chicken apart while it's still warm before putting it into smaller containers. "The trick is to debone it while it's still warm, then divide it in 2-4 containers and freeze it," one Redditor said. "Thaw (in the fridge) as needed. In my experience, the meat is slightly soggy when it thaws (even white meat), and is still excellent for making chicken salad, tacos, quesadillas, soup, casserole, stew, etc. or you can pick at it, make sandwiches, etc."
Get a Vacuum Sealer
A vacuum sealer will keep your rotisserie chicken fresh for days (and is useful for other foods too). "Get yourself a vacuum sealer friend. It's a real game changer. Personally, I'm impressed you have the willpower to have a bird last that long. In my single days, I'd pick one up on Friday after work and by Sunday PM there was nothing left," one Redditor said. "Can confirm. It's just me and the wife at the house but I'll smoke an 18-lb brisket or 10-15 lbs of pulled pork and vac them into 1-2 lb packages. They come out smelling and tasting like freshly smoked," another agreed.
Make a Chicken Pot Pie
Using a Costco rotisserie chicken is ideal for making a chicken pot pie, so the chicken not only goes further but the pie can last for a few days. "We do this and it's awesome. Chicken + frozen mixed veggies is such a simple filling for the busiest of days," one member said.
Make Bone Broth
One Redditor reminded others to use the bones of the chicken as well. "Making broth with the carcass at the end. Cover the carcass in water in a pot, about 4 quarts. Add a couple teaspoons of salt and peppercorns. Wash and cut up an onion, a stalk of celery and a carrot. Toss everything in the pot and boil it for an hour or so. Add more salt if you want to. Pretty easy," they said. "I shred the chicken and make stir fry over rice or lo mein then make bone broth with the bones," another agreed.
Coldest Part of the Fridge
One Costco member recommended keeping the chicken in the coldest part of the fridge to stay fresher. "Put it away immediately. Avoid any time sitting uncovered on the counter," they said. "Don't cut it up in advance. This just leaves more surface area to oxidize. Then you get the 'fridge' smell. Use an airtight container. I usually use a glass container with those snap-on lids that have a rubber seal. Put it in the back of the fridge so it stays cold. Stuff that's sitting in the front experience temperature swings when you open and close the door. Don't touch the chicken with dirty hands or dirty utensils. This just jump starts the process of going bad if you happen to transfer any bacteria to the meat."
Get the Moisture Out
One Redditor said to get moisture out of the chicken once it's deboned and shredded. "Combine the white & dark meat. Either by cooking or by using your hands until you have similarly sized shreds/chunks of chicken. The next step is to remove the moisture. Accomplish this by placing shredded chicken on a baking sheet. Place the shredded chicken in the oven or on your smoker at 225°F for about an hour. Try it. You'll appreciate the result!"
Use a Wet Paper Towel
One Costco member says to remove the chicken from the plastic container as soon as possible. "As soon as you get home, the clam shell goes straight into the garbage and chicken goes whole into a freezer bag. And if you're feeding a picky toddler the best way to reheat and serve- Cut off breast, cut into bite size pieces, wrap the handful of bites into a wet paper towel, microwave in wet paper towel, and plop it onto plate and dispose of towel. This keeps it moist and tasty. With these two techniques you can get more days out of your chicken. I'm a vegetarian feeding a kid that likes chicken so it doesn't get eaten very fast."
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