Pre-Cooked Rotisserie Chicken… Is It a Good Option?

Hi Nell,
I'm interested in your thoughts on the Whole Foods "Original Recipe" Rotisserie Chicken.  The local Whole Foods  in Boulder, CO has Wednesday's chicken specials and a whole chicken is just $7.99.  This seems like a pretty good deal as it is quick and efficient (especially on a late work or training night) and will be enough for at least two meals for me and my husband.  The original recipe is canola oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper.  The chickens are from Bell & Evans and, although they are not organic, they are all natural, antibiotic free and cage free.  I realize that the canola oil is not necessarily the fat of choice, but given the cost and efficiency of this option what do you think? 

It sounds acceptable but not ideal;  I'd class that as a 'plan B' food, as in, for a once in a while, when you're in a pinch, rather than making it the first choice every single Wednesday.   

Try to optimize for olive oil over canola whenever possible.

Another thing to consider is what sort of packaging it is sold in. One of the local markets here sells roast chicken that sits in plastic containers all day under a heat lamp!  Using plastic in general is something that should be limited or completely nixed, let alone hot plastic that will seep its negative properties into the food it contains.

Try my recipe for trussed chicken in The Paleo Diet Cookbook– it's easy, extremely delicious and makes enough for dinner and breakfast the next day, and maybe even lunch, depending on how many people you're feeding!

Thanks for the inquiry!