This homemade rotisserie chicken is brined, coated in seasoned butter, then roasted to golden brown perfection. The flavor is SO much better than store bought rotisserie chicken without all the preservatives and additives!
There’s nothing more satisfying than a home cooked chicken dinner, some of my favorites include braised chicken with carrots and potatoes, slow cooker whole chicken, and this tender and juicy rotisserie style chicken.
It’s so easy and convenient to pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, but I often find that the flavor is lacking and there are a lot of chemicals on the ingredients list. This homemade version is simple to make and one of the best chickens you’ll ever eat!
How do you make rotisserie chicken?
You don’t need a rotisserie to make authentic, flavorful rotisserie chicken at home. All you have to do is brine, butter and roast a whole chicken to get that same incredible taste. Brine a chicken with this brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings underneath the breast. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Make the seasoning mix by combining in a bowl butter, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Generously rub this mixture on top of and underneath the skin of the chicken. Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F. Baste the chicken with its own juices occasionally. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil if it starts to get dark. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes after removing it from the oven and then serve it.
Tips for rotisserie chicken
- This recipe calls for a 5 pound chicken. You can use a larger or smaller chicken, just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- You can make this chicken in a slow cooker. Simply rub the butter mixture over the chicken, then cook on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours. Place the chicken under the broiler to crisp up the skin.
- You can add vegetables to your roasting pan such as carrots and potatoes for a complete meal.
HOW LONG DO YOU ROAST A CHICKEN?
Generally speaking, a whole chicken needs to cook at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes per pound. I cook my chicken at a higher temperature, 400 degrees F, to get that deep golden brown crispy skin, so it should take more like 15-16 minutes per pound.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE A CHICKEN FOR ROASTING?
To prepare a whole chicken for roasting, you’ll want to remove the giblet bag if there’s one inside the chicken cavity. The next step is to tuck the wings underneath the breast to prevent the wing tips from burning. Finally, tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
DO YOU HAVE TO BRINE A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
You do not have to brine a rotisserie chicken, that being said, I highly recommend taking the time to do it. Chicken is a naturally lean meat which mean it’s prone to drying out in the oven. When a chicken is placed into brine, it absorbs some of the brine which helps to both keep it moist and also to season it all the way through.
When you’re working with a brined chicken, even if you overcook it a bit, it will still come out tender and juicy. I’ve included my favorite chicken brine in the recipe card below. If you choose to brine your chicken, be sure to add minimal salt to your seasoned butter so that your final product is not overly salty.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN IS DONE?
The easiest way to tell when your chicken is done is to use a thermometer. A chicken is safe to eat when a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F. I use an electronic thermometer which I insert into the chicken at the beginning of the cook time, and I monitor the progress throughout so that I know when to take my chicken out of the oven.
Once you try this rotisserie chicken, you’ll be hooked! Everyone will think you’re a gourmet chef when they taste this better than store bought chicken.
Side dishes to go with your chicken
Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 recipe chicken brine optional but highly recommended
- 5 lb whole chicken
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste go easy on the salt if you've brined your chicken
- fresh herbs for garnish optional
Instructions
- Brine the chicken according to recipe directions. When the chicken is done brining, rinse it then pay dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Tuck the chicken wings underneath the breast.
- Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place the butter, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Loosen the skin of the chicken breast. Rub the butter mixture all over the chicken, both on the outside of the chicken and underneath the skin.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Cook for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
- Baste the chicken with pan juices every 20 minutes - if the skin is getting overly dark, cover the chicken with foil.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings and garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
SusanO says
This is on the table tonight! I could only manage 6 hours in the brine and am hoping it works. Putting some halved Yukon Gold Potatoes in with the chicken after 20 minutes on its own. Can’t wait! Next time, we will roast this in the outdoor wood fired oven… woot woot!
Katherine says
Bill, how long did you air fry for?
Bill says
Wow, I used my new air fryer for the first time today. I used the two recipes above and the chicken came out super moist and flavorful! Thanks for the fast and easy recipes!
Stacy M says
Brined the chicken for 8 hours, followed this rotisserie chicken recipe.. BEST freaking chicken I’ve ever eaten!! My husband and I devoured it
Karina says
LOVE this rub – a tip if it hasn’t been mentioned: I like to start my roast chicken breast side down. And then turn it part way through cooking. This helps keep the breast meat juicy and very flavorful as well.
Efua says
I tried this dish according to the letter, and it was delicious! So juicy and flavorful! Ended up sharing the recipe with several of my friends..😄
Thank you!
Stephanie Reddicks says
Wondering if you can brine it longer than 8 hours?
Sara says
Yes but I wouldn’t go over 12 hours!
Pam says
I ended up with a 7 pound chicken but still followed the recipe exactly to the letter. It turned out so juicy and tender! My man loves it and says that it’s a do again.
The only issue I had was getting the butter mixture to stick to the chicken and not me. Maybe if I left the chicken warm up a bit after removing it from the brine refrigerator treatment.
Other than that….I give it ten stars! 😁💕
Jem says
The first time I made it I had a hard time rubbing the butter as well. The next time I tried, I put the stick of butter in the microwave for 15sec to soften it up and it made it so much easier to apply the rub!
Jack Wesley Henderson says
Can this chicken be cooked own a rotisserie grill
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Dawn says
I don’t see an oven temp…350*/400* seems right. Thanks, D
Amy says
There’s nothing better than a roast chicken and this one sounds so good!
Shashi at SavorySpin says
Wow what a gorgeous bird – and love that tasty rub too!
Sapana says
I love how helpful your directions are for making the perfect rotisserie!
Josi says
No more do I need to rely on Costco rotisserie chicken, making myself is totally doable!! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Heidy L. McCallum says
This recipe turned out perfect. The whole family said it was moist and extremely juicy.
Julie says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Chelsa says
This was seriously the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had. Never going back to store bought!
Aimee Shugarman says
OMG this turned out perfect. No more store bought rotisserie for me!
Laura Reese says
This is so helpful! I always wanted to make this.
wilhelmina says
This chicken turns out as gorgeous as it is delicious! The perfect thing for a dinner party or a family meal!