The Great Portland Rotisserie Chicken Taste Test: We Ate 9 Birds to Find the Best

A grocery store rotisserie chicken holds a special place in the American household. It is the ultimate utility player: quick, convenient, hot, and ready for countless uses. The National Chicken Council reports that Americans buy nearly 1 billion rotisserie chickens every year. A massive chunk of that volume is driven by Costco, which sells over 100 million of its famous $4.99 birds annually — a figure that continues to grow.

However, not all rotisserie chickens are created equal. They differ significantly in price and quality based on sourcing, seasoning, and cooking methods.

As part of Stumptown Savings' mission to help Portland shop smarter, we decided to put the region's options to the ultimate test. We assembled a panel of five Portland food writers and purchased nine chickens from eight different stores. The ground rules were simple: a blind taste test judging flavor and texture first, with a crucial "value score" added only after the brands and prices were revealed.

In the end, one chicken reigned supreme.

We selected eight prominent rotisserie chicken brands sold in and around Portland. Our lineup included budget-friendly staples, organic choices, and premium private-label selections. Notably, we tested two varieties from Safeway: their standard budget-focused Signature Select and their premium natural Open Nature bird.

We procured all rotisserie chickens on the day of the event, keeping them hot and fresh in transport coolers.

Katy, our designated butcher and host, prepared the samples, slicing bite-sized pieces of both white and dark meat (with skin) for each tester. To ensure an unbiased evaluation, the chickens were anonymized and randomized. Testers judged solely on taste and texture first.

After the initial scoring, we revealed the source and price. Testers then graded them on value. A maximum of 75 points could be awarded to each chicken by the panel.

The final scores varied significantly, revealing one clear champion—and a few surprisingly poor performers.

Portland’s budget grocery king disappointed in our previous ice cream taste test, but redeemed itself here, whipping the competition much like it did in our blind doughnut test. At just $5.98, it was the second most affordable bird on the list, but what really set it apart was taste and texture. It was the top pick for most of the panel, earning high marks for even seasoning that wasn’t too salty, and a moist, tender texture that avoided greasiness.

“I think this was my favorite one,” Ben said, specifically citing a savory umami flavor. “It had the qualities that I would want from a rotisserie chicken rather than just chicken by itself.”

“I just loved it,” Meg agreed. “The taste was sort of smoky ... and the texture was almost silky. It was very moist. This is the people’s rotisserie chicken.”

WinCo was the clear winner, finishing eight points above the runner-up.

The Whole Foods chicken was on the pricier side — especially considering this wasn’t their organic option — but it earned high marks for quality. It featured one of the stronger seasoning blends, with heavy notes of black pepper. The panel was split on whether that was a feature or a bug.

Meg and Katy both found the meat slightly dry and were put off by the aggressive pepper flavor on the skin. “It tastes OK, but I found the light meat a little tough and the dark meat too dry,” Katy noted.

Meanwhile, Ben, Misty, and I cited the seasoning as a high point. Ben noted how this chicken could easily stand on its own as the centerpiece of a dinner.

“[This chicken is] strongly flavored and easy to build a meal around," he said. “It has good value for an upscale store.”

America’s most popular rotisserie chicken was divisive. Noticeably larger than the other birds, Costco’s was hands down the cheapest and offered the best price-per-ounce by a wide margin. However, the panel had conflicting thoughts on its value based on the taste test.

“It had OK taste, but was almost too wet, like they injected it with water,” Misty noted. I agreed; the chicken was almost too soft, with a slimy skin texture that was off-putting. Neither of us felt the low price justified the texture issues.

Costco surged to third place thanks to perfect scores from both Katy and Meg, who cited the tender, falling-apart meat as a hallmark of a good bird.

“It felt 'friendly' to eat,” Meg said. “Not too salty, a little peppery. The dark meat was almost delicate, with a soft yet firm texture.”

“It's hard to argue with the $5 price,” Ben admitted, despite giving it mediocre grades for flavor.

Slipping in just below Costco, the Signature Select bird was hindered by its price tag — $1 more than Whole Foods. However, it offered flavorful, moist meat. Katy noted this was the only contender with truly “juicy” breast meat. “It was the only one that was juicy right in my mouth,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that's surprising.’”

Unsurprisingly, the upscale Zupan’s was the most expensive store on our list. It was also one of the few to identify the source of its chickens: Draper Valley Farms. While it struggled with the value score due to the $13.99 price tag, the group agreed it offered good (if not great) taste and texture. Both Katy and Ben noted the seasoning was inconsistent, with some parts feeling more glazed than others. “I wouldn't mind paying more for this chicken," Misty noted, but the price dragged it down the rankings.

The Open Nature line (a house brand in Albertsons/Safeway stores) focuses on natural, health−conscious products. Unfortunately, at $2 more per chicken than the standard version, it packed worse—read: nonexistent—seasoning and dry meat. “It was neither good nor bad,” Ben said, summing up the group’s reaction. I was the harshest critic, knocking it for skin that was slimy and slick.

An “average, everyday chicken” in almost every way. Fred Meyer’s bird was neutral in flavor with tender, relatively moist meat. However, the price and the greasy skin ultimately did it in. At $8.99, you can find better flavor and value elsewhere.

Market of Choice offered solid flavor thanks to balanced seasoning, but the meat was incredibly dry. Meg described the dark meat as being so dry that it “sucked the moisture out of my mouth.” Katy summed it up: “I was expecting more for Market of Choice.”

This was hands down the worst chicken of the bunch. It was so bad, we honestly recommend you avoid it. “Flavorless, bad seasoning, really dry, gross, chalky. Barely tasted like chicken,” Katy said. “Zero value.” Combined with the high price point, there is no reason to buy this chicken.

What’s your favorite way to use a rotisserie chicken? Reply to this email or drop a comment below the article.

Happy saving!
Bryan,
Founder/Publisher,
Stumptown Savings