Is Rotisserie Chicken Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Says

If you're a busy parent or just like fast, no-fuss meals, you probably know the value of a rotisserie chicken. It feels like a home-cooked meal, but you didn't have to do any cooking. Plus, it's filling, budget-friendly and generally a crowd-pleaser for all ages. Not to mention, it's incredibly versatile. Sure, you can serve it straight from the package with your favorite veggies and starch for a quick, easy, balanced meal, but it can also be used in dozens of other dishes to save time.

"Use it to make nutritious and veggie-packed grain bowls, soups, salads, tacos and pasta dishes in a fraction of the time," says Beth Stark, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian based in Pennsylvania.

Rotisserie chicken may sound like a busy person's dream, but is it too good to be true? Read on for what to know about preparation, serving it and how to make sure it's contributing to your health.

Health Benefits

"Rotisserie chicken is a healthy choice for people who want a lean source of protein but don't have either the time, interest or skill to cook. It's a low-fat cooking method, and the chicken can be used in a variety of ways," says Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition.

Protein plays many important roles in the body, from building and maintaining muscle to regulating hormones and controlling blood sugar. Protein is also digested more slowly than carbohydrates, so getting enough of it at a meal helps you stay full for several hours.

Beyond the fact that it's a lean protein, rotisserie chicken also offers a variety of other important nutrients. "[The vitamins and minerals found in rotisserie chicken] play a role in everything from blood cell development to nervous system function, skin health, cognition and energy production," notes Stark. "Because it's usually enjoyed as a quick meal starter, rotisserie chicken is also a fabulous vehicle for boosting your intake of other nutritious foods like whole grains, vegetables and healthy fats."

Nutrition Facts

The nutritional breakdown depends on a few things—which part you eat (white or dark meat), whether or not you eat the skin, and how much sodium was used in preparation. Here's a breakdown for a 3-ounce serving, according to the USDA.

One cup of chicken thighs with the skin:

• Calories: 305
• Total Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Total Sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Total Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 171 mg
• Sodium: 452 mg

One cup of chicken thighs, skin not eaten:

• Calories: 261
• Total Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Total Sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 33 g
• Total Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 173 mg
• Sodium: 452mg

One cup of chicken breast with skin:

• Calories: 236
  
• Total Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Total Sugar: 0 g
  
• Protein: 36 g
• Total fat: 10 g
• Saturated fat: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 122 mg
• Sodium: 444 mg

One cup of chicken breast, skin not eaten:

• Calories: 194
• Total Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 0 g
• Total Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 38 g
• Total Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 116 mg
• Sodium: 443 mg

Both white and dark meat are also sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, selenium, zinc, copper and phosphorus, and dark meat provides double the amount of iron compared to white meat.

Can You Eat the Skin?

You've probably been told to avoid the skin on any kind of poultry, and in general, that's good advice. While it may be tasty, Andrews says that she usually advises people to skip the skin due to its saturated fat content.

In fact, removing the skin can cut the saturated fat in half if you're eating the breast, and by a third if you're eating dark meat. According to the American Heart Association, eating too much saturated fat may increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which can increase the risk for heart disease.

If you truly enjoy the skin and can't imagine eating a rotisserie chicken without it, it's OK to have some. Just make sure to account for it in your total saturated fat intake for the day. The AHA recommends keeping saturated fat intake below 5% to 6% of calories, which is about 13 grams per day for those eating around 2,000 calories.

Chicken skin isn't all fat, though. It's also a good source of collagen, a type of protein that may benefit skin and connective tissue, like ligaments and tendons, per a 2024 review in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. With that said, it should be eaten in moderation, as there are other ways to get collagen into your diet besides noshing on chicken skin.

Anything Else to Consider?

The sodium content of a rotisserie chicken can vary significantly depending on the preparation. Some chickens may be brined or soaked in a saline (salt) solution before cooking to make them juicier. Others may use a rub or seasoning that contains a lot of salt on both the skin and the innards of the bird. It can be hard to know exactly how much sodium is in a chicken unless the grocery store provides a nutrition label, but you can look for words like "brined" or "saline solution" on the label.

If you're concerned about eating organic or free range, Andrews recommends taking some time to read the label to see where your chicken comes from. These things don't play a major role in the nutritional value (though there may be minor micronutrient differences), but they may be important to you for other reasons, like environmental impact or treatment of animals.

How to Use It

One of the wonderful things about rotisserie chicken is that it's versatile and can be used in almost any recipe that calls for chicken—whether that's in a low-calorie meal or a Sunday dinner.

Of course, how you use it can determine how healthy the meal is, so we recommend emphasizing veggies and whole grains for the rest of the meal to build a healthy plate.

Top-Rated Rotisserie Chicken Recipes to Try

Rotisserie Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

5.0

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

4.9

The Bottom Line

Rotisserie chicken can be an easy and healthy way to add protein and other important nutrients to your meals with little effort. Just be mindful of the saturated fat found in both the skin and the dark meat, as well as any hidden sodium. Use rotisserie chicken as the star of the meal or as part of a recipe calling for chicken.