If you've ever wondered how to make rotisserie chicken on a grill, I'll show you exactly how. With the right setup and a few simple steps, you can create juicy, golden-skinned chicken right at home. I've been making rotisserie chicken this way for over 20 years-on gas grills, and pellet grills-and it's still one of my favorite ways to cook a whole bird. Just season it well, stuff the cavity with aromatics like lemon, onion, garlic, and bay leaf and truss it. Once it's on the spit, the grill does the rest.
While grocery store or warehouse rotisserie chickens are popular for convenience, making your own is healthier, fresher, and far more flavorful. You control the ingredients-starting with a high-quality bird like organic, air-chilled chicken-and skip the preservatives, additives, chlorine rinses, and plastic packaging. Homemade is simply better. And as a bonus, you'll have plenty of tender, shredded chicken left over for tacos, salads, and other easy meals.
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Why You'll Love This Rotisserie Chicken
- Incredible flavor - Juicy, golden, and deeply seasoned-homemade rotisserie chicken is delicious.
- Simple setup - Use a grill with a rotisserie attachment or a countertop rotisserie oven-either works beautifully.
- Built-in basting - As the chicken rotates, it self-bastes for crisp, evenly browned skin and tender meat.
- Meal prep magic - Leftovers (if you have any!) are perfect for salads, tacos, soups, and easy lunches all week.
For another terrific basic chicken recipe, try these roast split chicken breasts, a weekly dinner at my house (along with rotisserie chicken).
Ingredients You'll Need
- Whole chicken - Choose a large, fresh whole chicken so you'll have plenty of leftovers. I recommend organic and air-chilled if possible (to avoid the chlorine bath common in water-chilled birds).
- Oil or binder - For gas grills, I brush the bird with olive oil then season. For pellet grills, I use a light coating of mayonnaise-it helps seasoning stick and promotes browning.
- Seasoning - You can keep it simple with salt and pepper, or use my homemade BBQ dry rub (my go-to).
- Stuffing (optional) - Aromatics like half an onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and a lemon or orange wedge add subtle flavor and help keep the meat juicy. A quick extra step that's totally worth it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dry rubs and seasonings - The easiest way to change things up is by switching your rub. Try a classic BBQ rub, lemon pepper, a smoky paprika blend, or poultry seasoning.
- Herbs - Add a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, or sage to the cavity for a more herbaceous finish.
- Oil alternatives - Instead of olive oil (gas grill) or mayo (pellet), you can use avocado oil or neutral healthy oil as a binder-just choose one with a high smoke point.
How to Rotisserie Chicken
Prep the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to rotisserie to get the chill off. Discard any little bag of innards, dry the inside of the chicken with paper towels. If using a pellet grill, be sure the hopper is full of good hardwood pellets.
- Remove any extra fat around the neck cavity and the tail end as well.
- Turn the bird over and bend the wings back flat.
- Season the bird inside with salt, then stuff with the aromatics and citrus if using.
- Truss the bird: tie the legs, then close the cavity with poultry lacers to keep the aromatics from falling out during the cook and helps the bird hold its shape while it spins
Position Chicken on the Spit
- Center the chicken on the spit (rotisserie rod) so the weight is evenly distributed. Slide the meats forks onto each side of the rod pushing them into the chicken to secure. Turn the screws very tight. Do this on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any raw juices and keep things clean and allowing for easy transport to the grill.
- Place the rod with the chicken into the rotisserie and turn on the motor to be sure it is turning. Add extra rub if you have any bare spots.
Chef's tip: When setting up the chicken on the rotisserie rod (the spit), make sure they are totally secure and very tight. If they come lose during the rotisserie the chicken will not rotate. It will get stuck in a position and could burn. When the chicken is on, check it once in a while to be sure it's turning evenly.
Temperature and Timing for Rotisserie Chicken
For a gas grill, there may not be a temperature setting. If there is, set it for 350°F - 375°F as you would for a pellet grill.
Roast for approximately 1 ½ hours or until the inner thigh reaches 175º degrees tested with a digital thermometer. The chicken should be a deep golden brown. Peak in and check on the rotisserie occasionally to be sure it is turning. Its done when it's at temperature, not time. Each grill is different and the weather may effect the timing.
Remove chicken from the rotisserie and allow chicken to stand for about 10 minutes before carving.
Serving Suggestions
What to make with rotisserie chicken? Just about anything!
- Potatoes - Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, whipped sweet potatoes, or my French potato salad for a summery twist.
- Vegetables - Balsamic Brussels sprouts, sweet corn succotash, or broccoli slaw with creamy apple cider dressing.
- Salads - Broccoli salad with bacon, simple easy coleslaw, or a lemony pasta salad.
Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
- Chinese chicken salad with ginger vinaigrette.
- Mexican chicken tortilla soup.
- Grilled chicken salad with blueberry vinaigrette.
- Use it for tacos or quesadillas.
- Caesar pasta salad with chicken.
- Chicken vegetable soup.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze rotisserie chicken, but not the whole thing. I recommend cutting the chicken up into major pieces before freezing, or stripping all of the meat from the bones and freezing it that way. It depends on how you plan to use it. Be sure to label and date the container. An airtight container or vacuum sealed bag preserve it the best.
Leftover rotisserie chicken is like gold! Chop it for creamy chicken salad. Shred it for rotisseries chicken tacos and enchiladas. Make chicken tortillas soup. Use it to top fresh salads greens for a terrific lunch or dinner. Make a Cobb Salad or a chicken tostada. Leftover rotisserie chicken is a welcome thing to have.
Cooking time for a rotisserie chicken depends on your type of rotisserie. There are outdoor gas grill and pellet grill rotisserie setups, countertop indoor kitchen rotisseries, and air fryer oven rotisserie's, but here are several tips.
The first few times you rotisserie chicken, keep an eye on it. When done, they are a rich golden brown and smell terrific. Second, of course read the brands manual and checker their website for possible times.
Third, use a good digital kitchen thermometer to test the internal temperature. When the probe is inserted into the inner thigh without hitting the bone, the temperature should be 170°F.
I've always used an outdoor grill set up and it take anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours to rotisserie a chicken. Timing also depends on how hot your rotisserie is and if you can control the cooking temperature. Weather is another factor.
There are several ways to add flavor to a rotisserie chicken: with a binder such as olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, with dry dry rubs, by marinating the whole chicken before hand (or brining), and by stuffing the internal cavity with flavorful ingredients such as cut lemon or orange wedges, chunks of onion, fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf, and with crushed fresh garlic cloves.
Also, remember to salt the internal cavity of the chicken, and salt the outside if your dry rub is salt-free.
More Chicken Recipes
Need more ideas for chicken recipes? Here are a few, and be sure to check out the chicken recipes index page for more inspiration!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make rotisserie chicken, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. Any questions? Let me know! If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Rotisserie Chicken on a Grill
Equipment
- Rotisserie attachment for outdoor grill
Ingredients
Basic Rotisserie Chicken
- 4 ½ pound whole organic chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil OR mayo for pellet grill
- seasonings of choice see notes below
Options for Stuffing the Chicken
- ½ small onion, quartered
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ small lemon, quartered
Instructions
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour ahead to get the chill off. Remove and bag of innards, discard, and carefully rinse the bird inside and out and dry with paper towels. Remove extra fat around the neck cavity. Bend the wing tips back under the bird.
- Rub the bird with olive oil (or mayo) then season the inside with a sprinkle of the seasoning you plan to use on the outside of the bird. If stuffing with aromatics, do it now, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine. This keeps the chicken in a nice shape for even roasting and rotation.
- Place one pronged holder on the steel rod with prongs facing in. Skewer the chicken through the cavity and tail end. Add the other pronged holder and center the bird. Be sure the chicken is tight between the prongs. Use pliers to tighten down the screws if needed. I do this on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any raw juices and keep things clean.
- Place the rod with the chicken into the rotisserie and turn on the motor to be sure it is turning. Season the outside of the chicken while on the spit as it turns to get it evenly coated or do it in the kitchen.
- Roast for 1 ½- 2 hours or until the inner thigh reaches 165º - 170º degrees when tested with a digital thermometer. The chicken should be a deep golden brown. Peak in and check the rotisserie occasionally to be sure it is turning.
- Remove from the rotisserie and allow chicken to stand for about 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Salt, ground black pepper, granulated garlic
- Southwestern taco seasoning
- My all-purpose dry rub
- Lemon pepper
Nutrition
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