Rotisserie Chicken on a Grill
Juicy and golden, rotisserie chicken is mostly hands-off cooking and you get a better, tastier chicken by doing it at home. Timing tip: start about 3 hours ahead of serving. You need time to set up the attachment, get the bird ready, get it going, then allowing it to rest when done.
Servings: 5 to 6
Calories: 443kcal
Equipment
- Rotisserie attachment for outdoor grill
Ingredients
Basic Rotisserie Chicken
- 4 ½ pound whole organic chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or mayo oil for gas grill/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
Prep the chicken
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to take the chill off. Remove and discard any giblets or innards. Dry the chicken inside and out with paper towels. Remove any extra fat around the neck cavity and tuck the wing tips under the bird.
Season the chicken and tie
- Season inside the cavity with a little kosher salt. If using aromatics, add them now, then close the cavity with a couple of lacing pins if needed to keep them from falling out, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Lastly lightly coat the chicken with oil or mayo and season well with the dry rub.
Position the Chicken on the Spit
- Place one pronged holder on the rotisserie rod with the prongs facing inward. Skewer the chicken through the cavity and tail end, then add the second pronged holder. Center the bird and make sure it is held tightly between the prongs. Use pliers to tighten the screws if needed. Do this on a rimmed baking sheet to catch 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.
Rotisserie the Chicken
- Roast for approximately 1½ hours, or until the inner thigh (without touching the bone) reaches 175°F - 180°F with a digital thermometer. The chicken should be deep golden brown. Peek in occasionally to be sure the rotisserie is turning properly.
- Remove the chicken from the rotisserie and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
Delicious options for seasoning:
- Salt, ground black pepper, granulated garlic
- Southwestern taco seasoning
- My all-purpose dry rub
- Lemon pepper
Nutrition
Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg