If you are trying to eat healthily, consume less calories, then there are some foods you want to avoid, and some that you can enjoy without worrying about it!
Trying to keep track of your calories can be difficult, and you have to have a lot of willpower and motivation to avoid some of your favorite foods while you are eating healthily.
One of the things that people love is rotisserie chicken. Let’s face it.
They’re easy to pick up from the store, you don’t have to cook a whole chicken for hours, and they are incredibly tasty. But, they may not be all that good for you.
So, let’s take a look at what is in a rotisserie chicken, including spices that could contribute to calories, how many calories are in a whole rotisserie chicken, what the recommended serving size is, and more, to see if you can enjoy rotisserie chicken as part of your diet.
What Is In A Rotisserie Chicken?
Rotisserie chickens just taste different from home-cooked ones. And it’s no wonder why.
These chickens tend to be cooked and injected with brine to retain moisture, with other ingredients added to make it appear toasted or brown in color and to add more flavor.
Rotisserie chickens are injected with saline, or a salt solution including flavorings and sweeteners which can make up around 15% of the meat, so they’re not that healthy, and can have a lot of salt as a result.
Some stores like Walmart even add seasonings like onion, salt, garlic, and paprika. They can also have phosphate additives, and other additives, which are unhealthy for the bones and body.
These chickens are cooked on a rotisserie until they are crispy, cooked through, and hot.
How Many Calories In A Whole Rotisserie Chicken?
It is hard to nail down exactly how many calories are in a whole rotisserie chicken, as they can vary in size. On average, a whole rotisserie chicken with the skin will contain around 1290 calories.
A smaller rotisserie chicken that weighs around 3lbs will have around 1290 calories in total, whereas a larger chicken over 5 lbs in weight could contain around 1950 calories or more.
The average rotisserie chicken has around 1290 calories, as mentioned above. These chickens can contain around 74 grams of fat in total, with 19 grams of saturated fat.
They have around 2374 mg of sodium, 157 grams of protein, and around 746 mg of cholesterol.
This equates to around 95% of your total daily value of fat and saturated fat, 249% of your cholesterol intake, and 103% of your sodium intake.
So, of course, you could never eat a whole rotisserie chicken by yourself in one day, but it’s important to know how much nutritional value is in a whole chicken.
So, let’s look at the calories in a half and a quarter serving of rotisserie chicken.
How Many Calories In A Half Rotisserie Chicken?
If you have purchased a whole rotisserie chicken, and eat one serving, then you will have around 180-200 calories.
If you eat one half of the chicken, then you are looking at around 648 calories in total. This is still around 47% of your daily fat intake with around 37 grams of fat, and 9.5 grams of saturated fat.
There is 1187 mg of sodium (52%) and 79 grams of protein.
A quarter of a chicken will give you about 325 calories. This is around 18 grams of fat and 4.8 grams of saturated fats, which is around 24% of your daily recommended intake.
With 592 mg of sodium, it is around 26% of your recommended daily intake, and around 39 grams of protein.
What Is A Recommended Serving Size Of Rotisserie Chicken?
The recommended serving size for a rotisserie chicken is around 3 ounces per serving.
If you are eating a 3 ounce, or 85 gram serving of rotisserie chicken, including white meat and dark meat, then the calories can vary.
For instance, a serving of chicken with thigh meat and the skin eaten can provide around 192 calories, 18 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat.
If you eat the breast meat, with the skin, then you will be having around 149 calories per serving, along with 22 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fat.
As a general rule of thumb, if you are eating a serving of rotisserie chicken, then you are likely to intake around 200 calories if you eat both light and dark meat.
Light meat is healthier and the calorie intake will be slightly less if you just eat the light meat.
Is Rotisserie Chicken Healthy?
Yes, and no. You can eat rotisserie chicken as part of a healthy diet, but it is best not to buy them and eat them all of the time!
The additives in a rotisserie chicken do make it a processed food, which you should try to avoid if you are eating healthily.
But, these chickens do provide a lot of protein that can be served with vegetables and salad as part of a balanced diet.
It is best not to eat the skin, as this can contain the most salt and fat that can contribute to weight gain.
That being said, a rotisserie chicken is a healthier choice as it is rich in nutrients and protein, and is definitely better than opting for a quick, fast food meal.
Rotisserie chicken is also healthier than breaded or fried chicken, so if you are trying to cut these out of your diet, then rotisserie chicken can be a lighter option.
However, if possible, it is best not to buy rotisserie chickens all of the time, and to cook a whole chicken at home without the salt and saline solutions.
But, rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver if you are trying to prepare meals on the go.
Summary
To summarize, there are around 1290 calories in a whole rotisserie chicken. The recommended serving size will give you around 200 calories, which can be eaten as part of a healthy diet with vegetables and salads.
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