Superstore; above average with a super price

 

This week I found myself at Superstore for our weekly grocery trip. This place has got it right, the smell of ready-made rotisserie chicken wafting out in the foyer as the sliding doors open. It’s like a greeting of sorts for my nose, but first grocery shopping.

 After what seemed like forever wheeling around the store, I finally make for the ready-made food counter to pick up dinner. What’s this? These birds are all lined up, like knights shining in armour waiting for battle. A white container subconsciously alerts me that this chicken is the answer to our dinner prayers. I sure hope so, it’s already getting late and last week’s rotisserie chicken was a snooze.

I try to select the best looking chicken, but again you can’t see clearly through the package.  What I can see, I notice that the chickens look uniformly cooked and seasoned, nothing very different among them. Consistency is definitely a key when you’re buying one of these rotisserie chickens at a large grocery chain. 

I get home and within minutes, we are ready to eat dinner but first an inspection. I know, I know, it’s for your own good. I have to make sure this bird is edible. Let’s slide off the cardboard carrier and have a look shall we...

The chicken is still steaming, it’s definitely warm. Good. I take the lid off now. Taking in the view, it has a great appearance to it. Browned to perfection and doesn’t appear to be over cooked. The skin seems tight and whatever seasoning they use is uniformly applied. Good signs all around.  

 Let’s get down to it. I cut right into the breast cutting it half. The knife goes in sharply and the meat splits with ease. Feels good, no real effort needed. It doesn’t take much to separate the leg and thigh either.  The meat is coming off the bone and flaking like it should. Could this be the one? 

The container has a bit of juice in it, not swimming in it, but a good couple of table spoons I’d say.  It has the usual amount of fat tucked underneath. I’m beginning to sense that none of the grocery stores do any trimming before being cooked. 

In looking at the packaging they boast “No artificial flavours or synthetic colours”. There is also a very short list of ingredients: chicken, salt, spices and spice extracts. Typically, the cardboard sleeve on these containers don’t list anything useful other than the nutritional facts, so this was a pleasant surprise. Consumers’ should have a right to know what is in their food and while not as detailed, at least Superstore answers some questions.

 I waste no time and start ripping pieces of the breast meat off.  It’s moist, juicy and tastes like how chicken should. I’m feeling positive about this one. I break off the leg from the thigh and have a bite of that. Yep, my taste buds are sending approval to my brain… this chicken is a pass. I take in some skin, it’s good, chew-able and not fatty.

Alright, the verdict is in. This ready-made rotisserie chicken is pretty decent for what it is. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a grocery store and award this meal above average I’d say overall, I’m satisfied and for $9.48, and you can too.It's a better deal to buy two though, $8.50/each. Even the size of the chicken seems reasonable and you can tell when I separate the parts.

  Anyone try the chicken at Superstore? What did you think? Since the sleeve is very obviously branded PC (President's Choice), I wonder, how does this compare to Loblaws?

Let me know, leave a comment below.