At Seward Co-op, we are grateful to provide many options for quick and healthy meals. From the frozen section, the salad and hot bars, and the grab and go deli coolers, Seward-made items can cut down on prep time for your next meal. Our rotisserie chickens – roasted in house! – provide a lot of versatility and a lot of flavor.

Values Every Day with Kadejan Chicken

Every morning, our Deli staff roast whole chickens from Community Foods producer Kadejan. Based in Glenwood, Minn., this multi-generational chicken producer has been raising free-range birds since 1989. Their birds do not receive any antibiotics or growth hormones, and are fed organic herbs to help maintain the birds’ health and keep them pest-free. We are proud to use Kadejan’s high quality, locally raised birds for our rotisserie chickens. No matter how you choose to use your Seward-made rotisserie chicken, whenever you pick one up, you’re helping sustain our local food system.

Think Beyond the Bird

Certainly a whole or half chicken can make a meal, but with some craftiness, one rotisserie chicken can make multiple meals. Give these ideas a try the next time you pick up a fresh, hot chicken from the deli!

Chicken soup is a comforting, warming option. After first enjoying a meal showcasing the bird, remove remaining meat from the bones. Sautee veggies such as carrots, onions, and celery, alongside herbs. Pour chicken stock or broth over the top, bring to a simmer and add in the chicken to warm. You may choose to  include noodles or rice as well to fill out the soup and stretch the servings.

Chicken salad is ideal for your rotisserie chicken after it’s been chilled in the fridge. Remove meat from the bones. Mix with mayonnaise, a hearty squirt of sriracha or other hot sauce, thinly sliced green onion, diced celery, shredded carrot, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers, on bread, or in a wrap for a delicious meal on the go.

Chicken nachos are a lovely way to stretch a rotisserie chicken. Shred chicken meat and drape over crispy corn chips and keep the protein high by using beans, too! Top with your favorite nacho fixings on hand such as shredded cheese, pickled peppers, salsa, greens, and sour cream.

Make chicken stock with the carcass. Sure, it sounds old-school and thrifty, but making your own chicken stock once you’ve harvested all the useable meat will make one of the most flavorful kitchen building blocks you’ve ever tasted. Crack and roast the chicken bones on a sheet pan with onions, a whole head of garlic drizzled in oil and wrapped in tin foil, and carrots. Once the bones are toasted, add them to a stock pot with savory herbs and cover with water. Simmer the bones slowly, skimming any foam off of the top, until it’s reduced by half. Season with salt to taste and use in your next recipe that calls for chicken stock, or store in your freezer until then.