Few ready-made foods offer the same mix of convenience and nutrition as a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Grabbing one at the grocery store is almost as effortless as swinging through a drive-thru — but with far more versatility and a much better nutritional profile. The only catch? Freshness matters, and it can vary.

Caroline Chambers, author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking and the Substack of the same name, recently partnered with Amazon on a back-to-school meal plan. She shared her top tips for choosing the best rotisserie chicken. Her number one piece of advice: use your voice.

“You can always ask your store when the chickens come out fresh and buy it then!” Chambers says. Since the chickens are usually sealed in bags or plastic containers, you can’t rely much on appearance to judge quality — so the people who prep them are often your best source of information. Don’t hesitate to ask the deli staff when the latest batch was cooked.

If you can see inside the packaging, though, there are a few visual clues. Skin that looks shriveled may indicate the chicken has been handled too much or has been sitting for a while. Dull or discolored skin can also signal older meat. And if there’s a large amount of liquid pooled at the bottom of the container, it’s best to look for another option.

If no staff member is available, check the label. Many delis print the preparation or display time on each container. Choose the chicken with the most recent timestamp or the furthest-out “sell by” date. Another helpful strategy is to shop during peak hours — especially lunchtime or early evening — when the deli is constantly replenishing the display. The crowds may not be fun, but they usually mean fresher chickens on the shelf.

Once you’ve scored a fresh one, the possibilities are endless. “There are endless ways to use rotisserie chicken!” Chambers says. “It’s a lean protein that adapts well to almost any flavor profile — Mexican, Italian, Thai, you name it.” She recommends using it for tacos, warm grain bowls, coconut chicken curry with spinach, or in any hearty make-ahead salad.

Chambers also offers one last tip: shred the chicken while it’s still warm. It’s far easier to pull the meat from the bones before it cools. After that, store the shredded meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.