There’s no denying grocery prices have jumped in recent years, but one item has stayed the same price throughout: Costco’s rotisserie chicken. That consistent low price is a major reason why the deli offering remains one of the most popular items you can buy at the warehouse chain. It’s so popular that some customers buy 50 at a time, a fair contribution to the more than 100 million ready-to-eat birds Costco sells each year.
The simple convenience of a $5 rotisserie chicken is hard to beat. Throw in a handful of Costco’s other fan favorites, and you can put dinner on the table quickly, with little effort, and at a great price. So is that low price the real reason Costco’s rotisserie chicken is so good? Well, value would mean little if the product didn’t taste so darn good. Even chefs rave about the flavorful, juicy meat and excellent value.
But beyond taste and price, what’s the secret behind Costco’s rotisserie chicken success?
Costco’s Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken
Costco
You don’t have to dig far into social media channels to find varying opinions on the quality of Costco’s rotisserie chicken. Some shoppers on Reddit swear it has an off-putting flavor and mushy texture while most fans defend the birds and rave about the perfectly seasoned and exceptionally moist meat.
While we probably won’t get Costco’s secret chicken seasoning recipe anytime soon, we do know some of the ingredients simply by reading the nutritional label. Those ingredients include salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, and the elusive “spice extractives,” which is where the actual seasoning mystery resides. These ingredients comprise a wet or dry brine to enhance the natural flavor of the chicken, just like how you brine your Thanksgiving turkey.
The Real Reasons Costco’s Rotisserie Chicken Is So Popular
Have you ever been to an all-you-can-eat buffet and poked disappointedly at a plate of dry, overcooked chicken? That hot bar continues to cook (and dry out) food the longer it sits out under heat lamps. Well, at Costco you don’t have to worry about that when buying rotisserie chickens, because they have a short shelf life.
Those perfectly seasoned birds will only be on the shelf for two hours and then the meat is repurposed in other prepared dishes. This ensures the meat stays moist and fresh-tasting. The longer the chicken sits, the quicker it loses its appeal as it cools. That’s why some customers devour a rotisserie chicken in their car in the parking lot.
Costco also has total control over the chickens spit-roasting in its warehouse stores. That’s because in 2019, Costco established its own chicken production complex in Nebraska, partnering with Lincoln Premium Poultry.
This gives Costco, through its production partner, a lifetime standardization in how the chickens are raised and processed, and it creates consistency for the final product (Each chicken is about three pounds.), but it also keeps costs low for Costco members.
Rotisserie chickens function as a loss leader at Costco, meaning the company loses money selling them. But the item encourages people to visit the store and buy other items. Costco strategically places the chicken toward the back of the store, so even if you want to just quickly grab a $5 rotisserie chicken for dinner, you’ll walk by the many flashy deals at Costco that earn the company its profits.
A few years back, Richard Galanti, Costco’s former chief financial officer, said the company was losing about $40 million a year due to the rotisserie chicken’s low price. While we don’t know if the warehouse giant still loses that much money on the deli item, it’s likely that the cost has increased tenfold. Costco has made efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, including its investment in the Nebraska supply chain and a swap to plastic packaging. While the former surely lowers its production costs, the latter could increase the production loss. For all that, the brand keeps the chicken at just $5.
Regardless of whether the rotisserie chicken is making Costco money, they provide a great value to customers. The delicious flavor, juicy texture, large size, and vast options for leftovers make Costco’s rotisserie chicken not only a great deal, but a delicious one.
Best Ways To Use Costco’s Rotisserie Chicken
You can get dozens of unique meals out of any whole bird, and Costco’s rotisserie chicken is an exceptionally good way to do this. It’s already cooked, and it’s easy to zhuzh at home. You can readily pour the drippings from the bottom of the plastic bag and make a gravy for a traditional Sunday night supper. Or, shred the chicken for pulled chicken sliders, quesadillas, or barbecue pizza. The time-consuming part is done before you even buy it.
Once you’ve eaten every scrap of meat, there are more meals hiding in the leftover bones, which you can use to make homemade chicken broth. Pop leftover bones into a freezer-safe zip-top bag and once you collect a good amount, add some onions, carrots, and celery to a large pot, slow cooker, or pressure cooker, and turn those scraps into liquid gold.
