What Makes Costco Rotisserie Chicken So Good? (2024)

There are three things I will always have in my Costco cart: toilet paper, paper towels, and a rotisserie chicken. No matter what I am shopping for on my monthly-to-quarterly trips, the chicken is non-negotiable. I’m far from the only Costco rotisserie chicken obsessive—they sold approximately 117 million chickens in 2022 alone.

But what makes Costco rotisserie chicken so good, other than just the inflation-proof, decades-long, low price of $4.99? For me, and many others, it's rooted in nostalgia. The scent of a Costco chicken is intoxicatingly, well, chicken-y. It wafts through the aisles of the warehouse, guiding members toward the beacon of heat lamps in the back of the store.

I actually grew up with a Sam’s Club in my town, so my memories of Costco started in college when I finally became a card-carrying member and tried that juicy, succulent, evenly golden-brown, seasoned-until-borderline-too-salty, versatile chicken. It got me through weeks of meal prep on an extremely tight budget. I used it in everything—salads (from Chinese chicken salad to creamy, dreamy deli-style), soups, wraps, appetizers like Buffalo chicken dip, casseroles, rice bowls, stir-fried noodles, and more. It was even the centerpiece for a few Friendsgivings. Sometimes, after a late night out, I would eat a cold chicken leg while standing in front of the fridge. Now every time I eat a Costco rotisserie chicken, I think back to those times and the memories we’ve shared in the 15 years since my first bite (a "meat cute," if you will).

The reason Costco's chicken is so juicy is because of a salt solution pumped inside, which is basically like super-brining. That makes the meat moist and evenly seasoned every time, delivering a consistent—though there has been some Reddit uproar about weird-tasting chicken lately in some states—tasting chicken. It may not be the best chicken you’ll ever have in your life, or even the most delicious rotisserie chicken you can find, but it’s definitely a great-tasting, reliably affordable, and versatile meal—and a fantastic way to spend just under $5.