The Costco chicken bake is a popular ready-to-eat item sold at Costco food courts. It consists of tender chicken, cheese, and vegetables wrapped up in a crispy flour tortilla. But what exactly is in these hearty handheld snacks? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that go into making a classic Costco chicken bake.
Chicken
The star ingredient in the chicken bake is the chicken. Costco uses whole muscle chicken breast meat in their chicken bakes. The chicken offers tasty protein and savory flavor. Each chicken bake contains around 50 grams of chicken. The chicken is cooked and seasoned before being chopped and rolled into the bake. This ensures the chicken is moist, tender and packed with flavor.
Cheese
A key component in every chicken bake is the melted cheese. Costco uses a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese in their chicken bakes. The creamy, gooey cheese adds texture and a lovely cheesy flavor. The cheese helps bind the ingredients together and gives each bite of chicken bake a delicious hit of cheesy goodness. Costco uses around 30 grams of cheese per chicken bake.
Sauce
The chicken and cheese need something tasty to bring all the elements together. For this, Costco chicken bakes use a creamy sauce. The sauce recipe is exclusive to Costco. It contains a mix of cream, spices, and seasoning that perfectly complement the chicken and cheese. The savory sauce soaks into the chicken and adds moisture and flavor. It’s an essential component that makes each bite of chicken bake so satisfying.
Bacon
What makes the chicken bake extra indulgent is the addition of tasty bacon pieces. Costco throws in around 10 grams of chopped up bacon per chicken bake. The smoky, salty bacon flavored bits add little bursts of flavor and texture with every mouthwatering bite.
Vegetables
To add some freshness and crunch, Costco chicken bakes contain a medley of mixed vegetables. Onions, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, and spinach are commonly used. The vegetables are sauteed before rolling them into the bake. This ensures they are tender but still have a satisfying crispness. The vegetables also boost the flavor and nutritional profile of the chicken bakes.
Tortilla
To bring everything together, the ingredients get rolled up in a flour tortilla wrap. Costco uses a large 10-inch tortilla so that there’s enough room for the generous chicken and veggie filling. The tortilla gets brushed with butter before cooking for a crispy, flaky outer layer. The carb-y soft tortilla soaks up the delicious flavors and juices inside the bake.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chicken | 50g |
| Cheese | 30g |
| Sauce | 60g |
| Bacon | 10g |
| Vegetables | 60g |
| Tortilla | 1 large (10″) |
Cooking Process
Creating a perfect chicken bake involves an assembly line cooking process. Here are the key steps:
– Chicken breast fillets are seasoned, seared and cooked. Once cooled they are chopped into bitesized pieces.
– Vegetables like onions, peppers, mushrooms and spinach are sauteed in oil over high heat.
– Bacon bits are cooked until crispy.
– Cheese is shredded and combined with chicken, vegetables and bacon.
– Creamy sauce is added to the mixture to coat the ingredients.
– The filling is scooped onto large flour tortillas and rolled up burrito-style.
– Rolled chicken bakes are brushed with butter and toasted on the grill until golden brown.
– The piping hot chicken bakes are served immediately to customers.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken bakes make for a hearty, protein-packed meal. The nutrition facts for a standard Costco chicken bake are:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 790 |
| Fat | 45g |
| Carbs | 47g |
| Protein | 37g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Sodium | 1280mg |
As you can see, the chicken bake provides a good amount of protein from all that chicken and cheese. The fiber, vitamins and minerals from the vegetable filling also make it more nutrient-dense than other grab-and-go snacks. However, the high calorie, fat, carb and sodium counts mean it should still be enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet.
Variations
While the classic chicken bake reigns supreme, Costco has rolled out some exciting variations over the years:
Buffalo Chicken Bake
This spicy version uses buffalo chicken and buffalo sauce to pack some heat.
Philly Cheesesteak Bake
With thinly sliced steak, peppers, onions and provolone cheese to deliver that iconic Philly flavor.
Chicken Caesar Bake
A crispy chicken Caesar salad all wrapped up for on-the-go enjoyment.
Turkey & Bacon Bake
For a lighter option with turkey, spinach and havarti cheese.
Breakfast Bake
A morning twist with eggs, bacon, hash browns and cheddar cheese.
Popularity
It’s easy to see why Costco chicken bakes have gained such a cult following. They deliver a tasty and convenient meal that’s perfect for no-fuss lunches, snacks, or dinners on busy days. The baked wraps pack in savory flavors, textures, and ingredients for under $4.
Chicken bakes have earned their status as one of the most popular items you’ll find at Costco food courts. On average over 100 million chicken bakes are sold at Costco each year. Any time you visit a Costco warehouse, you’re sure to see hungry customers walking around with the iconic shiny foil-wrapped chicken bakes in hand.
Conclusion
With its combination of juicy chicken, melted cheese, crispy bacon, fresh vegetables and soft tortilla, the Costco chicken bake has all the makings of a satisfying meal. The convenient handheld size and scrumptious flavors explain why it’s adored by so many Costco members. So next time you’re shopping the Costco aisles and need a break, grab one of these iconic baked wraps to refuel in delicious style.