How to Pick the Best Rotisserie Chicken at Costco

• Choose chickens that are golden, plump and warm for the best freshness and taste.
• Avoid birds with gray patches, soggy skin or shriveled wings—they’ve likely been sitting.
• Watch the oven countdown timer to snag a bird just as it comes out hot.

True story: I was in my 30s when I finally started picking up a rotisserie chicken as part of my regular grocery shopping. For years I had seen all the hacks online about how they make meal prep “so much easier” and how having one in your fridge means you can quickly add fresh protein to a salad or sandwich. But I could never justify the price: $10-$15 for a bird, when I could probably cook a better one myself? I’ll pass.

That is, until I got a Costco membership. At the warehouse, picking up a rotisserie chicken is practically a requirement—and for good reason. These chickens are moist, with crispy skin, and will set you back only about $5. These days, you can’t even pick up a whole raw chicken for that price, which makes Costco’s rotisserie chickens particularly sought after.

No Costco trip is complete for me without one of their signature rotisserie chickens, which I’ll use for dinner that evening, shred the leftovers for meals throughout the week and then use the carcass to make homemade chicken stock. But like learning to navigate the warehouse during off-peak hours or establishing your plan of attack through the aisles, figuring out how to choose the best rotisserie chicken takes a little know-how. 

How to Choose the Best Bird 

Costco’s rotisserie chickens typically beckon from the back of the store, the smell of roasted meat and herbs wafting through the aisles. Saunter up to the cases and you’ll find dozens of golden-brown birds ready to grab—but you shouldn’t just take the first one that catches your eye.

Why not? For starters, all of Costco’s rotisserie chickens are priced the same, $4.99, regardless of their weight. While they are all roughly 3 pounds, some could be on the bigger side. Since you’re not likely to have a scale on you, look for chickens that appear plump and tightly packed in the container, rather than sunken in or too small for their bag or case, says Kristen Markel, the voice behind the popular Costco blog Warehouse Wanderer.

“Avoid chickens with shriveled skin or any dull, grayish patches—those usually mean it’s been sitting for a while,” she advises. “Also, steer clear of birds that look overly dark or oily or have congealed fat pooled in the bottom of the container. A good one should look golden, juicy and smell amazing.” The bag or container should also still be warm. That’s a clear sign that it’s fresh out of the oven. 

Marissa Stevens, the recipe developer behind the blog Pinch and Swirl, agrees. She adds that a little pool of juice at the bottom indicates that the chicken is still moist—but skip it if there is a lot of moisture there, as that likely indicates soggy (rather than crispy) skin. 

“If the skin looks dry or papery, or if the wings are shriveled up, I pass,” she says. “It might still taste fine, but I know it’s been sitting a while. I’d rather wait ten minutes for a fresher one than end up with a dried-out bird.”

The Best Time to Shop for a Rotisserie Chicken 

During peak hours, rotisserie chickens can fly off the shelves at Costco, but even if you visit at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, you’re still likely to find a relatively fresh bird. That’s because Costco allegedly removes chickens that have been sitting for two hours, repurposing those birds into their other prepared dishes at the deli. That claim comes from Costco superfans David and Susan Schwartz, who spent seven years researching the retailer to write their book, The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z. While Costco didn’t respond to those claims, or to my inquiries for this story, the Schwartzes said that this is done to ensure that only the freshest, best-tasting chickens make it into the hands of customers.  

If you want to ensure that your rotisserie chicken is especially fresh, Markel says, keep an eye on the ovens behind the counter. These ovens have digital countdown timers, which can clue you in to when the next batch is about to hit the shelves. “If you catch one counting down, make a note of when the batch will be ready,” she explains. “Come back right at that time, and you’ll usually see employees pulling hot, fresh chickens straight into bags.”

Other Rotisserie Chicken Hacks 

Worried about storing your hot rotisserie chicken next to your fresh or frozen grocery items? Costco actually has a solution for that. If your store still uses the bags for their rotisserie chickens, rather than the hard-shell containers, look for a raised key hook along the edge of the cart’s toddler seat. It’s perfect for hanging your chicken off of.

When you get home, shred the chicken while it’s still warm; it’s easier to separate than after it’s fully cooled in the fridge. Even better, place the chicken in a gallon size zip-top or resealable bag, then massage the chicken lightly from the outside of the bag. The pieces will quickly and easily separate. Then just remove the bones (and save them for stock!) and you’ll have chicken ready to work into your next meal at a moment’s notice.

The Bottom Line 

Look for rotisserie chickens at Costco that are still golden, plump and warm—three key indicators that you’ve found a fresh bird. If the skin looks gray or shriveled, or if the wings seem particularly dried out, the chicken has likely been sitting at the counter for a bit or spent a little too long in the oven. Too oily or moist, and you’ll have soggier skin too. You’ll also want to size up the largest bird, as Costco’s chickens aren’t priced by weight. So while each averages about 3 pounds, you’ll get more value if you can find ones on the bigger side.

Costco experts say that the rotisserie chickens are always swapped out after two hours, but keep an eye on the countdown clock on the digital ovens, usually located right behind the shelves the birds are stocked on. These will signal when the next batch is likely to be pulled out.