Costco's Frozen Vs Food Court Chicken Bakes: What's The Difference?

Ah, chicken bakes. While Costco's food court hot dogs and pizza are often the focal points of the wholesale club's hot food offerings, chicken bakes have their own fandom. And rightfully so — they're melty bastions of comfort food delight: long, crispy crusts stuffed full of cheese, chicken, bacon bits, and creamy Caesar dressing. Most people get their introduction via the famed Costco food courts, but there's a not-so-secret alternative lurking on the frozen aisle shelves. While a single hot chicken bake from the food court will run you $3.99, a single pack of six Kirkland brand frozen chicken bakes costs $13.59 (though prices may vary depending on your location), breaking down to $2.27 per item. But is that really a good deal? To decide that, you'll need to understand all the differences between food court chicken bakes and the frozen versions.

Though some shoppers say the food court chicken bakes have gotten smaller in recent years, they're still noticeably bigger than their frozen counterparts. There's a touch more browned Parmesan cheese on the top, too, and the bread tastes crispier and more like pizza dough. The frozen version is not without its merits, however. Frozen chicken bakes out of the box are denser, more rounded, and have a crust more reminiscent of a chicken pot pie top. They also contain green onions, which, interestingly, the food court versions do not. It's also worth calling out the differences between frozen chicken bakes and food court chicken bakes on the nutrition level. The food court ones are generously sized, but each one clocks in at 840 calories. Each frozen one, meanwhile, comes with 540 calories.

There are plenty of items we wish Costco would add to its food court menu, but the ball is in your court when you're upgrading a chicken bake at home. If you live close to the store, you can always grab a hot chicken bake and whisk it home before eating (bringing some foil or a food warmer bag with you will help keep it warm) to dress it up how you like. While totally pulling it apart would be too messy, you can slice it up into easy-to-grab pieces and sprinkle on seasoning or some chives. If you need to heat it back up, just throw it in the oven for a few minutes. Avoid the microwave, though, unless you want it soggy. Consider adding tasty sides like chips, soup (chicken bakes are great for dipping into a bowl of tomato soup), or salad to make it a full meal.

You can get even more creative with the frozen versions. To start, you can control exactly how they're cooked — it may come as a surprise to learn that frozen chicken bakes are among the best Costco items to cook in an air fryer. And while they do already come with a sprinkling of Parmesan, try adding a touch more for extra golden goodness. You can also pull your chicken bake out in the middle of its cooking time and, very carefully, slice it open and stuff in a few additional ingredients, such as onions or spinach, adding more time in the oven as needed. Because you can control how long they're cooked (and how stiff they get), the frozen ones can be even easier to cut into dipping pieces. Don't forget a side of sauce!