7 Ways To Make Frozen Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes 10x Better

Going to the Costco food court is the highlight of doing your grocery shopping at the popular chain. After you've picked up all the produce, meat, and popular Costco frozen meals you'll need for the next few weeks, it's time to dig into what the Costco food court has to offer. One of our all-time favorites? The chicken bakes. But luckily, you don't have to eat at the Costco food court just to get a taste of these chicken bakes; you can now snag a frozen version to take and enjoy at home. And don't worry — we've already assessed how they compare to the fresh version.

They're tasty on their own, but there are also a ton of ways you can upgrade your frozen Kirkland Signature chicken bakes to make them taste even better. By using a few extra ingredients — or just preparing them a different way than you're used to — you can take an average freezer meal and turn it into something that feels like a step up from Costco food court fare.

Making salad dressing at home is relatively simple, but sometimes when you're feeling lazy, you might just want to drizzle your salad with a bottled dressing that you already have hanging out in the fridge. But if you have some Caesar dressing on hand, you should know that it can be used for way more than just salad. In fact, it may just be the perfect ingredient to upgrade your Kirkland Signature chicken bakes. Chicken bakes already come with Caesar dressing mixed into the filling. But another helping of it can offer richness and creaminess along with a funky tang that complements the hearty flavors in the chicken bake.

Don't think that you're just going to be dipping the chicken bake into the Caesar dressing. If you want to take the dish up another notch, there's an even better way to infuse that Caesar flavor. Just take a knife and spread some of the dressing onto the outside of the chicken bake before you put it in the oven, allowing it to permeate the crust while it bakes. Since most Caesar dressing contains eggs, it essentially works like an egg wash, which gives the chicken bake some extra crisp while building an extra layer of flavor.

We love Kirkland Signature chicken bakes, but let's be honest. Sometimes, after a few bites, they can start to taste a bit bland and flat. After all, these chicken bakes contain chicken and a ton of cheese, which don't necessarily have a ton of flavor on their own. Luckily, it's easy to add an extra burst of flavor in the form of compound butter. Not only will a compound butter add a bit more flavor complexity to your chicken bake, but it can also yield a crispier, browner crust on the surface.

You can keep things simple with a garlic herb compound butter, which works especially well with the mild flavors present in a Kirkland Signature chicken bake. If you want to get a bit more creative, though, you can infuse your butter with orange, jalapeño, or lime to give it an extra kick. Just make sure you check out our tips for making compound butter before you try to whip up your own recipe.

One of the reasons Kirkland Signature chicken bakes are so delicious is the fact that they're really quite rich. With all that cheese, chicken, and Caesar dressing, they're super creamy, making them ideal for times when you want to indulge in something that's warm and hearty straight out of the oven. But just because you're craving that richness doesn't mean you don't need an element of freshness in the dish as well. That's where citrus can come in handy.

If you find that your Kirkland Signature chicken bake needs to be lightened up a bit, you can simply spritz some lemon juice onto the pastry once it comes out of the oven. That extra zing is a nice touch, but it doesn't add too much of a fruity flavor to the equation. Alternatively, you can use limes if you want an even more intense acidity to cut through all that richness. Either way, the results will be mouthwatering.

Costco's Kirkland Signature chicken bakes contain a lot of cheese. In fact, they're stuffed with three different kinds of cheeses: mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone. These cheeses are rich and creamy, with a beautifully melty texture that works really well in this context. That being said, they're not the most flavorful cheeses out there, which is why you might want to add another type of cheese to the mix. A different cheese can certainly add more richness and creaminess, but we think it's best to add an intensely flavored cheese for greater complexity in the dish. Shredding a bit of that cheese and adding it to the top of the chicken bake right before it's finished baking can result in an unexpectedly exciting flavor combo.

If you like bold, smoky flavors, then you might want to try a smoked Gouda on your Kirkland Signature chicken bake. Alternatively, a nice aged cheddar can also work really well to provide sharpness and a lovely umami quality to the dish. Cheeses infused with chili peppers or other flavorful ingredients could be fun to experiment with as well. 

Although Costco's Kirkland Signature chicken bakes are technically microwaveable, which can work when you're pinched for time, we happen to think that they taste better when they've been cooked in the oven. It allows for a crispier crust and reduces the sogginess that you might experience when you make them in the microwave. But if you really want to improve the texture of your frozen chicken bake, you don't have to stop at the oven. For those who prefer a crispier crust (as opposed to a softer, more doughy texture), using a broiler to finish the chicken bake is a great option.

You'll start by baking the pastry as usual. Just before it's done cooking, though, turn on the broiler to give it some more intense heat, which will work to crisp up that crust nicely. Just be sure to keep a close eye on the pastry — since broiling is such an intense cooking method, it can easily burn the chicken bake if you leave it under the heat for too long. And if you're inexperienced with using your broiler, make sure to check out our best broiler tips before trying this hack.

There are few ingredients in the world that pack more flavor than garlic, which is why it's an excellent addition to your frozen Kirkland Signature chicken bake. It offers a sharp, savory punch to the bake, which can complement those rich, cheesy flavors quite well. But if you really want to take things up a notch, consider charring your garlic first, then adding it to your Costco chicken bake. Charring the garlic gives it a sweet, smoky flavor that immediately makes things more interesting. Plus, it's super easy to do — just put a whole head of garlic right into an open flame, and leave it until the skin starts to fall off.

You can simply eat chunks of charred garlic with your chicken bake if you prefer, but you can also crush the charred garlic into a paste that can be spread over the top of the bake for a more even flavor distribution. It may not be the most conventional addition to a frozen dish, but we think it's one that works particularly well.

One of the best parts of a Kirkland Signature chicken bake is the bacon inside the pastry. Sure, you have the hearty chicken to make up the bulk of the dish, but it's the salty, crispy bacon that really adds an interesting kick of flavor to this frozen meal. But why limit your bacon intake? When you're interested in making an even more decadent dish, try sprinkling crispy bacon bits over the top of your chicken bake. It adds richness and saltiness to the dish's flavor profile, while also providing a crispy textural element.

You can always use store-bought bacon bits if you don't want to go through the hassle of turning on the stove or the oven to make them yourself. But if you ask us, it pays to make your own bacon bits, which you can do with these helpful tips. Once you do, you're in for a deeply flavorful, perfectly salty meal.