How Much Meat Can You Get From One Of Costco's Rotisserie Chickens?

Out of all the convenient and cost-saving products you can purchase at Costco, the wholesaler's grab-and-go food items are at the top of most customers' list of favorites. Next to the cheap food court hot dogs and pizza slices, you can also purchase hot and flavorful rotisserie chickens from Costco's meat department for only $4.99 per bird. More importantly, just one rotisserie chicken contains approximately two pounds of meat.

Among the important facts you should know about Costco's rotisserie chickens is that the size of these fully-cooked birds is slightly larger than what you'd find in any other grocery store. Whereas the average whole rotisserie chicken is about two pounds, Costco's chickens weigh three. Even though the total weight includes inedible parts like tendons and bones, you're still left with a considerable amount of meat per chicken.

In a recent Reddit post, one Costco member was able to prove this claim by weighing the amount of meat compared to the leftover carcass on two separate scales. Believe it or not, there were over two pounds of meat and only a little more than a pound of bones and tendons. The best part? There is no limit on how many rotisserie chickens you can buy at Costco, and at only $1.66 per pound, you can easily stock up on the chicken to serve a crowd or freeze some for later.  Plus, you can use every part of the chicken to make a number of crowd-pleasing recipes.

In order to successfully remove all the meat from one of Costco's rotisserie chickens, simply pull the meat off in chunks using a knife and fork. Or place your entire chicken in a gallon-sized resealable bag. By gently massaging the bird from the outside, you can surprisingly easily detach most of the meat with ease.

Once all the meat has been removed, use your leftover rotisserie chicken carcass for an easy broth. Simply submerge the carcass in water and boil for three hours. For additional flavor, include chopped carrots, onions, celery, and a bunch of your favorite herbs. You can use this homemade broth to make delicious soups and casseroles. When it comes to using those two pounds of tender meat, you have a plethora of tasty options. Upgrade your lunches by adding chicken to salads, wraps, and sandwiches. For dinner, use pulled chicken to make chicken enchiladas, upgraded fettuccine Alfredo, or homestyle chicken soup. 

If you happen to be making food for a crowd, instead of removing the meat from a few chickens, you can also buy 46-ounce packages of pulled chicken breast meat available at most Costco locations. Each package contains three pounds of tender, fully-cooked meat and costs $15.99.