With its crispy flour tortilla, gooey cheese, and tender chicken, the Costco chicken bake is a favorite convenience food for many shoppers. But is this grab-and-go snack actually good for you? In this in-depth article, we’ll examine the nutritional value of a Costco chicken bake to help you determine if it can be part of a balanced diet.
Chicken Bake Nutrition Facts
First, let’s look at the basic nutritional information for a standard Costco chicken bake:
| Serving Size | 1 chicken bake (425g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 760 |
| Total Fat | 35g |
| Saturated Fat | 14g |
| Trans Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 930mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Protein | 44g |
At first glance, 760 calories may seem high for a single meal or snack. However, the chicken bake provides a significant amount of protein (44g) along with some fiber (4g) and minimal sugar (3g).
Fat Content
The main nutritional concern with the chicken bake is the high total fat content. With 35g of fat, over half of the calories in a chicken bake come from fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting total fat intake to 25-35% of total daily calories. For a 2000 calorie diet, this equates to about 56-78g of fat per day.
Eating an entire 760 calorie chicken bake could use up close to half of your recommended daily fat intake in just one snack. However, the type of fats in the chicken bake may be more concerning than the total amount.
Saturated and Trans Fats
While the chicken bake provides heart-healthy unsaturated fats, it is also high in saturated fat (14g) and contains trans fat (1g). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories and avoiding trans fats completely.
The American Heart Association is even stricter, advising no more than 5-6% of total calories from saturated fat. For a 2000 calorie diet, this equals just 11-13g saturated fat per day. The 14g in a chicken bake exceeds this substantially.
Regularly consuming foods high in saturated and trans fats has been consistently linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
Sodium Content
The chicken bake is also very high in sodium, with 930mg per serving. That’s nearly half of the recommended daily limit of 2300mg per day. Consuming high amounts of sodium is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and other conditions.
The combination of high saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium content makes the standard chicken bake a less than optimal choice for heart health.
Healthier Chicken Bake Options
Luckily, Costco has started offering alternative chicken bake options with improved nutrition profiles. These provide a way to still enjoy the tasty convenience of chicken bakes while limiting fat, sodium, and calories.
Chickenbake with Bacon
| Serving Size | 1 chicken bake with bacon (425g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 760 |
| Total Fat | 35g |
| Saturated Fat | 14g |
| Trans Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 930mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Protein | 44g |
The chicken bake with bacon has identical nutrition to the original. While bacon adds flavor, it does not provide any nutritional benefit. This option has the same concerns regarding fat, sodium, and calories.
Chickenbake with Jalapenos
| Serving Size | 1 chicken bake with jalapenos (425g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 760 |
| Total Fat | 35g |
| Saturated Fat | 14g |
| Trans Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 930mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Protein | 44g |
Like the bacon version, the jalapeno chicken bake has identical nutrition to the original. Jalapenos add a spicy kick but do not improve the nutritional profile.
Organic Chicken Bake
| Serving Size | 1 organic chicken bake (425g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 760 |
| Total Fat | 35g |
| Saturated Fat | 14g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 930mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Protein | 44g |
The organic chicken bake has one slight advantage over the original – it contains 0g trans fat. However, it is still high in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. Going organic does not significantly improve the nutritional quality.
Chicken Veggie Bake
| Serving Size | 1 veggie chicken bake (425g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 650 |
| Total Fat | 27g |
| Saturated Fat | 12g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 75mg |
| Sodium | 820mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6g |
| Sugar | 5g |
| Protein | 29g |
The veggie chicken bake offers some noticeable nutrition advantages. With 110 fewer calories, 2g less saturated fat, no trans fat, 30mg less cholesterol, and 110mg less sodium than the original, it is a significantly better option for health.
The increased fiber (6g vs 4g) and protein (29g vs 44g) also help boost nutritional value. Overall, the veggie version has fewer concerns regarding fat, sodium, and calories.
Chicken Bake without Tortilla
You can also order a chicken bake without the tortilla shell. This lets you avoid the refined flour and reduces carbs, sodium, and calories. However, the fillings inside remain high in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Skipping the tortilla helps but does not completely resolve nutritional concerns.
Healthier Homemade Chicken Bakes
For the best nutrition, your best bet is making chicken bakes at home. This lets you control exactly what goes into them.
Try these healthier homemade chicken bake ideas:
Greek Chicken Bake
– Replace flour tortilla with lavash or collard greens
– Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
– Add spinach, artichokes, and mushrooms
– Season with lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley
– Top with crumbled feta
Buffalo Chicken Bake
– Substitute flour tortilla with romaine lettuce leaves
– Use plain Greek yogurt mixed with hot sauce for the sauce
– Add carrots, celery, and red onion
– Sprinkle with a little crumbled blue cheese
Chicken Bacon Ranch Bake
– Switch out flour tortilla for sliced zucchini or eggplant
– Make sauce with Greek yogurt, garlic, onion, parsley
– Use turkey bacon and go light on amount
– Add spinach and tomatoes
– Sprinkle with a little shredded cheddar
Chicken Fajita Bake
– Replace flour tortilla with portobello mushroom caps
– Season chicken with cumin, chili powder, lime
– Add sautéed peppers and onions
– Use plain Greek yogurt mixed with salsa for sauce
– Top with sliced avocado and cilantro
Making your own chicken bakes allows you to replace the refined flour tortilla, limit sodium and saturated fat, and pack in more vegetables, fiber, and nutrients. This transforms the chicken bake into a healthier meal option.
The Verdict
Is a Costco chicken bake healthy? Unfortunately, the classic chicken bake sold at Costco food courts is high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, and other concerning nutrients. The alternative versions available at Costco offer some minor improvements but still contain high amounts of fat, sodium, and calories compared to dietary recommendations.
To make chicken bakes part of a healthy diet, your best option is to make them at home. Substitute the flour tortilla with lettuce or vegetable wraps, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, limit sodium and fat, and pack them full of vegetables and fiber. This allows you to imitate the tasty flavors of Costco chicken bakes while optimizing them for nutritional value.
Overall, chicken bakes can be a healthy option when homemade with nutritious ingredients. But the standard chicken bakes sold pre-made at Costco food courts contain too many unhealthy fats, sodium, and calories to be considered a regular part of a balanced diet.
