Caesar Dressing Is Secret Ingredient In Costco's Beloved Chicken Bakes

Costco's food court might be most known for those hot dog and soda combos that cost just $1.50, or those giant slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza. But out of the select items available to order after your warehouse shopping trip, we think the beloved chicken bakes are just as delicious. If you haven't had the luxury of eating one, the chicken bake is like an oblong-shaped calzone stuffed with grilled chicken breast, bacon, cheese, and its special ingredient: Caesar dressing.

It might sound like an odd pairing, but trust us, the Caesar dressing elevates the taste and texture of the chicken bakes. You can expect a creamy texture from the dressing, which compliments the crunchy crust and tender pieces of chicken breast. Caesar dressing has a mild tanginess from ingredients like anchovies that pairs well with the rich flavors of bacon and cheese in the chicken bake. According to a 2017 Reddit post from a former Costco employee, the chicken bakes are made daily with Caesar dressing brushed inside the dough and on top of the crust, so you can expect a double dose of the dressing without it being overwhelming.

Do you want to try the chicken bake? You can order it at Costco food courts across the U.S. for around $3.99. Here's a Costco food hack if you snag a chicken bake: Grab a packet of the red pepper flakes usually offered for the pizza to give your chicken bake a bit of heat. Costco also sells six packs of Kirkland frozen individually wrapped chicken bakes through its in-house brand, Kirkland, with similar ingredients like the tangy Caesar dressing and the addition of green onions.

If you don't have a Costco membership or there isn't a location near you, you can make your own chicken bake at home. It's rather easy because you just need a few ingredients like pre-made pizza dough, chunks of chicken breast, bacon, cheeses like mozzarella or Provolone, and Caesar dressing, of course. You can snag a bottle of store-bought dressing or make a homemade batch. The only steps left are to mix the filling ingredients, cut pieces of pizza dough, fill them, press them together tightly, and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about seven minutes.