Dr. Oz Has Some Surprising Feelings About Costco Chicken

There is no denying that the three-pound, five-dollar rotisserie chicken from Costco is not only a time saver for quick weeknight meals, but also a great way to make your dollar stretch. I mean, one person can eat the same chicken for five straight days! But as you toss that rotisserie chicken into your cart, are you checking the ingredient label? Truth be told I haven’t been, but I might start — and here’s why.

Last year the infamous Dr. Oz wanted to get to the bottom of rotisserie chickens on his show. Assuming many of you missed that episode, here’s what went down.

Food journalist Mark Schatzker revealed that this seemingly healthy protein has a few more ingredients piggybacking inside. Most chickens are prepared off-site and injected with seasonings and such before they hit the grocery store to be cooked off, and Costco is no different. The ingredient list of a Costco rotisserie chicken includes the following (in order): whole chicken, water, seasoning, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, spice extractives. Because of this seasoning, Schatzker went so far as to compare these rotisserie chickens to potato chips. Maybe that’s why we like them so much?

Despite these added ingredients, Dr.Oz still said that the rotisserie chicken is “one of the healthiest processed foods out there … and if you want to save calories, you take off the skin” to which Schatzker replied “Eating a chicken without skin is like watching a movie with the sound off.” Touché.

Even if Dr.Oz does approve of the rotisserie chicken at Costco, it’s a good reminder that you should be checking the labels on everything you buy at the grocery store. Even if you think something is a couple ingredients, you might be surprised at what’s hidden beneath it all.