Our Least Favorite Costco Prepared Meal Has Squishy Ingredients

When we're at Costco in the afternoon, our minds naturally turn towards an easy dinner that won't stress us out while we're putting away the grocery haul. Costco's food court hours are definitely accommodating — and you know we love their pizza! — but, sometimes, we prefer to eat at home. That's when some of the warehouse retailer's prepared meals come into play. A Foodie writer tasted a bunch of popular Costco prepared meals and ranked them from worst to best, and her pick for the bottom of the barrel was the Kirkland Signature Chicken Alfredo with Penne Pasta. Her complaint was that the pasta was "absolutely drenched in sauce" and, as a result, had gone unpleasantly soft and squishy. A lot of home cooks prefer their pasta al dente (and know the easiest way to tell if it's done right) and wouldn't be okay with mushy noodles.

Taken at face value, the chicken Alfredo dish seems like a crowd-pleaser. It's generous enough to feed a family, our writer noted, and chicken Alfredo is widely considered to be a classic dish that many people number among their favorites. The Costco version uses chunks of rotisserie chicken, penne pasta as opposed to the traditional fettuccine, and a creamy Alfredo sauce. Unfortunately, it seems that sitting in a refrigerated case for an indefinite period of time is not kind to the consistency of the pasta. Our writer was not alone in feeling only "meh" about this meal, as commenters on the internet generally give it mixed reviews.

While this meal does have its fans — face it, almost every Costco item does — many web users are lukewarm on the chicken alfredo prepared entree, declaring it to be merely mediocre. "Tastes just fine. Nothing special," one Redditor shrugged, with other commenters suggesting that the meal was greatly improved with some DIY seasoning or the addition of crisp vegetables. "Maybe a 2 [out of 10] for gummy noodles," was another Costco shopper's verdict on Reddit. "I can't say this is my favorite item out of the Costco deli pre-made lineup," admitted Natalie of Costcuisine, who also felt that the noodles got stodgy with cooking. Amber of Everyday Fun Finds served up another bland conclusion: "I would say that it just tastes ok."

Costco-ites can probably whip up a more enjoyable quick chicken alfredo dish with a few simple ingredients: jarred alfredo sauce, boxed penne, a rotisserie chicken, and some shredded cheese. Cook the pasta about halfway, and, while that's boiling, shred the bird. Mix the chicken and pasta in a baking pan with a good quantity of sauce, then top generously with cheese. Half an hour in a preheated 350-degree oven and you are good to go. Of course, you can doctor this basic recipe with the additions of fresh garlic, cracked black pepper, and/or broccoli florets. It won't be as convenient as the Costco grab-and-go version, but you can also make sure your noodles don't taste like paste.