Recipe · Chicken
Costco Chicken at Home
The exact spice blend and technique behind Costco's iconic rotisserie chicken, made at home in your oven. Better than the original because the skin actually gets crispy.
Method
- 01
Spatchcock the chicken
Flip the chicken breast-side down. Cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and remove it. Flip over and press firmly on the sternum until it cracks flat. The chicken should lay completely flat. - 02
Brine
Combine all brine ingredients in a deep container and stir until the salt dissolves. Submerge the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. - 03
Dry the chicken
Pull the chicken from the brine and pat completely dry with paper towels. Get into all the crevices. Do not rush this step. The drier the skin, the crispier the result. - 04
Season
Mix all rub ingredients together. Season the chicken generously all over the surface, including the underside, legs, and thighs. - 05
Dry rest (optional, for extra crispy skin)
For the crispiest possible skin, place the seasoned chicken uncovered on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. The cold dry air dehydrates the skin surface so it crisps in the oven instead of steaming. Skip this step if you are short on time. - 06
Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Use convection bake if your oven has it. Convection circulates hot air around the bird for faster, more even browning all over. - 07
Roast
Place the chicken skin-side up on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Roasting on a rack is important. It lets hot air circulate underneath the chicken so the bottom crisps instead of steaming against the pan. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, convection bake at 425°F (218°C). Pull when the thickest part of the breast reads 160°F. The breast dries out quickly, so do not overshoot it. The thighs and legs will likely read higher, around 180 to 185°F. That is completely fine. Dark meat has more fat and connective tissue and stays juicy at higher temperatures. - 08
Rest and serve
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving. Carryover heat brings the breast to 165°F during the rest. Cutting it immediately lets the juices run out before they can redistribute.
Chef's note
Three things that make this taste like Costco: (1) Baking powder in the brine stands in for sodium phosphate, the compound Costco uses to help the chicken hold moisture under heat. (2) Baking powder in the rub raises the pH of the skin surface, which accelerates browning and produces that deep golden color. (3) Spatchcocking flattens the bird so the breast and thigh cook more evenly and more skin faces the oven heat.
What makes it better than Costco: the crispy skin. Costco's chicken comes out soft and golden from the rotisserie humidity. Yours will have an actual crunch.
Temperature guide: pull the breast at 160°F. Carryover brings it to 165°F during the 10-minute rest. The thighs and legs may read 180 to 185°F, which is fine. Dark meat stays juicy at higher temperatures because of its fat content. Judge doneness by the breast only.
