The 8 Best Prepared Costco Meals to Pick Up for the Easiest Dinner This Week

Let the club store handle mealtime.

Dotdash Meredith/Janet Maples

If you’ve ever strolled through the deli and prepared meals section of your nearest Costco, you’ve probably glanced at the plethora of Kirkland Signature offerings. It can seem overwhelming at first, but there is something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for meat, fish, salads, sandwiches, soups, or one-pot meals, this is the spot you need to visit in your Costco store. We’ve rounded up the best Costco-prepared meals that will bring ease to both your schedule and your budget as you try to figure out what’s for dinner this week!

The Best Prepared Foods to Grab at Costco for Short-Cut Meals

1. Yakisoba Stir-Fry with Seasoned Chicken

Christine Fiorentino

Feed a group this umami-packed, one-pan stir-fry for around $20 and in less than 20 minutes. This hearty and flavorful kit is quick and easy to assemble. With seasoned chicken that highlights notes of ginger and sesame, fresh vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and onion, and hearty soba noodles, this dish is incredibly flavorful and convenient. It makes an easy weeknight meal that can provide up to eight servings per container.

Looking for an upgrade? For added flavor, texture, and color, top this stir-fry with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro. Serve the dish with lime wedges to incorporate an element of acidity which will really bring those rich flavors to life.

2. Rotisserie Chicken & Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Christine Fiorentino

Christine Fiorentino

A total classic, roast chicken with a large salad is a timeless and delicious dish. Costco’s iconic $4.99 prepared rotisserie chicken is always a good idea. Serve the golden, tender, juicy chicken with this large, vibrant spinach salad. The salad kit is complete with crisp baby spinach, crunchy croutons, plump tomatoes, creamy hard-boiled eggs, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and Kirkland Signature’s Poppy Seed Dressing which is sweet, tangy, and slightly creamy.

Looking for an upgrade? Heat the chicken back up in the oven covered in foil. Two minutes before taking it out, remove the foil and place the chicken under the broiler for two minutes to crisp up the golden skin. Before serving the salad, slice the tomatoes to begin releasing those sweet juices. Then warm the crumbled bacon in the oven for 30 seconds before adding it to the poppyseed dressing. It will add something extra to the dressing and blend the flavors of the salad together beautifully.

3. Chicken Noodle Soup & Caesar Salad

Christine Fiorentino

Christine Fiorentino

There’s something so comforting about a soup and salad combo meal. Costco’s chicken noodle soup is even more flavorful because it’s made using the store’s tender, juicy, and flavorful rotisserie chicken. Egg noodles, which are rich and savory all on their own, add so much flavor to this soup and absorb the deep flavor of the roast chicken, as well. Serve this soup with Costco’s traditionally prepared Caesar Salad, which contains consistently crisp romaine lettuce, croutons, shredded cheese, lemon wedges, and rich and creamy Caesar dressing.

Looking for an upgrade? Sprinkle crumbled cheese crisps or crackers on top of each serving of Chicken Noodle Soup. If you want a heartier soup, add cooked orzo to the pot while the soup heats up. Top the Caesar Salad with whole anchovies for added elegance and umami flavor.

4. Chicken Pot Pie

Christine Fiorentino

This chicken pot pie is a hearty one-pan comfort food dish that can be prepared in about an hour. It’s uncooked, weighs about five pounds, and contains generous pieces of chicken, peas, carrots, and of course, a creamy chicken pot pie gravy. All you have to do is remove the top cover, place the tin pan on a sheet pan, and place it in the oven while you take care of other tasks or prepare other elements of your meal.

Looking for an upgrade? Brush the top of the chicken pot pie with egg wash (1 beaten egg plus 1 teaspoon of milk) before placing it in the oven on a sheet pan to cook. The pie will have a glazed top and a crust with some extra crispiness to it, which is a lovely complement to the steaming meat and vegetables that await beneath the surface.

5. Ravioli Lasagna with Beef Bolognese Sauce

Christine Fiorentino

This uncooked lasagna is a hearty comfort meal perfect for a cold winter weeknight when you’ve had a long day, are feeling a bit tired to cook an elaborate meal, but could really use a dinner that wraps you up in a big cozy hug. Layer upon layer of four cheese ravioli, mozzarella, and provolone are smothered in a pork beef bolognese sauce, finished with a generous final layer of shredded cheese. All you have to do is place the foil-covered lasagna on a cookie sheet in the oven for about an hour until it’s piping hot and bubbling around the edges, ready to be devoured.

Looking for an upgrade? Once it is fully prepared in the oven, place the tasty lasagna under the broiler for two minutes to make the top cheese layer extra gooey and bubbly. Get your phone ready for that cheese pull shot!

6. Enchilada Bake with Rotisserie Chicken

Christine Fiorentino

This vibrant, flavorful, and spicy enchilada dish is hearty and budget-friendly, at an average price of $20 per container. It’s made with layers of shredded chicken, tortillas, red enchilada sauce, and a cheese blend. The enchilada bake is even more intense in flavor because it’s made with Costco’s savory rotisserie chicken, which has been cooked low and slow on the spit to juicy and tender perfection. All you have to do is place the tin container on a sheet pan, cover it with foil, and bake it for about an hour until the cheese and chopped peppers on top are melty and bubbling. If you like spicy food, this one is definitely for you, as that enchilada sauce has a nice kick!

Looking for an upgrade? In the last three minutes of cooking, remove the foil from the dish so the cheese can reach a piping hot, melty bubble. Serve the enchilada bake with sour cream for a creamy dollop of additional tangy flavor.

7. Chicken Alfredo

Christine Fiorentino

Cheese lovers, this one’s for you! This chicken Alfredo is a comforting weeknight meal, but also perfect as a leisurely weekend dinner to take your time savoring with friends and family gathered around the table. You can enjoy the before and after of the meal, as well, because all you have to do is place this tin dish in the oven for 1 hour, and then either wrap up leftovers afterward or toss the empty dish in the trash for easy cleanup! This chicken Alfredo comes loaded with cheese. Enjoy this dense and hearty prepared meal immediately, as it will congeal soon after it is removed from the oven because of all the cheesy, creamy goodness.

Looking for an upgrade? Because this dish is so rich, one way to cut the cheesy, creamy flavor and texture is with a bit of heat. Drizzle chili oil or chili crisp, or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Some fresh lemon and/or chopped fresh parsley would add a bright freshness to the dish, too.

8. Salmon Milano with Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Christine Fiorentino

Christine Fiorentino

Salmon dinners are one of my favorite weeknight meals. These gorgeous, meaty salmon filets are topped with fresh dill and an earthy, creamy pesto butter that will melt and seep into each serving as the fish bakes in the oven. The filets are cooked right in the tin tray they are fully prepared in, which makes preparation and cleanup super simple. Serve the salmon with flavorful Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad, packed with chewy, tender orzo, crisp vegetables, rich olives, and tangy feta cheese. This is a $30 meal that will taste just as delicious as leftovers tomorrow.

Looking for an upgrade? To truly combine the flavors of this meal, cut the cooked salmon into cubes, incorporate it into the orzo salad, and enjoy this as a semi-homemade pasta salad dish.

Read the original article on All Recipes.