5 Best Chicken Brands in Grocery Stores, According to Chefs
Chicken may be a weeknight staple, but the quality can vary more than you might expect. From flavor and texture to how the birds are raised and processed, chefs say the brand you choose can have a big impact on your final dish. A higher-quality chicken can elevate everything from a simple roasted dinner to your favorite comfort foods, delivering better taste and more consistent results. To help make more informed choices at the store, Eat This, Not That! asked chefs the brands and stores they trust the most. Here are the top five.
Pasture Bird
Pasture Bird offers a noticeably different approach to chicken—focused on quality, ethics and transparency. It’s a premium alternative to standard grocery-store chicken, which Chef Andres Kaifer of Customshop and Emmy Lou’s in Charlotte, NC, appreciates. He usually buys Pasture Bird at Sprouts and says, “It is non-GMO, pasture-raised, not frozen and has great texture and flavor.”
Bell & Evans
Bell & Evans is a chef-approved brand that delivers on taste, consistency and sourcing standards. The flavor is one of the first things people rave about because of its air-chilling method, which helps preserve natural juices instead of diluting them with water. “Their birds have the firm texture that holds up to my grandmother’s lemon and herb roasting method — no rubbery skin, no watery drippings,” says Melanie Portman, chef and recipe developer with Droolrecipes.com. “When you’re making chicken cacciatore that needs to simmer for 45 minutes, you need poultry that won’t fall apart.”
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Perdue
Perdue strikes a balance between quality, availability, and trust—it’s widely accessible but still markets itself as a step above basic store-brand chicken. “I appreciate their humane treatment of the animals (cage-free environment, vegetarian feed) because ultimately, an animal that is stressed will release stress hormones into its flesh, which can result in tougher meat,” says Lisa Lotts, home cook, recipe developer, owner and publisher of Garlic and Zest.
Kirkland Signature Organic Chicken Breasts
Costco is legendary for its private label, which has everything from furniture to food like Kirkland Signature Organic Chicken Breasts. “The chickens are raised without added antibiotics or injected with brine solutions to add weight and plump them, yet they are tender and juicy,” Lotts explains. “The brands’ care and ethics produce consistently delicious chicken perfect for grilling, roasting, stewing and more. The quality and flavor are worth the extra cost.”
Publix
In places like the Southeast, Publix is more than a grocery store—it’s a cultural staple. From the bakery to must-haves like chicken, everything is a standout. It’s one of the spots that Emma Sullivan, home chef and recipe developer at DailyCookingRecipe.com, loves going to. “As for chicken, any reputable store brand like Publix, Wegmans, or even Costco, aka Kirkland brand, is great,” she says. “As long as they don’t use chemicals, pesticides or antibiotics and are considered Non-GMO. Publix and Costco also have awesome already-cooked rotisserie chickens that are great for an easy meal!”