Why Costco Shoppers Aren't Satisfied With The Butter Chicken And Naan Kits

Costco devotees love discovering a good prepared food at the wholesale grocer. Costco's rotisserie chickens are consistently a step above the rest, and the food court hot dogs are legendary, but the new butter chicken and naan kits are not faring the same with shoppers.

The general consensus, according to the r/Costco Reddit thread, is that the flavor of the combo pack is really not that great. Several people commented on how overwhelmingly salty the food was, while others called the taste "just okay," "very mehh," and "nothing to write home about." A couple comments mentioned that the pieces of chicken were tender and plentiful, but most said the meat was dry and sparse, and one YouTube reviewer found the chicken to be way too fatty.

Additionally, when following the instructions on the label to warm the dish for 45 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the naan came out cracker crisp. Since the cooking time seems excessive for a dish that contains pre-cooked chicken and already baked bread, those that purchased the kits were mostly winging it and playing around with temps and times to very mixed results.

The saving grace for some is that the price of the kit is only $5.99 per pound, but many people that sampled it said you would be better off ordering butter chicken and naan from your local Indian restaurant or even just buying a jar of pre-made sauce and making the meal yourself.

Clearly, Costco's butter chicken and naan kits are not the move if you want to satisfy your craving for this classic dish. Despite the competing origin stories of butter chicken, there's a general agreement that, when it comes to the staple ingredients, the curry should be creamy, tomatoey, warmly spiced, and loaded with lightly charred chicken.

Traditionally, the chicken is cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor so that the dish has a smoky flavor profile, but grilled or hard-seared chicken is a common substitute. The sauce varies based on the chef, but it typically has plenty of butter, fresh chilies (or dried red chili powder), aromatics including garlic, onion, and ginger, and a rich tomato gravy. Ground cumin, fenugreek leaves, and heavy cream are also commonly added. Butter chicken should be nuanced and comforting with a protein and sauce that come together to be greater than the sum of their parts — apparently a far cry from what Costco shoppers say they are tasting.

As for the naan, Costco kit buyers said it was more like a doughy pita bread. While not altogether unpleasant, whatever comes in the kits does not have the intended flavor and texture. Naan should be fluffy, slightly chewy, buttery, and charred in spots. Just like the butter chicken, it should have a certain complexity that seems to be absent from the Costco version.