Chefs’ Choice: The Best Chicken Brands to Buy at the Grocery Store

Chicken is a weeknight staple for many, but the quality can significantly impact the final dish. Chefs emphasize that choosing the right brand can elevate simple meals and ensure consistent results. Here are some top chicken brands trusted by culinary professionals, as of March 22, 2026.

Pasture Bird

Pasture Bird offers a premium alternative to standard grocery store chicken, focusing on quality, ethics, and transparency. Chef Andres Kaifer of Customshop and Emmy Lou’s in Charlotte, NC, appreciates that it is non-GMO, pasture-raised, not frozen, and boasts excellent texture and flavor. Pasture Bird is typically available at Sprouts [1].

Bell & Evans

Bell & Evans is a chef-approved brand known for its taste, consistency, and sourcing standards. Its air-chilling method preserves natural juices, resulting in a flavorful product. Melanie Portman, chef and recipe developer with Droolrecipes.com, notes that Bell & Evans chickens have a firm texture ideal for various cooking methods, including long simmers without falling apart [1].

Perdue

Perdue strikes a balance between quality, availability, and trust. The brand markets itself as a step above basic store-brand chicken. Lisa Lott, a home cook, recipe developer, and owner/publisher of Garlic and Zest, appreciates Perdue’s humane treatment of animals, noting that a stressed animal can result in tougher meat [1].

Kirkland Signature Organic Chicken Breasts (Costco)

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Organic Chicken Breasts are praised for being raised without added antibiotics or brine solutions, yet remaining tender and juicy. Lotts explains that the brand’s care and ethics consistently produce delicious chicken suitable for grilling, roasting, stewing, and more, making the quality and flavor worth the cost [1].

Publix

Publix is a cultural staple in the Southeast, known for its high-quality products, including chicken. Emma Sullivan, a home chef and recipe developer at DailyCookingRecipe.com, recommends reputable store brands like Publix, Wegmans, or Costco (Kirkland brand), provided they are non-GMO and free from chemicals and pesticides. Sullivan also highlights Publix’s and Costco’s excellent already-cooked rotisserie chickens as convenient meal options [1].

Grocery Store Fried Chicken Standouts

While focusing on raw chicken quality, it’s worth noting that some grocery stores excel in prepared foods. According to a 2025 ranking by the Los Angeles Times, Albertsons in Gardena, California, offers exceptionally great fried chicken, with the ability to pre-order large quantities for events [3].

Where to Buy Wholesale Kitchen Supplies

For restaurant and kitchen supplies, CHEF’STORE offers low prices on name-brand products and bulk food options, both in-store and online [1].