Cooked chicken
Kirkland Seasoned rotisserie chicken
3 lb
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
Why it scores 26
Kirkland Seasoned rotisserie chicken scores 26 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better chicken nuggets and tenders
-
Pulled Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Walmart · 16 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 63 out of 100 , 37 points higher -
Grilled Chicken Strips Seasoned White Chicken Meat Trader Joe's · 16 oz No gut-studied emulsifiers · No sugar Score 66 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Black pepper herb seasoned chicken breast strips Tyson · 20 oz No added sugars · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 70 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Shredded Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Good & Gather · 12 oz No gut-studied emulsifiers · No dextrose Score 54 out of 100 , 28 points higher -
Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Fillets Kirkland Signature · 48 oz Not ultra-processed · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 72 out of 100 , 46 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Seasoned rotisserie chicken
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Carrageenan minus 7.5 points
- Sodium phosphate minus 1.5 points
- Modified starch minus 1 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 3 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 2.9 g / 100 g minus 1.5 points
- Salt 1.4 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 165 kcal / 100 g minus 0.5 points
- Protein 22.3 g / 100 g plus 4 points
100 − 74 = 26
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 165 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 8.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.9 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 22.3 g |
| Salt | 1.4 g |
Serving: 1 portion (85.048 g)
Ingredients
- Whole chickens
- water
- seasoning (salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, spice extractives)
Label text, as published
Whole chickens, water, seasoning [salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch (potato, tapioca) and potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, spice extractives].
Allergens and diets
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More cooked chicken on GoodSwap
-
Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips Real Good Foods Inc. · 48 oz Ultra-processedContains seed oilsNo additives Score 75 out of 100 Good -
Chicken Nugget Realgood Foods Co. · 567 g Ultra-processedContains seed oilsNo additives Score 75 out of 100 Good -
Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites Just Bare Contains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 64 out of 100 Good -
Chicken Tenders Perdue · 29 oz/1.81 lb Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oilsNo synthetic dyes Score 29 out of 100 Poor -
Crispy Boneless Chicken Bites Tyson · 24 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 54 out of 100 Okay -
Crispy Chicken Strips Tyson · 1360 g High in saltContains added sugarsNo synthetic dyes Score 70 out of 100 Good
More from Kirkland
Sources
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Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
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Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”
doi.org
-
Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
“carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”
doi.org
-
Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives
“However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”
doi.org
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org
-
“Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”
doi.org
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“This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”
doi.org