Kirkwood Garlic & Herb Seasoned Chicken Breasts

Last Updated on December 28, 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE: When we originally wrote about this product, it was a Regular Buy available at Aldi all the time. Now it’s an Aldi Find, which means Aldi only stocks it occasionally for short periods. 

One of the most popular and hyped types of chicken at Aldi is the “red bag chicken” also known as Kirkwood Breaded Chicken Breast Fillets. But red bag chicken is by no means the only kind of chicken you’ll find at Aldi.

My family is a fan of Aldi’s traditional chicken tenders (also called blue bag chicken), honey battered chicken tenders (also known as yellow bag chicken), chicken cordon bleu, and chicken fries. We also like the Aldi chicken patties, which are perfect for serving on sandwich buns.

Still, we haven’t yet plumbed the depths of all of the chicken options at Aldi.

The most recent type of chicken we tried was some non-breaded garlic and herb seasoned breasts.

While these are sold in a green bag in the freezer section, they are not typically what Aldi fans are referring to when discussing “green bag chicken,” as green bag chicken refers to another type of Aldi chicken (the Kirkwood Parmesan Herb Encrusted Chicken Tenders).

Kirkwood Garlic & Herb Seasoned Chicken Breasts Portions with Rib Meat cost $6.99 for a 40-oz. bag at the time of publication. The bag says it contains 10 servings, which comes out to about 70 cents per serving.

These used to be a Regular Buy at our local stores, which meant you could find them at Aldi year round. However, at some point, Aldi made them an Aldi Find, which means they’re only in stores for a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, they’re gone until Aldi decides to bring them back, whenever that might be. Aldi does not offer online ordering for products not in stock at your local store.

They contain up to a 15% solution of water and seasoning, are ice glazed, individually frozen, boneless, and skinless. The chicken was hatched, raised, and harvested in the U.S.

Ingredients are chicken breast portions with rib meat containing up to 15% solution of: water, seasoning (salt, hydrolyzed corn protein, maltodextrin, garlic powder, sugar, corn syrup solids, spices, yeast extract, dehydrated red bell pepper, flavors, dehydrated parsley, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, concentrated lemon juice, and molasses.

So these are going to have some extra ingredients — including processed items — compared to seasoned chicken breasts you might make at home, but most people know that frozen food like this tends to be more about convenience than health.

Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

The bag I bought contained four very large chicken breasts, and the nutrition label says the bag contains 10 servings.

One 4-oz. serving nets you 110 calories, 2.5 grams of total fat (2.5% DV), 1 gram of saturated fat (1% DV), 65 mg of cholesterol (22% DV), 760 mg of sodium (33% DV), 3 grams of total carbohydrates (1% DV), 0 grams of sugars, and 20 grams of protein.

These have instructions for baking in a conventional oven or grilling.

Because they are sold frozen, they include thawing instructions, although they can be baked either thawed or frozen. To thaw the chicken breasts, place the unopened bag or portion needed (cover with plastic wrap) in a large bowl or pan and refrigerate on the bottom shelf overnight.

To bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place no more than six chicken breasts in a shallow roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes if thawed (40-50 minutes if frozen) or until chicken can be easily pierced with a fork and internal juices run clear. For food safety, insert a calibrated thermometer into the thickest part of the the meat, and cook to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.

To grill, heat the grill to medium heat. Grill the thawed chicken, turning often, for 24-26 minutes or until a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached in the thickest part of the largest piece and the juices run clear.

I initially made a couple of these chicken breasts for my family as an easy lunch alongside some instant mashed potatoes and sautéed Brussels sprouts.

I thawed the chicken overnight in the refrigerator, and it still was slightly icy when I put it in the oven to bake. I checked it at 40 minutes and it was fully cooked and up to the proper temperature. After taking the chicken out of the oven, I cut the large breasts into more manageable individual portions.

My family all approved of this chicken. It was tender and moist, with good garlic and herb flavor. This chicken is good enough that it could be the entrée in a nice dinner when served alongside a starch such as potatoes or pasta and some kind of vegetable.

It would also go well with alfredo if you wanted to serve a pasta dish with some protein, and it might even be good sliced or diced and served atop a salad for a protein boost. It would also make a good base for a chicken sandwich.

The Verdict:

Kirkwood Garlic and Herb Seasoned Chicken Breasts are higher in sodium and processed ingredients than seasoned chicken breasts you might make at home, but in exchange you get the convenience of having chicken that is oven- or grill-ready. This chicken is tender and flavorful served on its own or in a chicken alfredo pasta dish, or any other way you want to serve seasoned chicken.