Several cooked rotisserie chickens ready for packaging at Costco.

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Costco's rotisserie chicken has a passionate cult following due to its price and quality, but the warehouse retailer has some competition. According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, the Sam's Club Member's Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken was named the best selection by highly experienced and educated taste testers. For what it's worth, Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken landed in second place, while Whole Foods Market Classic Rotisserie Chicken was last due to dryness and lack of flavor. 

The paprika-rub seems to be the chicken's powerhouse ingredient, which attributed to a more complex roasted taste than was evident in the other birds, per Consumer Reports' testers. The spice rub also includes garlic powder, onion powder, citrus acid, and other seasonings. Sam's Club members can snag a rotisserie chicken for $4.98 and are limited to three per order, which is good for customers. According to a review on the retailer's website, "They're huge and for 5 bucks they're hard to beat. The only problem is getting your hands on one."

Why paprika and roast chicken are a match made in culinary heaven

Sam's Club's paprika-seasoned rotisserie chicken highlights how well this earthy spice pairs with poultry (it even shows up in our list of the best grilled chicken seasonings according to a grill master). Depending on the type of seasoning, paprika can have spicy or smoky notes, which does wonders for chicken's low-key, sometimes bland flavor. In addition to the flavor upgrade, dry rubs on chicken help develop a crispy outer crust to offset the tenderness of the meat. And Consumer Reports lauded Sam's Club's rotisserie chicken's golden color.

In a head-to-head battle between Sam's Club and Costco, we declared the latter retailer as the best option for its pricing and selection of goods. But as the Consumer Reports survey shows, the Walmart-owned warehouse club is no slouch where customer satisfaction is concerned. We can't say Sam's Club's crowd-pleasing rotisserie chicken will help the chain lure members away from Costco, but the usurping of Kirkland Signature's wildly popular meal certainly comes as a surprise.