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Quick to make with pizza dough, these vegetarian Costco chicken bakes are the best meal prep with that nostalgic taste. Freeze them after baking for a fast grab-and-go lunch idea (they only take 5 minutes to heat from frozen)!

Close-up of two stuffed flatbread wraps on a wooden plate, filled with chickpeas, corn, chicken, and herbs. The wraps are cut to reveal their savory filling. A blurred background with greenery and a checkered tablecloth adds a cozy, rustic feel.
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If you were a Costco family, you’ve had a chicken bake. I mean, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to feed a family that’s not pizza! After going vegetarian, one of the things I missed most were those chicken bakes filled with bacon!

So I used my sensory science and food background to reverse engineer the recipe. What followed was a super tasty bite of nostalgia in the form of a plant-based Costco copycat recipe. So if you’ve tried the Costco chicken bake before but need a meatless version now, this is for you!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Made this for dinner tonight. As a family of four vegans, I did change the recipe only to veganize it (cheese, Caesar salad dressing) it was delicious. My whole family loved it. It will go into our dinner rotation. Very easy and quick to make and so good!!” —Kirsty

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Close-up of a hand holding a halved wrap filled with chickpeas and creamy sauce.

Key Ingredients

Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Chickpeas: We’ve tested this with both dried and canned chickpeas, and canned are much easier. Taste-wise, there’s no difference.
  • Vegan Bacon: I usually just make my bacon in the air fryer, so it’s quick and easy.
  • Pizza Dough: I either buy Trader Joe’s dough or make homemade pizza dough.
  • Cheese: The key to the umami-packed vegetarian filling is two types of cheese. Shredded mozzarella for that ultra cheesy texture and smoked provolone to double down on the flavor you’d otherwise get from pork bacon. And Parmesan for the topping!
  • Green Onions: These add a bit of freshness to the rich filling.
  • Caesar Dressing: You can find a vegetarian version at the store or make vegan tahini Caesar dressing at home.

Best vegan bacon

Vegan bacon can be a real hit or miss. After trying many different brands, I settled on Morningstar as my favorite. It gets very crispy and shares much of the same smoky flavors of pork bacon.

Assorted pizza ingredients labeled on a red checkered tablecloth: vegan bacon, spices, pizza dough, provolone, chickpeas, green onions, mozzarella, and Caesar dressing—perfect for crafting a vegetarian Costco chicken bake twist.

How to Make A Vegetarian Costco Chicken Bake

Making this bake takes a little bit of love and learning to roll it up, but we’ve got step-by-step photos to walk you through it! This is an overview of the recipe. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.

  1. Cook the bacon until crispy in the oven or air fryer.
  2. Mix together the filling ingredients.
  3. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and scoop the chickpea mixture onto the center.
  4. Pinch the top shut and brush with the egg wash.
  5. Top with cheese and bake until crispy!
Dough on a wooden board topped with a chickpea filling and shredded cheese mixture, set against a red and white checkered cloth background.
Leave at least 2 inches on all sides to ensure you have enough dough to fold all the way around.

Mashing the chickpeas

Mashing half of the chickpeas helps to thicken the mixture and reinforce the classic texture of the original chicken bake. I like to mash half with a fork or potato masher and leave the rest whole.

Two unbaked bread loaves topped with shredded cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet, placed on a red and white checkered cloth.
Loaves of bread topped with melted cheese on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Serve these up with more Caesar dip or marinara!

More copycat recipes

Close-up of two stuffed flatbread wraps on a wooden plate, filled with chickpeas, corn, chicken, and herbs. The wraps are cut to reveal their savory filling. A blurred background with greenery and a checkered tablecloth adds a cozy, rustic feel.
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Vegetarian Costco Chicken Bake (With Chickpeas!)

5 from 6 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
These vegetarian Costco-style chicken bakes are easy to make with pizza dough and perfect for meal prep. Freeze and reheat in just 5 minutes for a nostalgic grab-and-go lunch

Ingredients 

Chickpea Filling

  • 8 pieces vegan bacon, cooked
  • 3 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained, 425 g cans
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 6 slices smoked provolone, cut into small squares
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup vegetarian Caesar dressing
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp each salt and pepper

Assembly

  • 1 ½ to 2 lbs pizza dough, I prefer 1 ½, which is typically portioned for 1 ½ pizzas
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
  • Mixture: Cook 8 pieces vegan bacon according to package instructions, until crispy. Chop bite-sized pieces. Drain 3 15-oz cans chickpeas and add them to a large bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to roughly smash about half of them.
    Stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 slices smoked provolone (cut into small squares), 3 green onions (sliced), 1 cup vegetarian Caesar dressing, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp each salt and pepper.
    Glass bowl containing a mixture of chickpeas, shredded cheese, diced vegetables, and a creamy dressing on a red and white checkered tablecloth.
  • Roll Dough: Portion 1 ½ to 2 lbs pizza dough into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, roll each out to be 9 x 5 inches. Scoop ¼ of the chickpea mixture onto each in a long log, compacting it with your hands into a mound.
    Dough on a wooden board topped with a chickpea filling and shredded cheese mixture, set against a red and white checkered cloth background.
  • Pinch Shut: Pull dough over the chickpea mound and pinch the edges shut. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
    A loaf of uncooked dough rests on a light wooden surface with a red and white checkered cloth in the background.
  • Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg. Brush the egg lightly over each "chicken" bake.
    A pastry brush applies egg wash to dough on a wooden surface with a red and white checkered tablecloth in the background.
  • Cheese: Combine ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese in a small bowl, then sprinkle onto each "chicken" bake.
    Four unbaked bread loaves topped with shredded cheese on a parchment-lined baking tray, set on a checkered red and white cloth.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
    Four golden brown bread loaves topped with melted cheese, arranged in a row on parchment paper.
  • Serve: Let stand for a few minutes before digging in–they're hot!
    Close-up of a sliced burrito filled with chickpeas, shredded chicken, and herbs, reminiscent of a homemade twist on the popular Costco chicken bake. Its artistically arranged on a wooden plate with a leafy plant blurred in the background.

Notes

Storage: In an airtight container, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or, store them in the freezer after baking for up to 3 months. From the freezer, reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and then finish in the air fryer to get them crispy again.
What’s the best vegan bacon? I like to use Morningstar. It has the best texture and smoky flavor of any I’ve tried.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 741kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 34.6g | Saturated Fat: 9.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17.6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1681mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 10.9g | Sugar: 8.5g | Vitamin A: 669IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 475mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

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5 from 6 votes

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12 Comments

  1. Suzanne Stewart says:

    Could these be made into single serving size (“hot pocket” style) instead of 2 serving rolls? Would it change the baking time?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yes you can! It shouldn’t change the cook time much–just keep an eye on them a bit earlier to make sure they don’t overcook.

  2. Kirsty says:

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight. As a family of four vegans , I did change the recipe only to veganize it ( cheese, Caesar salad dressing ) it was delicious. My whole family loved it . It will go into our dinner rotation. Very easy and quick to make and so good !! Thank you

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I’m so glad your whole family loved it—and I love that you made it work with your vegan swaps! Hearing it’s going into your dinner rotation is the best kind of feedback. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Polina says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Happy eating!

  4. Kirsty says:

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight. As a family of 4 vegans i did “ veganize “ it easily ( cheese, Caesar salad dressing. It was so good and so easy to make . We will definitely be putting it into our dinner rotation. Thank you

    Reply
  5. Kirsten P says:

    5 stars
    I saw your recipe on TikTok and had to try it. We did use regular bacon, cheese, and Caesar dressing. I also roasted the chickpeas and added about 2 cups of fresh shredded spinach. My husband was really impressed and it was a filling dinner! Thank you for helping us add more legumes to our diet!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Nothing better than hearing this, happy eating!!

  6. Alecia says:

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! I bought pizza dough but it would be even better with homemade dough. The filling was hearty and had an amazing Smokey taste. It took less time than I though it would- this one is for the recipe collection!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀

  7. Becky says:

    5 stars
    This was easier and turned out better than I expected! Made as written but with real bacon.

    Reply