We bought the Rana Tagliatelle with Chicken and Mushrooms at Costco the other day and gave it a try for dinner. The meal is incredibly easy to prepare and a decent bargain.
We found the meal to be intensely flavored which, depending upon your taste preferences, will be either a massive positive or negative.
Cooking Instructions
This meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Start by opening the packaging and removing the three pouches. There are individual pouches for:
- Tagliatelle Pasta (semi-fresh)
- Chicken Breast (grilled)
- Portabella Mushroom Sauce (lots!!)
The product also comes with a large plastic container to heat the meal.
Heating Instructions
- Open the pouches and layer the contents into the provided plastic container.
- Start by adding the pasta and arranging it loosely into a single layer.
- Next, add the mushroom sauce to cover the pasta.
- Lastly, add the grilled chicken on top of the sauce.
- Once the contents have been assembled, cover with a couple of paper towels and microwave on High for 8 minutes.
- After the meal has heated for 8 minutes, give it a stir and allow to cool for a minute before serving.
Taste Test!
My wife and I agreed that the dish has an INTENSE mushroom flavor that defines the meal.
Personally I love mushrooms…let, me restate that…I am a mushroom freak, and I absolutely loved the meal. The pasta was slightly al dente, the sauce was creamy and the chicken was acceptable but rather uninteresting. I thought the meal was delicious.
My wife was not a fan. She likes pasta that is almost mushy and, while she likes mushrooms in general, found the mushroom flavor to be overwhelming.
I devoured the pasta and never felt the need to add extra parmesan cheese. The one suggestion I would make to doctor this up a little bit would be to add some minced Italian parsley or toss in some green peas for a pop of color and brightness.
This was the second Rana product I have tried at Costco (the other was the Lobster Ravioli) and this was my favorite.
In addition to the flavors, another reason that I liked this meal was that it wasn’t too much food for the two of us. The label says there are about 7 servings per package and I figure there is enough food to feed three people a hearty meal if you include a salad and bread.
When I get the Take and Bake meals at Costco like the Chicken Alfredo there is so much food we end up with a huge pile of leftovers that eventually get tossed out or fed to our pups.
Serving Ideas
This is a delicious main course that pairs well with a variety of side dishes. Here are some options to consider:
Garlic Bread
Crispy, buttery garlic bread is a classic side that complements the rich flavors of the chicken and mushrooms in the tagliatelle dish. You can make it by spreading garlic butter on slices of Italian bread and toasting them in the oven. This would be an amazing way to use the Costco ciabatta rolls from the bakery!
Mixed Greens Salad
If you want to lighten the meal up, then a fresh mixed greens salad with a simple vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the creamy pasta dish. You can use a combination of lettuce, arugula, spinach, and other greens, and add toppings like cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Caesar Salad
if you want to richen the meal, then a Caesar salad, with its creamy dressing, crisp romaine lettuce, and crunchy croutons, will make the meal even more decadent. You can pick up a pretty decent Caesar salad kit from the Costco deli cooler.
Roasted Vegetables
If you want to keep things healthy then roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, or carrots, can add a burst of color and flavor to the meal. Toss the vegetables in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast them in the oven until they are tender and slightly caramelized.
Breaded and Fried Zucchini
If you want to have a real treat then slice a zucchini into rounds, dip them in egg wash, coat them in breadcrumbs, and fry them until crispy for a tasty and crunchy side dish!
Calories
One cup of the pasta and sauce is a single serving and has the following nutritional information:
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 13g (13%)
- Cholesterol: 95mg (32% DV)
- Sodium: 590mg (26% DV)
- Carbohydrates: 24g (9% DV)
- Protein: 14g
I would suggest doubling those values as most people will portion out two servings for their meal.
Costco Value
This is Item Number 1102200 and is found in the refrigerated coolers by the deli section.
We bought the 40 ounce package on sale for $8.99 but it is regularly priced at $12.99. If we ordered something similar to this meal at a restaurant it would easily cost $25 so I will call this a bargain (especially when you can find it on sale!).
