Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular dishes eaten in this country. Our panel, all self-confessed curry fiends, eagerly awaited the dishes for judging. A point to note is that our panel are not shown whose brand of dish they are tasting, so no bias or favouritism can come into play.

Chicken Tikka Masala, Medium, Tesco* Generous portions of chicken, great flavour, attractive colour and a good texture. You definitely knew you were eating a Tikka Masala. Per Pack (350g)† Per 100g CALORIES 532kcal 152kcal FAT 34.3g 9.8g

Chicken Tikka Masala, Healthy Eating, Tesco* The panel immediately agreed this dish was a milder version of the Tesco Medium dish (remember they are not shown the brand they are eating).  Good colour and very generous portions of chicken again. A reasonable taste and a good low fat alternative to the full fat versions of this dish.  Per Pack (350g)† Per 100g CALORIES 332.5kcal 95kcal FAT 7.7g 2.2g

Chicken Tikka Masala, Organic, Tesco* Looked a good colour and received positive praise for its sauce which was thick and creamy.   Per Pack (340g)† Per 100g CALORIES 418kcal 123kcal FAT 12.9g 3.8g

Chicken Tikka Makhani with Pilau Rice, Be Good to Yourself, Sainsbury's* Our panel decided this was not an obvious Tikka Masala; you could have been eating chicken in tomato sauce or a thick stew. No real flavour or tastes. Per Pack (450g)† Per 100g CALORIES 427.5kcal 95kcal FAT 6.3g 1.4g

Chicken Tikka Masala with Rice, Bird's Eye* The panel agreed it was difficult to find something positive to say about this dish. Very little chicken and a non-descript flavour - the general comment was 'What am I eating?' Per Pack (375g)† Per 100g CALORIES 506.3kcal 135kcal FAT 13.9g 3.7g

†Retailer's Recommended Portion Size

Conclusion

With the exception of the Birds Eye dish, it was difficult to distinguish between the other dishes, with most of them receiving positive comments. The different portions of chicken in each dish were noticeable and flavour and texture differentiated the 'good' from the 'bad'. After the panel had been told which brands they were eating they were pleasantly surprised with the Tesco Healthy Eating dish which, as an alternative to the full fat versions, faired well. Good points for the vegetarian Quorn dish.