As far as microwavable tikka masalas go, this isn’t bad.
I love chicken tikka masala, but I’m pretty particular about it. I haven’t found many commercial versions that I like. Trader Joe’s tikka masala sauce and frozen chicken tikka masala entree are OK, but just that. This refrigerated version was better, it wasn’t as acidic and tasted closer to what you get at a restaurant. But it wasn’t quite there. The sauce wasn’t very complex, the chicken didn’t really have the smoky tikka flavor and I didn’t find myself licking the bowl as I otherwise would. It’s better than the
Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala you find at the supermarket – but that’s not saying much.
It’s also not a particularly great value . It’s $6.50 (at the Castro Valley Trader Joe’s) for the 16 oz package, but half of it is rice. The 15oz package of Sukhi’s chicken tikka masala is $11 at Safeway (and it goes on sale occasionally) but that’s all chicken. And you can get a far better chicken tikka masala at Shef, for $11.50 for a 16-oz container.
In all, I won’t be getting it again.
It was a nice experience to see the vast assortment of Indian food featured under their house brand.
The taste/flavor is surprisingly authentic and popular with their clientele.
From a connoisseur of this staple of India over my lifetime it is reassuring that it is all available locally w/o having to be at the mercy of eateries. The prices are reasonable and that’s another plus.
Thank you!
Cheers!