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The best chicken tikka masala to buy from the supermarket
As tried and tested by The Good Housekeeping Institute.
Chicken tikka masala is one of the country's favourite dishes, and whilst you could attempt to make your own, these ready made versions are an effortless alternative.
What does chicken tikka masala consist of?
Chicken tikka masala is a rich curry containing chunks of oven-roasted, yoghurt-marinated boneless chicken, served in a rich and creamy tomato-based sauce. Best served with pilau rice, and/or naan on the side.
How we test chicken tikka masala
The Good Housekeeping Institute tried 17 ready made chicken tikka masalas, to find your next mid-week takeaway meal. They were looking for well-balanced, authentic flavours and tender chicken.
Overall Score: 85/100
Our winning curry filled the kitchen with notes of fragrant garlic and is big enough to serve two, complete with pilau rice on the side. Testers enjoyed the level of heat in the creamy sauce, and found the tender chicken was complemented by warming chilli, cumin and cayenne spices.
Overall Score: 75/100
Available in portions for either one or two people, COOK's convenient frozen meals are ideal to have on hand for busy mid-week nights. The herby, sweet and creamy sauce contains large pieces of chicken and onion, with just a hint of chilli.
Overall Score: 74/100
ASDA's ready meal contains soft, tender pieces of chicken in a smooth and creamy sauce. There is a gentle heat and mild chargrilled aroma, alongside a pleasant chilli kick. However, some found the flavour slightly unbalanced.
Overall Score: 73/100
Prefer your curry on the mild side? At Co-op you'll find charred chicken in a gently spiced, creamy tomato sauce. However, some found the pilau rice a little overcooked in places.
Overall score: 72/100
Home alone? Tesco's single-serve curry and rice consists of a tangy tomato sauce with more heat than expected. The rich and creamy sauce is flecked with herbs and contains pleasing notes of garlic and cumin, alongside barbecued tandoori chicken.
Overall Score: 71/100
Mint and coriander add a subtle twist to this thick and creamy tomato sauce, but the spice element was mild. Tomato was the dominant flavour, and some would have preferred more varied spices for added depth.
Iceland Luxury Chicken Makhani Masala 400g
Overall Score: 71/100
Fragrant and saucy, our testers liked the indulgent feel of this masala. The spicy aroma of ginger, anise and cumin was a hit, as was the sweet, spicy taste of the curry. The sauce is very creamy although some found it a little too heavy and the slightly dry chicken let it down.
Overall Score: 71/100
This glossy, attractive tikka masala is flecked with colourful herbs and spices. The chicken is fresh and tender with a lovely hint of warmth. There is a nice chargrilled flavour to the chicken which some testers liked, whilst others thought it tasted non-traditional because the spices were too mild.
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