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A ready-made chicken meal seems straightforward: take it out of the freezer, heat it up and eat. Yet shoppers sometimes pay for a product that doesn’t suit their portion size, available cooking time or taste preferences. With chicken meals, there are three main pitfalls to watch out for.
The first is confusing the weight of the pack with the amount of chicken it contains. A 450 g meal may consist mainly of rice, sauce or vegetables. So check the ingredients list and the stated percentage of chicken.
The second pitfall is preparation. “Quick to make” doesn’t always mean a frozen chicken meal can be cooked in the microwave. Some products are designed for the oven, while others can be heated in the microwave in just a few minutes.
The third pitfall is storage and allergens. Frozen products need to stay sufficiently cold during delivery and at home. Also, always check the packaging for ingredients such as soya, milk, egg, mustard, gluten, peanuts and celery. Product information can change, so always refer to the current packaging.
First, decide where you plan to eat your meal. For lunch at work, a microwave chicken meal is handy, as long as there’s a microwave available. For example, the Iglo Ping & Ready meal states that it takes around 8 minutes to prepare in the microwave.
A frozen chicken pizza will generally need an oven. Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pollo states that it should be cooked in an electric oven at 220 °C or a fan oven at around 200 °C for 11 to 13 minutes. This matters if you want a quick meal but only have a microwave.
Always follow the cooking instructions on the packaging. Times may vary depending on the appliance, portion size and starting temperature.
Don’t just compare the price per pack; check the net weight and number of portions too. A 390 to 450 g single-serving meal may be suitable for dinner, while a 100 g onigiri is more suited to a snack, light lunch or side.
For chicken with rice, check the proportions of rice, vegetables, sauce and chicken. Freasy Sweet Spicy Chicken 450g lists basmati rice, 15% chicken thigh, pepper, edamame and sweetcorn, among other ingredients. Tandoori Chicken Biryani lists 61% basmati rice, 12% chicken thigh and red onion. This gives you a clearer idea of what’s inside than the product name alone.
Nutritional values are useful for comparing products. Check whether they’re given per 100 g, per portion or per pack. Use the current product packaging as your guide, especially when comparing several meals.
Ready-made chicken meals come in a variety of flavours. Options include sweet and spicy chicken, chicken biryani, tandoori chicken and teriyaki chicken. However, the flavour name doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients.
Onigiri, for example, contains rice and toasted seaweed sheets. According to the product information, Bamboo Cuisine Onigiri Chicken Teriyaki contains egg and mustard, among other ingredients. Freshasia Teriyaki Chicken Onigiri lists soya, wheat, celery and mustard as allergens.
If you have allergies or intolerances, it’s worth checking both the “contains” and “may contain” information. Sauces can also contain ingredients you might not expect in a chicken dish, such as milk, peanuts or sulphites.
Why it suits this shopper: A straightforward single-serving meal with chicken breast, green beans and rösti. The product information states that it takes 8 minutes to prepare in the microwave.
The 390 g portion size and clear microwave instructions make it easier to plan the preparation and serving size in advance.
Single-serving portion, microwave preparation and product information listing 15.5% grilled chicken breast and 15.5% green beans.
Why it suits this shopper: This frozen chicken meal pairs basmati rice with yoghurt-marinated tandoori chicken and a generous blend of spices.
The ingredients list separately identifies rice, red onion, 12% chicken thigh and yoghurt. This lets you check the ingredients and milk allergen information in advance.
450 g per pack, basmati rice as the base and a distinctive tandoori flavour, with cumin, cardamom and turmeric among the spices.
Why it suits this shopper: The six-piece pack is handy for several eating occasions, lunchboxes, snacks or a quick chicken meal on the go.
Each portion is clearly set at 100 g. Be sure to check the defrosting instructions and the egg and mustard allergen information.
Six individual onigiri, rice with teriyaki chicken and a convenient format for taking with you and splitting across several occasions.
We’ve put together a complete, up-to-date list of products that meet these strict selection criteria and the current European safety requirements.
Store frozen products at the temperature stated on the packaging, usually -18 °C. Don’t let frozen food thaw unnecessarily while you’re shopping. Once thawed, you can usually keep it chilled and use it within the stated period, following the instructions provided. Don’t refreeze a thawed product unless the packaging explicitly says you can.
A ready-made chicken meal is especially handy when you need preparation to be predictable. So, before ordering, check:
A 100 g onigiri is handy as a snack or light lunch, especially if you don’t have access to cooking facilities. For a full meal, a single-serving option that can be heated in the microwave may be more practical. Check in advance that the packaging is suitable for your microwave and workplace.
It depends on the use-by date and storage temperature. Keep them at a consistent temperature, following the instructions on the packaging, and check the date when they arrive. Once thawed, different storage times apply, so follow the label.
The price per meal may be higher than buying rice and chicken separately, but you’re also paying for portioned packaging, preparation time and convenience. So compare the price per portion and look out for multipack offers, such as three 450 g packs.
