With Lunar New Year approaching, I set out to discover which supermarket’s Chinese ready meal could serve as a tasty and affordable alternative to ordering in. I picked meals-for-one from Asda, Tesco, M&S, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons and evaluated them based on price, flavor, and nutritional content—with the help of my family.
Here’s what we found:
Morrisons Chinese Style Chicken Curry (£3.75 for 400g; 94p/100g)
This meal contains 571 calories, 5g saturated fat, 8.5g sugars, and 2.04g salt. The curry includes egg rice and 20% roast chicken pieces with a blend of spices and oils. Cooking took 4 minutes and 30 seconds in the microwave. Unfortunately, the sauce was thin, bland, and oddly scattered with peas. The chicken was chewy, and while the rice was fluffy, it lacked the expected egg texture. Rating: 2/5 stars.
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Sainsbury’s Chinese Style Chicken Curry (£3.75 for 400g; 94p/100g)
With 538 calories, 4.7g saturated fat, 7.1g sugars, and 2.21g salt, this meal offered five medium-sized chicken pieces and mild flavors. The curry was somewhat bland with little spice, and the rice was hard in spots but contained plenty of egg. Cooking time was five minutes. Rating: 3/5 stars.
Lidl Chicken Curry (£2.69 for 400g; 67p/100g)
The standout bargain with 482 calories, 5g saturated fat, 4.7g sugars, and 2.86g salt, Lidl’s meal features 40% curry sauce, 40% egg fried rice, and 20% cooked chicken breast. Cooking took six minutes. This curry was thick, richly flavored with a fruity freshness, and the rice had generous peas and egg pieces. The chicken came in ten pieces of mixed size. A real treat that felt more like takeaway quality. Rating: 5/5 stars.
Aldi Sweet & Sour Chicken (£2.79 for 400g; 70p/100g)
Containing 528 calories, 1.7g saturated fat, 29.4g sugars, and 2.6g salt, Aldi’s version includes egg fried rice, big chicken chunks, and a bright red sauce. But the sauce had an unusual smoky note that didn’t quite hit the mark. Cooking time: 5 minutes 15 seconds. Rating: 3/5 stars.
M&S Cantonese Sweet & Sour Chicken (£4.25 for 400g; £1.06/100g)
With 620 calories, 2g saturated fat, 30g sugars, and 3.2g salt, this meal featured tender chicken breast, red peppers, pineapple, and chewy brown rice. The sauce was tasty but a little watery and lacked sharp tanginess. Cooking took 4 minutes 30 seconds. Rating: 3/5 stars.
Asda Sweet & Sour Chicken (£3.32 for 400g; 83p/100g)
This offering has 553 calories, 1.9g saturated fat, 26g sugars, and 2.7g salt. With nine chicken chunks, fragrant rice, and an orange-hued fresh sauce, Asda’s meal had great balance and consistency. Cooking took 5 minutes. Rating: 4/5 stars.
Tesco Chinese Style Chicken Curry (£3.85 for 400g; 96p/100g)
Surprisingly, this meal lacked any rice and offered 207 calories, 2.1g saturated fat, 5.9g sugars, and 1.06g salt. However, it featured 12 pieces of tender chicken in a creamy, spiced coconut sauce with a pleasant tang. Cooking took 4 minutes. Rating: 4/5 stars.
Overall, everyone felt the portions were on the smaller side—not quite enough to fully satisfy hungry appetites—though I found them adequate. Our top three favorites were Asda, Tesco, and Lidl. Lidl stood out as the best ‘cheat’s takeaway’ alternative, offering the most authentic taste, lowest price (£2.69), lowest sugar content, and a truly satisfying meal.
For just over £10, four of us enjoyed a flavorful and affordable Chinese feast right at home—a great win for budget-conscious takeaway lovers.