This $3.27 Aldi Frozen Dinner Is the Best Cheap Meal My Family Loves

When my son was a little boy, he would start singing a little song to himself every time we got Indian takeout: “CHICKEN tikka masala, chicken TIKKA masala, chicken tikka MASALA!” He got so excited about eating his favorite meal that he couldn’t help himself. Now that he’s a teenager, he no longer sings when he eats, but he still gets pretty elated about chicken tikka masala.

On a recent trip to our local Aldi, his eyes grew a bit bigger when he spied the Journey to India Chicken Tikka Masala in the freezer. “Can we please get this?” he asked me. I’m glad we did, because it’s become his favorite. It’s really that good.

What’s So Great About Aldi’s Journey to India Chicken Tikka Masala

Aldi’s Journey to India Chicken Tikka Masala is a 10-ounce frozen dinner with chunks of chicken in tikka masala sauce and a large portion of steamed basmati rice. The whole meal costs only $3.27. This price amazes me. Ordering takeout from our favorite Indian restaurant would cost at least three times more. Aldi’s also costs a dollar less than a similar version at Trader Joe’s, and it is way, way cheaper than a similar one at Target that costs $7.

Unsurprisingly, my son has tasted both the Trader Joe’s and Target versions of frozen tikka masala, plus probably half a dozen others, including brands only found at Indian grocery stores. While he will still eat all of them, the one from Aldi trumps them all—he says none compares.

“The other ones are decent,” he says. (Mom’s translation: “Decent” is his way to say “fine,” which means it’s just OK.) Aldi’s Journey to India won over his taste buds. “Of all the frozen versions, this one tastes the most authentic,” he tells me. “It’s just really good.”

I absolutely agree with him. The tikka masala is creamy and perfectly spiced, with large chunks of moist chicken, and the rice is delicious. My husband also approves. “It’s just as good as the takeout.” We’ve eaten Journey to India Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner with a side salad or frozen veggies to round things out.

Journey to India also has a butter chicken entrée with basmati rice, and it's reasonably priced. It’s quite taste, but we prefer the tikka masala.

Since this is one of those here-today-gone-tomorrow products at Aldi, I’ve stocked up. My son might not sing when he’s eating this meal, but his eyes still sparkle.