Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated for 2026.
Grocery store Indian food is often an area of uncertainty. Few grocery entrees taste as good as food from an authentic Indian restaurant, but I continue to try various foods when I see them. One popular dish among my family is butter chicken.
Trader Joe’s, which is a cousin to Aldi, has sold its own version of butter chicken for years. I first tried it about five years ago. Since then, it’s been named among the runners up in the annual Trader Joe’s Customer Choice Awards, so I decided to give it another try recently.
Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice cost $4.49 for a 12.5-ounce package in 2026. That’s up from $3.99 for a 12.5-ounce package when I first wrote about it in 2021.
This is a product of Canada and is sold frozen.
Ingredients are: chicken and sauce (cooked chicken, water, whipping cream [cream, milk], concentrated crushed tomatoes, onion, canola oil, garlic, ginger, butter [cream, salt], salt, spices, cane sugar, citric acid [acidulant], paprika, turmeric), cooked basmati rice (water, rice, canola oil).
The ingredients list in 2026 has been tweaked some compared to what we reviewed in 2021. It no longer includes fenugreek leaves or modified corn starch.
One package contains one 354-gram serving. One serving has 400 calories, 13 grams of total fat (17% DV), 4.5 grams of saturated fat (23% DV), 640 mg of sodium (28% DV), 49 grams of total carbohydrates (18% DV), 2 grams of dietary fiber (7% DV), 3 grams of total sugars, less than 1 gram of added sugars (2% DV), and 24 grams of protein.
It can be heated in the microwave or in a conventional oven.
To microwave, puncture the film with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cook on high for 7 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Carefully remove the hot tray and let the product stand for 1-2 minutes. Remove the film, stir gently, and serve.
To heat in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Puncture the film with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place the tray on a baking sheet in the center of the oven. Cook for 25 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Carefully remove the hot tray, let product stand for 1-2 minutes, remove film, stir gently, and serve.
This used to be sold in a plastic tray, but now the box says the tray is made from renewably sourced plant fiber.
Previously, I baked this butter chicken in the oven. This most recent time, I microwaved it. Per the instructions, I pierced the film in several places to allow steam to escape, but unfortunately, it also allowed the sauce to bubble out through the small holes and make a bit of a mess in the microwave.
As for how this tastes, my opinion is about the same as before: this is all right but not great. It’s on the medium spicy side, but the other more complex flavors I’ve come to know in butter chicken weren’t there. I also feel like this is could use a little more chicken and sauce to balance out how much rice there is.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice features bites of chicken in sauce with a side of basmati rice. It was fine but not the best butter chicken we’ve had. If you’re in the mood for Indian food, we think Trader Joe’s or even Aldi have some other options that are better.
