

A 23-ounce frozen meal, this Trader Joe’s version of kung pao chicken uses dark meat chicken in a medium-spicy sauce with peanuts, water chestnuts, green and red bell peppers, onions, and dried chilies. The mix leans on contrast, with tender chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and a sauce that brings soy, garlic, and a little sweetness. It’s built for stovetop heating, though the microwave works too. Compared with other Trader Joe’s frozen meals, it sits in the more texture-forward corner of the lineup, and the whole dried chilies give it a look and heat profile that’s pretty close to the wok-fried original.

Tried this? Be the first to share.