(Update Jan 2025: M.I.A. for some time. Are they Out of stock or possibly Discontinued?) March 2025L Well its official from Trader Joe’s. UNFORTUNATELY THIS PRODUCT WAS DISCONTINUED ) Too bad as these were really good!
Trade Joe’s has quite a few, cooked, ready to eat, chicken items in the refrigerated section. Some of those are chicken breasts that have been already sliced . These however are whole cooked boneless chicken breasts, plain and simple, ready to use how ever you like. “All Natural, Minimally Processed…”
So convenient when you don’t feel like cooking but want a fast, easy protein. My review of these is that these boneless breast are super tasty. They are as juicy as possible, as they have not already been cut up, plus they are sealed up with the cooking juices. These are of course super convenient to have in the fridge. They will last at least a week, maybe more. For longer term storage you can freeze them and leave them overnight in the fridge to defrost.
Of course you are paying a bit more here per pound for boneless breasts as naturally one pays for the convenience of having it prepped and cooked. However the taste and quality is quite high. I even am pretty sure too these have been cooked Sous Vide (more on this later) Inside the package are four vacuum sealed pouches containing one perfect looking 4 ounce boneless breasts of chicken like you can see here. They even have grill marks on them, meaning they got some time over a grill.
Some people look down on boneless chicken breast, and think of them as dry and flavorless, but I promise you the way this is cooked proves otherwise. These are perfectly juicy.
My hunch how they make these: I believe these are cooked two ways: First they grill the outside a tiny bit to get those attractive grill marks but then they vacuum seal the breasts and cook them Sous Vide.Naturally I am just guessing but these kinds of pouches look exactly like how sous vide food looks. I also say this especially at how perfect the cook is on these boneless breasts. These are perfectly cooked. Juicy, tender, flavorful. If you are in the food game, let us know in the Comments if you too think these are cooked sous vide.
I gave one of these to my neighbor to taste. She thought they were delicious and immediately said she would be sure to buy them the next time she goes to TJ’s.
“Fully Cooked” – To me this is cooked just perfectly a point. In French cooking “à point” means “exactly right” meaning being “ideally cooked, no more, no less”. These breasts are just cooked just like that. Not overcooked. They are plump and juicy and there is a bit of natural cooking juices in the pouch – which you should be sure to save! This little bit of juice/stock can go over the chicken.
I sliced up a breast and ate it right out of the package as again, these are “fully cooked”. The cook on this is what you might call “medium rare”. If you’re someone who says they like chicken breast cooked until its “well done” you may not find it . Trust me it is. Its Perfect and is done like this so you can reheat it as they state. I put the sliced breast meat on top of a salad and it was delicious. Especially with some Magnificsauce on top. The package states you can “Reheat” this by simmering the pouch in water (or microwaving it). They suggest “simmering for 10-12 minutes”. It comes cooked “a point” so honestly I wonder if simmering this for 12 minutes might ruin it by overcooking it. I would simmer for 5 minutes tops ! Maybe if this is actually sous vide, 12 minutes might be OK. But once again it is already fully cooked. Though “just cooked” in the center which is personally the way I make boneless breasts. Your call on this point.
So I found these breasts very good and very tasty. The downside is of course the price is $9.99 for 1 pound of chicken however of course you don’t have to lift a finger to cook or prep it. You are paying for the convenience of having it ready to use, plus lets face it in a nice deli that sells cooked boneless breasts I’m sure would pay that much a pound if not more for cooked boneless breasts of this quality: perfect.
So when you want a perfect breast of chicken all ready this is very convenient.
The nutrition label says one breast is 150 calories with a whopping 27 Grams Protein and only 4.5 gr of fat. Sounds pretty healthy, no?
Trader Joe’s fortunately sells a number of excellent Japanese style rice crackers (aka “senbei”) and I am a big fan of any kind.
These types of rice crackers are baked not fried. Hence low fat, low cal. As made just from rice flour these are naturally GLUTEN FREE.
They’re great for snacking by themselves as well as being great as a cracker for any topping. We like all of the different kinds of rice crackers they carry. I buy one or another of them all the time.
These Savory Thin Mini rice crackers are the soy sauce / tamari version of an identical rice cracker minus the tamari flavor, which is lighter in color. Also called “Savory Thin Mini Rice Crackers”, either version of these mini rice crackers are good.
The one with Tamari soy sauce flavor I find quite tasty as it gets some UMAMI from the Tamari and it’s Multi Seed and also contains black sesame seeds and flax seeds.
All of the Trader Joe’s rice crackers are naturally GLUTEN FREE as they are made from rice flour. The ingredient list has just a few ingredients, no weird chemical names, and overall seems pretty natural. These Mini Rice Crackers are really tasty and worth trying if you’ve never gotten them before.
$3.99 for 8 oz bag.
I would buy them again.
The lighter colored savory rice version of these rice crackers costs a bit less ($3.49) and those are also good if just a little plainer.
Sorry I cut off serving size; its 36 crackers = 120 calories; very low!
“Made with cream, Italian tomatoes and Grana Padano. Creamy, velvety and savory”
Product of Italy
Trader Joe’s introduced a new imported Italian pasta sauce called “ROSATELLA Pasta Sauce”. The sauce seems to be getting a lot of attention online. Sauces that mix cream or milk and tomato are known as “pink sauces” (rosa means pink), for example, Vodka Sauce.
“This ‘pink sauce’ really delivers on flavor….Our supplier in Italy sources all of their dairy from the Piedmont region—a region renowned for its milk and cheeses. They start with a cream & milk blend, to which they add a short list of ingredients, including tomato paste, onion & garlic purées, basil, oregano, and Grana Padano.“
I woke up today with an idea: what about using this sauce to make a pizza ?! Putting the idea out there….If anyone tries it, please let us know how it turned out.
This sauce is good! Creamy, nice and tomato-y and cheesy from a generous amount of authentic Grana Padano PDO cheese in the sauce. Online, people are calling it amazing, and frankly I agree. I found this new Rosatella sauce to be absolutely delicious.
When I opened the jar and took a taste, even at room temperature, I could taste that this sauce is real deal Italian. It has a nice balance of ingredients with the tomato, cream and cheese (PDO Grana Padano)
I thought a shaped pasta like rigatoni, penne, farfalle, or trofie might work best with a thick creamy sauce like this. I went with Rigatoni, as its a big and hearty shape that holds sauce well, and the rigatoni was a good choice. It went perfectly with the Rosatella sauce. Of course any pasta you pick should work fine too.
But about a week later I tried the rosatella sauce with Pappardelle and that was as good as it was on the rigaton, if not better. The flat noodle with this sauce was great. Super comfort food.
Rosatella sauce with Trader Joe’s Organic Pappardelle noodles
This sauce is quite thick out of the jar. Just to give you an idea of “how much to use”, for two portions of pasta I used about half the jar. Figure for four portions of pasta you will probably use a whole jar,. This sauce will easily stand up to a bit of your starchy pasta cooking water (all chef’s magic ingredient for pasta).
As always, I cook a pasta as per the classic (Italian) method, meaning you don’t just top naked cooked pasta with a spoon of sauce, the way many American’s tend to do (ugh!). The “correct” method is that you finish cooking the (undercooked) pasta with the sauce while tossing it and adding in some of that precious starchy pasta cooking water. I mean a few tablespoons at a time, just enough, not a cup as the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Save about cup of your pasta water when you drain it, just in case. I just put a heat proof cup under the colander when I dump out the water.
My pasta technique: I take out the pasta about a minute before it hits al dente, toss it in a pan, adding most of the sauce plus a few tablespoons of (reserved) pasta water- the water a few tablespoons at a time tossing constantly (tip: always reserve a cup of your starchy pasta cooking water). In the pan, you toss the pasta with the sauce, again and again, and let it finish cooking until it all blends up together. Maybe about 60-90 seconds, or until the pasta is done “to the tooth” al dente, not over cooked. A little extra sauce on top is good. Plate and serve and eat it asap. I topped it with a bit of fresh basil plus, a bit more grated cheese and a drizzle of EVOO. The pasta dish with rigatoni and the sauce was so yummy. (I tried the Rosatella sauce a second time a few days later using Pappardelle and that combination was as good, if not better!). My recommendations pasta wise would be a shaped pasta, or the flat pappardelle.
We both really enjoyed the finished pasta with this excellent Rosatella pink sauce. I thought this sauce is so good, you could think about using it way beyond just for pasta. I can see it with lots of food. Say serve some on grilled chicken breasts? Or grilled shrimp or fish or meats? Certainly as the base for a homemade pizza. Really this stuff is yummy. You can’t go wrong with this.
I tried it spicy too – zhushing it up with a little spoon of my beloved spicy TJ’s “BOMBA” hot sauce (fermented Calabrian chilis). Even better! I just loved the now spicy Rosatella sauce as well.
This is a great new addition to the pasta sauces at TJ’s. It’s getting a lot of notice and plaudits online.
Trust me this is worth checking out. The Rosatella is $3.99 for a 14.5 oz jar.
I would buy this again
TIP: I look at the recommended cooking time on the package. If it says for example 11 minutes, I drain it at about 9 1/2 minutes. It goes into a pan as I add my sauce and cook it the final approximately 90 seconds cooking, so total time, about the recommended 11 minutes as I finish it, tossing it with sauce and a little pasta water. The mixing adds starch as the pasta releases it and makes your sauce creamier, thicker and stickier to coat all the pasta. And Serve immediately! People should be sitting down ready to eat as soon as it hits the plate. BUON APPETITO!
BAINGAN BHARTA – Roasted Eggplant Curry – Northern Indian dish from the Punjab region.
NEW ITEM: Trader Joe’s recently added one more very good “Authentic Indian Recipe” entrée to the frozen Indian dishes they carry.
Baingan Bharta is a spiced roasted eggplant dish. Baingan mean eggplant. Bharta means charred grilled vegetables. I’ve had this many times in Indian restaurants. If I see it on the menu, I will order it.
Trader Joe’s frozen version of Baingan Bharta is quite good, almost like something you could get at a restaurant though maybe not quite as smokey. This does have a bit of the classic smokey taste this dish is well known for, and it is very nicely seasoned with lots of authentic spices and flavor.
This Indian entrée joins two other very good frozen entrée vegetarian dishes that Trader Joe’s carries which I’ve reviewed and buy regularly: (1) the excellent PALAK PANEER and (2) a very good CHANNA MASALA. I love having any of these in my freezer., for whenever the mood strikes for an easy and very tasty Indian meal.
Just FYI, the ones I mention are the ones that are “entrées” meaning just that dish – they don’t include basmati rice (as some dishes do). I prefer to make my own Basmati rice . Plus I like that that Trader Joe’s put this dish in an Eco Friendly (reclyable) paper base instead of plastic as some other dishes use.
HEATING: Use Microwave, Oven or Stovetop (even though they don’t say that). I made it on the stove and it worked fine just heating in a pan. You can leave it out on the counter for maybe a 1/2 hr, to defrost slightly then put the frozen puck in a non-stick pan, cover it and heat it on low heat till its defrosted and heated thru, stirring every five minutes. It may take 15 minutes in total.
This dish goes well of course with Basmati rice and some Naan or similar bread to scoop it up. I made a quick Raita with Greek yogurt and cucumbers on the side. Or buy the Tzaziki at TJ’s.
Naturally a nice chutney will go well too with this dish. One can not go wrong with TJ’s excellent Sri Lankan ORGANIC MANGO CHUTNEY
Cook up this entree up with Palak Paneer or a package of Channa Masala and some rice or naan and you have an Indian feast that will easily serve two for about $7-8.
$3.49 for 10 oz. I would buy this again.
Spice level – to me not very. Your mileage of course will vary. If you do find it too spicy, you can tone it down with a little plain yogurt.
“Our latest foray into the world of frozen entrées inspired by Indian cuisine combines the mild, slightly sweet flavor and creamy consistency of roasted eggplant with aromatic alliums like onion and garlic, savory seasonings like turmeric and fenugreek leaves, and a nice level of heat, courtesy of fresh green chili peppers. Hearty, flavorful, and satisfying, each bite of Trader Joe’s Baingan Bharta is layered with a pleasantly complex mix of tastes and textures. And though the eating experience may be complex, our take on this iconic Punjabi vegetarian dish (also known in some parts of the world as baigan chokha) is surprisingly simple to prepare: just heat, serve, and enjoy”
You can learn about this dish here which includes a recipe if you are feeling ambitious!
It’s wonderfully flavorful with just the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Naturally it will go great with your Indian dinners such as your PALAK PANEER , or your Butter Chicken and Rice and some Naan and yogurt raita or tzatziki. However it will match well with many other types of food. Its great served on the side with grilled chicken or fish – or tofu for that matter. I even love it on top of cottage cheese! Great on a grilled cheese sandwich.
A jar is $3. I would buy this again. TIP: save yourself a trip and buy two jars!
“Made for us by a supplier in Sri Lanka, this magnificently Mango-forward Chutney is made with a thick, yet smooth and spreadable base of organic cane sugar and organic coconut sap vinegar, to which our supplier adds big, toothsome chunks of organic mango. They then flavor each batch with a suite of awesomely aromatic (and organic!) spices and seasonings that includes cinnamon, cardamom, chili powder, and garlic. Expertly balanced between its savory, sweet, and heat-based elements, the sky’s the limit with this vibrantly versatile Chutney. Try spooning a bit over pizza or pork chops, onto a freshly baked Organic Biscuit or toasted Tandoori Naan, or into a grilled cheese sandwich.“
Usually starting in Fall, Trader Joe’s will have a few kinds of squash. Acorn, Butternut….and I really like those. However some squash are a bit of work to prep, especially if you have to get the skin off. Generally I think, “too much work”. Which brings me to a favorite kind of squash, because its The. Easiest. Squash: Delicata! I’m so fond of it, if I see these at Trader Joe’s I will usually grab one and toss it in my basket.
A few years ago, TJ’s sold them for 99 cents each. They now cost $1.49. That is still pretty cheap, especially if you can score a big one.
So what I really love about the DELICATA sqush is you don’t have to peel them. Which makes them so much easier. Delicata which means “delicate” of course. They have thin (edible) skin. Compared to acorn or butternut squash, which can take 10-15 minutes of serious knife work, these are so much easier. They take 1-2 minutes to prep. For me, that’s a squash game changer.
I made delicata recently and took a few pictures to show how easy it is to make them. Sure you can roast them. They are great that way. But you don’t have to. Mostly I just toss them into a pan with olive oil and garlic. Which is a little easier than roasting in my opinion and almost as good.
The ones here I made them as the ingredient for a pasta dish. I just added the pasta right in the same pan to finish the dish with bit of alfredo sauce (but even just butter and grated cheese would be fine).
Here’s my prep – Rinsed them. Took a teaspoon and scraped out seeds. Sliced them up, a bit thin (1/4″ or so thick) as I was going to sauté them. If I was going to roast them in the oven I would have cut them a bit thicker.
In this case I just tossed them into a non stick pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and crushed garlic. Salt and pepper. Sauté them for maybe 15-20 minutes on medium stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Let them get nice and brown almost as if you had roasted them. This is easier for me as I don’t even have to turn on the oven.
They make a great side dish, or use the cooked squash as an ingredient, for example in a pasta dish. Add them to cooked penne or farfalle, either with just butter and cheese or something a little creamy like alfredo or cacio e pepe.
If you never tried them before, I hope this give you the idea to try Delicata Squash and then you may grow to love them as much as I do; here’s some links to cooking ideas using delicata squash…..
I think this is a new dessert, or at least we hadn’t seen it before. MINI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Individual tiny chocolate mousse cakes that are Imported from Belgium, where they know a little bit about chocolate!
So rich and yummy. Its a round mini cake consisting of chocolate mousse on top of a shortbread crust base, topped with a dark chocolate ganache. Three layers. These were very delicious and a dessert that will satisfy any discerning Chocoholic (raises his hand). Just heavenly.
Reading the label though, we were all a bit confused by it saying “1 serving per container” as well as “serving size 6 pieces”! What? They think this box is one serving? Now each one is small, only about 3 bites each. I could eat 2 easily. Maybe even 3…. Still I don’t think anyone should eat six. Odd Nutrition label. Still each serving of one piece says its (only) 110 calories. Not bad at all and they are very light as mousse is airy.
These were so good. I would buy them again. Look for these in the Frozen Dessert section.
“A crispy savory and sweet cracker to complement cheeses, dips, and toppings”
Wow, these little Trader Joe’s crackers are just delicious. First off, the texture is great, as they are very well baked and very crunchy, and have both sunflower and flax seeds.
The flavor of these is terrific, just the right amount of both sweet and savory. These are pretty small and delicate. They taste great on their own with nothing on them. You can eat them right out of the box.
However they will be even better if you put something on them. I tried them with cream cheese and loved the combo, then tried them with some Chevre and brie; they will match superbly with any cheese you put on them, or try them with charcuterie too like prosciutto.
These are one of those Trader Joe’s products that you could really impress guests with. Especially one of those cheese boards. Pretty natural sounding ingredients too. These are about $4 / box (5.3 oz)
Another knock it out of the ball park Trader Joe’s item. I would buy them again
“With a lighter sweeter flavor than other miso pastes, this tasty miso offers nutty, sweet umami to any dish” – TJ
This is very nice white miso paste which is not quite as thick or strong or salty as many Japanese miso’s pastes in tubs are. This one is lighter and not as thick so its a bit easier to use just as is out of the package.
The squeezable pouch make is very easy to squeeze out as little or as much as you need.
This light white miso adds really delicious flavor.
This is a light white miso and I really like this to cook fish or chicken or what have you, usually spread this on and then broil it so it gets a little bit of a char. I used it recently to make some broiled salmon and another time with some mahi mahi and it worked great with both of these fishes. But you could use it on chicken of course as well.
MISO COATED SALMON (or any fish) Coat the fish with a layer of this white miso, then let it marinate it for about 30 minutes or more. Broil (or bake) the fish as usual but keep a close eye on it as the miso will brown and you want it a little browned but not burnt of course. When your dish looks golden brown, remove and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Optional: Mix up a bit more of the miso with a little honey and lemon juice to make a light glaze. During the last minute or so of cooking, take out the fish or chicken or tofu your are baking or broiling under the grill. Spread on the miso paste glaze, put it back in and let it cook for 30-60 seconds until the glaze looks perfectly browned. Option: You can also serve some of this miso glaze mix as a sauce alongside your protein.
In addition to fish I find the miso marinade works just as well using chicken and broiling it. It can also be used in soups, as well as in salad dressings, add to ramen or noodles, etc. A little miso added to some butter is great with veggies and other things. I bet it works well even with TOFU.
TJ’s White Miso comes in a handy squeeze pouch. I find this very convenient and easy to work with, to be able to squeeze out some quickly, and its much more convenient compared to the 1 lb tubs of miso I usually buy from a Japanese market. Frankly I usually find one of those tubs somewhere at the back of my fridge a long time after I bought it and maybe it expired six months back (but honestly Japanese miso is so salty it doesn’t really go bad, it can last a year easily)
Trader Joe’s Miso Paste is $2.99 (5.3 oz)
I would buy this again.
“Trader Joe’s White Miso Paste is made of fermented rice and soybeans, and like many fantastic, fermented foods, it has a complex flavor—a mix of savory, salty, and umami. Our supplier is a 5th generation miso maker in Japan. Their process involves a shorter-than-standard fermentation period to yield a delicate, umami flavor, making this a very versatile Miso. Most commonly used in savory preparations, White Miso adds depth to soups, sauces, and dressings. You can use it in marinades for meats, fish, and tofu, or as a dip”
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
Recent Comments