Ranking 15 Frozen Chinese Food Meals from Worst to Best

Today we’re taking a deep dive into a classic American staple: Chinese-inspired dishes. Americanized versions of cultural cuisine have become a common indulgence when all you want to do after work is order some takeout. Maybe your house, like my childhood home, is riddled with paper takeout menus from local Chinese spots. Perhaps you’ve never wavered from your go-to order. Sometimes, though, the hunger for Chinese food hits but takeout isn’t an option. That’s when the freezer section of your local grocery store can come in handy.

Frozen Chinese food options vary pretty wildly in terms of quality. I tried 15 frozen Chinese selections from local grocery stores like Kroger, Safeway, and Trader Joe’s to see which were up to snuff. While some were impressive, others were cheap imitations of the real thing that I won’t be reaching for any time soon. I scored each based primarily on flavor, texture, and how comparable it was to Chinese takeout. In some cases, I adjusted a ranking slightly based on the cost of the meal or nutritional factors. Overall, while most of the dishes weren’t anything to write home about, some will continually make it into my cart on my weekly grocery run. 

If you’re hungering for takeout-style beef and broccoli, stay far away from the bottom choice on this list. I’m not sure who let this frozen meal get past quality control; the only thing Tai Pei’s Beef & Broccoli had in common with your standard beef and broccoli dish was its name. The only good thing I can say about this one is that its rice had a decent texture. Otherwise, this attempt at a beef and broccoli meal was a miss on all counts, and I’d have to be starving to eat this again.

The sauce on this beef and broccoli was more sweet than anything else and lacked any discernible umami. Beyond its lack of any oomph, the broccoli was hopelessly mushy, a textural nightmare unless you aren’t hoping to chew your vegetables. Worst of all was the “beef.” I put the word in quotations because it tasted entirely too fake and processed — with a mealy texture, at that — to be considered actual beef.

I love lo mein in all shapes and sizes — well, almost all shapes and sizes. There are a few lo mein dishes on this list that didn’t hit the spot, the first being InnovAsian’s Vegetable Lo Mein. First, I don’t know how the company got away with calling these “Chinese-style noodles.” They aren’t. The noodles in this dish, which don’t have the chew of typical Chinese noodles, are definitely spaghetti.

Unfortunately, its noodles aren’t the only reason InnovAsian’s take on lo mein got such a low score. The next biggest offender was its sauce, which didn’t taste like any lo mein sauce I’ve ever had (and trust me, I’ve had a ton). It was way too sweet and bland, and there was something slightly chemical-esque about it that I couldn’t identify. The only good thing I have to say about this dish is that the vegetables weren’t mushy. Unless you’re fine with eating severely substandard lo mein, pass this one by. 

Marie Callender’s Sesame Chicken Bowl wasn’t the worst dish on this list, but it was far from the best. Are these really lo mein noodles? Similar to the last dish, they lacked any identifiable texture, and I didn’t like them in the slightest. For a minute, I oscillated between giving this sesame chicken spot 12 or 13. Eventually, I settled on ranking it below the next meal for one simple reason: flavor.

While the next option had a decent flavor, this one was super bland. The chicken didn’t taste like much of anything even after I slathered it in sauce. Speaking of sauce, the sauce in this dish had more of a liquid consistency than a sticky one, and it was hard to get it to adhere to any of the meal’s components. The carrots actually had a pretty good texture, but that still couldn’t make up for this bowl’s other shortcomings. It basically tasted like a big bowl of very mid noodles.

Only slightly better than Tai Pei’s Beef & Broccoli was its take on Sweet & Sour Chicken. I wasn’t downright grossed out by this one, but it still didn’t hold up. The dish had one redeeming quality in that its sauce was actually pretty good, and the pineapple pieces added a welcome bright element to the dish. Other than that, I’d look elsewhere in this ranking if you’re hankering for sweet & sour chicken.

The chicken was too light and spongey to taste like real chicken. It had a texture more akin to fast food chicken nuggets than chicken pieces, and the breading (which was virtually the same texture as the chicken) didn’t help it any. I had more hope for the vegetables; I assumed because they were chopped relatively large they’d hold their own. Alas, they did not, and were too mushy for me to want to take more than a bite or two. While some flavor was present, the textures were all off, and I couldn’t justify ranking this dish any higher than spot 12. 

Up next is the other frozen Chinese meal I tried from Marie Callender’s brand, Sweet & Sour Chicken. This only scored higher than the previous two dishes because its elements were all easily distinguishable from one another; each had its own character, but they didn’t marry quite as well together as they should have. However, I couldn’t score it higher because this meal, too, was lacking in the flavor department.

I’ll get the worst thing out of the way first: the veggies in this meal were, yet again, too mushy. I’ve had many a microwave meal by now whose vegetables have actually had some texture, so I know it’s possible. Therefore, I’m always disappointed when brands don’t get it right. Aside from that, I can say decent things about the chicken and rice. Fortunately, the rice had a good texture, and the chicken (and its breading) both had some body to them. As for the sauce, it was mostly just sweet. It didn’t have the tang that a good sweet and sour sauce should have.

I’ll be honest — I didn’t love Kevin’s Orange Chicken Bowl, and had it not boasted certain nutritional and allergen-friendly benefits (like being soy-free, gluten-free, and having a decent protein content), it could have gotten a spot or two lower. I was also with a friend when I tried this and they enjoyed it more than I did, so I bumped it up slightly to account for differences in personal preference. 

If you’re looking for a sweet and sugary orange sauce, you won’t find it here. Instead, the sauce in Kevin’s Orange Chicken was very discernibly citrus-flavored. While I don’t think that’s a bad thing, it’s not what I was expecting; not to mention that the sauce wasn’t sticky at all, and had a very thin consistency. The chicken was rather dry and not breaded (since it’s gluten-free). On the plus side, the veggies had a great texture and flavor. If you have certain dietary restrictions this dish could be a good alternative option for you, but I probably won’t be getting it again. 

As you already know, I can’t stand when lo mein noodles are swapped for spaghetti, so that was an immediate knock against Michelina’s Chicken Lo Mein. Had it used actual lo mein noodles I would have ranked it higher. The flavors of this meal were pretty good and, considering it cost me just under $2 at the grocery store, I was slightly taken aback that I found it as palatable as I did. Still, I can’t say I loved it. 

I like that the company cut its chicken into small cubes. It meant this meal didn’t need quite as long in the microwave, and the chicken still had a good, tender texture without being dry. The vegetables also held some bite. Most of all, this sauce was way more flavorful than in some lower-ranking dishes on my list. It was garlicky and sticky with the slightest hint of spice. I won’t be seeking out this meal again, but it could make its way into my basket in weeks when my budget is tight.

Up next, P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lo Mein was a pretty good dish that could end up in my freezer again. This one actually looked better in real life than it did on the box, which is rare and made me excited to try it. Though it was palatable, it missed the mark in too many areas to make it any higher than spot eight. Know that you won’t get the most flavorful lo mein should you opt for this one.

I appreciated the textural variety of this lo mein meal a lot. Other than the noodles being ever so slightly gummy, all components of this dish held their own — the veggies were sturdy and discernible while the chicken had a nice chew to it. The sauce was sticky and plentiful, but unfortunately, it was severely lacking in the flavor department. I don’t know how the company missed the mark here. I think it was a lack of depth — had the sauce been more than a one-note garlic soy sauce it could have ranked higher. 

While Realgood’s Orange Chicken Bowl wasn’t the tastiest thing I tried, it was good enough to get spot seven on this list when I took into account some of its nutritional factors. For being a gluten-free and grain-free dish with no added sugar and packed with protein, it was quite tasty and left me wondering why so many orange sauces are loaded with sugar. Had I not known it was gluten-free and nearly sugar-free, I’d have had no clue.

The chicken wasn’t crispy, but it did have a better texture than the chicken in many other meals I tried. It actually tasted like chicken without being light or spongey in the slightest. The green peppers packed a punch of flavor, so though the carrots were very missable, I really didn’t mind. This isn’t the best orange chicken bowl you’ll ever have but again, if you face certain dietary restrictions, it’s a pretty decent choice.

Healthy Choice’s Sweet & Sour Chicken was my preferred sweet and sour option of all the ones I tried. My biggest issue with this dish was that its components weren’t balanced. If there had been more pineapple pieces and vegetables this might even have scored higher, as all the other elements of a successful frozen Chinese dish were there.

While I wish there was more sauce, the sauce that was present had a full-bodied sweet and sour flavor. Moreover, this chicken tasted the closest to sweet and sour takeout chicken of any other dish I tried. I was dismayed to find there were only two measly pineapple pieces and very few peppers and onions; however, the pineapple and veggies that were present had a good bite and a great flavor. With a couple of tweaks this meal could be significantly better, but as it stands, it still easily earned the number six spot. 

Admittedly, I’m not sure that I’ve ever had dan dan noodles before, so I didn’t have much to compare P.F. Chang’s Dan Dan Noodles to. However, I quite liked what this dish had to offer, and it could have gotten an even higher spot if its sauce had been more flavorful. 

Though chili oil plays a pivotal role in dan dan noodles, it wasn’t very noticeable in this dish. Since I have a low spice tolerance, I didn’t find an issue with that, but I still would have welcomed spice even if just to add some flavor to this dish. All its other components were really good — the pork crumbles were tasty and the noodles had an impeccable texture, while big shiitake mushroom pieces played a central role whenever I tasted one. It had so much potential that I was disappointed it didn’t boast more umami.

This wasn’t my first time having Trader Joe’s Ginger Shrimp Lo Mein, and I have similar feelings about it now as I have in the past. I can’t call it a personal favorite, but it’s still very good and I imagine there are consumers out there who swear by it. This dish is incredibly flavorful which is definitely better than lacking flavor; however, it might be too over-the-top for me, especially in the ginger department.

Ginger lovers, meet your new favorite frozen meal. I neither love nor hate ginger — I enjoy it in moderation when the context calls for it, and I could have done with slightly less in this dish. Its other aspects all hit the mark. The noodles were thick and chewy while the shrimp was tender and super flavorful, and the vegetables all kept a great texture. I don’t think I could have this dish as a full meal, but I’d really enjoy it as a small side. 

I really like Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Chicken, but there are a couple of reasons I can’t say I love it. You may disagree if you love spicy food — this one is up there in spiciness (for me, anyway), and I found the heat overwhelmed any other flavor present. Nevertheless, it’s a complex dish in which each component shines on its own while marrying with the others to make for a great, well-balanced meal.

Spice aside, this dish doesn’t miss the mark anywhere. Its chicken is tender and I can tell the company seasoned it (unlike many of the other chicken-based options in this ranking). The vegetables were chunky enough to easily claim attention and the peanuts, though few, helped ground the spice a little bit. It was a good frozen meal, though I do think you could probably make a better Kung Pao dish at home. 

Amy’s Chinese Noodles & Veggies in a Cashew Cream Sauce came out of left field. I didn’t expect anything great from this meal and put off trying it until almost the end of my tasting, only to find that it blew me away. I’ll get to its delicious flavors in a minute — first, I have to acknowledge that this plant-based dish is free of both dairy and gluten, making it a super tasty and allergen-friendly choice for many consumers. 

I’m a huge fan of cashew sauces. If you’re not, you won’t like this meal — its sauce is heavy on the creamy, nutty cashew flavor, which just made me love it all the more. The sauce also has a pleasant tang to it and an ever-so-slight bit of heat. The noodles, though thin, keep a pretty firm texture, as do the vegetables. I was actually quite impressed with all the textures in this dish, given it only requires microwave preparation. This meal is very rich in flavor and I’ll absolutely be buying it again.

I always leave room for this much-beloved dish to score below other dishes when it shows up on a list, but once again, Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken has earned the top spot on an Asian-inspired food ranking. If you’ve had the pleasure of trying this chicken, I hardly need to explain why — its crispy, crunchy outside and tender inside is coated in a wonderfully sticky, sweet, tangy orange sauce that I’ll never grow tired of.

Sure, I can’t quite consider this a “meal” in and of itself, but it makes for a really good main dish. It has everything the other orange chicken meals on this list lacked — there’s no shortage of textural interest and the sauce’s flavors are rich and deep without being overwhelming. It takes everything in me to keep from eating an entire bag in one sitting. My preferred method of preparation for these is the air fryer — they were done in just 10 minutes in an air fryer that had been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

When preparing these meals for the taste test, I made them all in the microwave (as instructed) except for the three Trader Joe’s selections, which I made on the stove or in the air fryer. I ranked each based on how flavorful it was, how good its textures were, and how much it tasted like what I’d get from a typical takeout restaurant. Dishes toward the bottom of my list all tasted “fake” in some way — for example, the sauce in InnovAsian’s lo mein tasted way off from a typical lo mein sauce, and the beef in Tai Pei’s beef & broccoli could hardly be called beef.

Toward the middle of the list, you’ll find dishes that I’d label “fine.” They didn’t particularly stand out to me but they weren’t awful, and while I probably won’t be buying them again, I could eat them if presented with one. The top four dishes on my list are all ones I could easily buy again. Though a couple had elements that were slight turnoffs to my personal preference (like the spice in the kung pao chicken), they were overall the most flavorful and well-balanced of all the meals in this ranking.