In a nation famed for its love of curry, a new champion has emerged from the supermarket aisles. YouTube content creator Sam Wilder has concluded a year-long taste test of budget ready meals, declaring a specific £1 chicken curry the undisputed winner.
The Hunt for the Ultimate Budget Curry
With around 90% of British adults reportedly enjoying a curry at least once a month, the dish rivals fish and chips as a national favourite. As households look to save money, many are turning from takeaways to the supermarket's own bargain ranges. Sam Wilder dedicated his channel to finding the best among these wallet-friendly options, putting meals from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Iceland, and Asda under the microscope.
His latest review focused on Britain's largest supermarket, Tesco, where he sampled five of their £1 dishes: toad in the hole, tomato and cheese pasta, spaghetti bolognese, mac and cheese, and chicken curry with rice. It was the latter that stole the show.
Tesco's Curry Takes the Crown
Sam's first positive sign was the texture of the rice. He immediately noted that the rice wasn't clumped together, a common issue with cheaper ready meals. Upon tasting, he found the rice was acceptable—not overcooked—and praised the sauce for being plentiful and 'quite nice'.
He felt the curry sauce seemed better constructed than some rivals, but the real standout was the chicken. Sam declared it might be the best chicken he had tasted across all budget curries, comparing it favourably to meat found in more expensive meals. His final verdict was emphatic: he crowned Tesco's offering 'by far the best £1 chicken curry' he had ever eaten.
How The Supermarket Rivals Compared
This wasn't Sam's first positive curry experience during his challenge. While living on Iceland's £1 meals for a week, he was pleasantly surprised by their curry's flavour, describing it as akin to a korma with a tasty sauce. However, he found the chicken disappointingly dry.
He also commended the seasoning in Sainsbury's £1 curry and thought the chicken was 'surprisingly okay'. Asda's chicken curry earned a respectable spot as his second-favourite item from their Just Essentials range, finishing just behind their cheese and tomato pasta.
In his overall ranking of the five Tesco meals tested, the chicken curry secured first place. It was followed by the mac and cheese in second and toad in the hole in third. The tomato and cheese pasta came last, narrowly beaten by the spaghetti bolognese.
Sam Wilder's culinary investigation proves that for those tightening their belts, a satisfying curry night doesn't require a takeaway menu. The ultimate budget-friendly feast, according to his extensive testing, is waiting on the shelf for just a single pound.
