The Frozen Mexican Food You Should Avoid Buying At Trader Joe's

Spicy and vibrant, Mexican food is one of the most flavorful cuisines on the planet. Capitalizing on the popularity of this bold and diverse fare, Trader Joe's stocks an abundant range of Mexican-inspired meals and snacks for customers to feast on. So of course, it fell upon us to give them all a taste test and report back. According to our findings, there was one frozen Mexican food you should avoid buying at Trader Joe's — the chicken burrito bowl.

The loser in our list of 9 Trader Joe's frozen Mexican foods, ranked worst to best, this offering was bland, stingy on the chipotle sauce, and short on cheese. While this convenient meal featured all the ingredients you'd expect to find in a baked chicken bowl, such as seasoned chicken breast, brown rice, red quinoa, black beans, corn, and bell peppers, there were other Mexican options we tasted that fared much better, such as the beef birria and cheese and green chile tamales. 

The portion was also small, and it wasn't as filling as we'd have liked. Plus, the lightest whisper of Southwest-style sauce on top wasn't nearly enough. It could also have had a little more cheddar cheese to lend it some textural interest against the sweetness of the corn and the firm black beans. Sure, it heats up in about five minutes in the microwave, but so do many other of the Mexican options that have heaps more character.

Unlike other burrito bowls, Trader Joe's version is made with brown rice instead of white, which likely explains why the meal contains 9g of fiber. As the husk and bran aren't removed from brown rice, it contains over five times more fiber than its white counterpart. Brown rice also has a nuttier flavor and denser texture, which may put off some that prefer white rice.

One commenter on a Reddit thread described TJ's chicken burrito bowl as "so bland," while others recommended it be doctored up with toppings, such as hot sauce, sour cream, and guacamole. However, this defeats the very purpose of a convenience meal. In our book, it should be on point as-is without the need for additional extras. 

We reckon you'd be better off buying the winner in our ranking — Trader Joe's frozen chicken mole — and use it to create your own Mexican fiesta at home. Warm, rich, and smoky, this dish is perfect for stuffing into tacos and burritos. Described as "dark meat chicken served in a smoky and savory chili blend sauce," it interestingly doesn't contain the chocolate that often features in a quality homemade mole. Suitable for heating up in the microwave or stovetop, you can scoop it up with chips or bake it into a batch of enchiladas — without the disappointment of the chicken burrito bowl.