With plant based diets growing in popularity, Shicken set out to offer a range of easy to cook meals that were a plant based alternative to our favourite dishes. They were keen not to sacrifice any taste, texture or flavour so spent some time really thinking about the ingredients, to get them just right.
The Shicken team spent two years developing the Shicken pieces to try and get the closest match to chicken possible. That is not just in the flavour, but in the size and texture too. The pieces are not breaded or coated, more they are coated in a tandoori marinade before being BBQed for that authentic charred taste. They are then drenched in some of the UK’s favourite Indian curry sauces for the perfect vegan ‘take out’ style experience.
There is a dish to suit every palate, with varying heat levels to choose from. I was kindly sent the Shicken Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice and Naan Bread, which is the exact order that I place when ordering an Indian takeaway.
This will sound so random, but even frozen, the curry looked fresh and inviting. It is packed with colourful vegetables and the sauce was the perfect colour. I can’t count on my hands the amount of times I’ve ordered a tikka masala and it has arrived a vivid pink colour. To me, a tikka masala should be freshly coloured and tomato based, this was exactly that.
The packaging is completely plastic free and I really loved the cardboard boxes everything arrived in. I thought it might have gotten bashed about in transit but that was not the case and it was all really easy to reheat. I heated the rice and naan in the microwave, but popped the curry in a frying pan to heat. Obviously with the defrosting, there was some excess water but heating in a pan allowed this to dissipate and bring the curry back to the consistency prior to freezing.
I don’t usually like the texture of bread when it has been microwaved. I can’t abide microwaved pizza because it goes all soft and mushy, but somehow the naan kept it’s structure with that authentic firmer centre. The rice is aromatic and flavourful, with noticeable cardamom and cloves for a little extra flavour.
The star of the show really is the curry. As a meat eater, I was keen to see how the Shicken pieces would fare and let me tell you, they are really good. They are slightly spongier than chicken, but the flavour is there and I definitely didn’t feel like I was missing out in any way.
The Shicken pieces are marinated in yoghurt and tikka spices for hours before being smothered in the lightly spiced tikka masala sauce. It is a medium spiced curry with a lot of aromatic notes to compliment the heat well.
I can’t wait to place an order to try the rest of the range. The Butter Shicken is next on my list and I’ll be ordering with the Basmati Jeera Rice for an alternative. They also do a range of starters, which I’m keen to see their plant based interpretation of!
You can get a meal kit for one, which consists of a combination of Shicken’s best selling curries with rice, a snack selection and naan bread for just £25. It should feed 1-2 people, or you can grab a meal kit for two for £35 to feed 2-4 people. They include free delivery, which is a bargain if you ask me.
