Trader Joe's Chicken Chilaquiles Rojo

As regular readers know, I hate onions. I can tolerate them in small amounts, but what's in this package can in no way be deemed "small amounts." I ripped open the top, looked down inside, and saw a ton of chopped onion pieces. Ugh. I managed to fish out most of them before I started cooking, but I won't want to do that again.

Other than that, I did generally like the flavors here, and the tortilla chips made for a satisfying, crunchy textural contrast.

The package claims that this makes 2 1/2 servings. Uh, no. I'm not a big guy, but I ate the whole thing (minus onions, of course) for my lunch--along with some cooked veggies and a salad. It was a little more than I would have considered the ideal amount, but certainly not enough for two servings, let alone 2 1/2. Did they test the serving size on 8-year-old children?


Will I buy it again? 

No. First, onions. Second, basically the only time I buy grocery products with chicken is when I'm trying them for this blog. Otherwise, I'm happier sticking with plant-based fake meat products. If this were reformulated with about one-tenth the onions and with a meat substitute, then I would readily purchase it again--but I don't see that happening.

Trader Joe's Black Bean & Cheese Taquitos

Back in 2015, I reviewed a similar product, though it included the word "handcrafted" in the name. In 2017, I added a note saying that I had tried them again, and liked them more than I had described the first time. Apparently that product disappeared and has now been replaced by this one. See the company's introduction to it here.

It is a turn for the worse. These are, frankly, terrible. They have been thoroughly trashed by the Trader Joe's Blandification Committee. There is zero evidence of cheese, other than the package's claims; it can be neither seen nor tasted. The filling is just a mushy black-bean paste, a substantial portion of which oozes out when they're heated.


Will I buy it again? 

No. Trader Joe's has replaced a good product with a bad one, and it's incomprehensible to me. Nina shared these taquitos with me, and agrees.

Trader Joe's Taco Shells, Taco Seasoning Mix, and Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles

I've noticed the taco shells and seasoning dozens of times during Trader Joe's runs, but always passed them by, with the thought, "Some other time, not today." Then this week I developed an odd hankering for tacos, and knew that it was time. While at the store finally purchasing the ingredients, I also noticed the tiny can of green chiles next to the taco fixings, and on a whim tossed it in my basket.

I arbitrarily chose Gardein's fake ground beef, out of many similar products, as the substrate, and it worked perfectly.

I used just half of the seasoning mix, as the directions recommend. It says you can use the whole package if you want your tacos "really spicy." With the recommended half-package, both Nina and I thought the result was a little on the bland side, so next time I probably will go for the whole thing. I added a can of tomato sauce, one of the options the manufacturer suggests.

I warmed up the shells in my toaster oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. It was too much. One of them was browned almost to the point of being burned, and all of them ended up too brittle. I'll dial that back to 2-3 minutes next time.

At the table, I had three toppings: Fresh Express Green Leaf Shreds (much better than standard shredded iceberg lettuce), TJ's Organic Shredded 3 Cheese Blend, and the chiles.

Despite the niggling problems mentioned above, I loved the result. I had planned to eat just two, but ended up going back to make a third, then a fourth. The last one I tried without adding the chiles, to see if they were really contributing anything. They definitely were, though I suspect with the doubled seasoning mix they would fade away, as they are very mild. With the last two, I didn't bother heating up the shells, and while that meant that the tacos weren't as piping hot, they were also much easier to fill and eat without breaking apart.


Will I buy it again? 

Definitely, and enthusiastically, on the shells and mix; no on the chiles (because I think they'll be pointless when using more than half a packet of the mix).

I used to make tacos pretty regularly when I was married, then I stopped after my divorce. It wasn't really a conscious decision; it just always felt like more trouble than they were worth when cooking for one. I'm not sure that the TJ's shells and mix are any better than competing products from other companies, but they're at least as good, and inexpensive. They also allow you to avoid the decision fatigue of selecting between numerous similar products at a standard supermarket. I'm sure that much of the joy I felt last night was not from the components being the absolute finest, but simply from being reminded of how much I used to like this simple food. Nevertheless, between the mix, the choice of adding tomato sauce, and the nice texture of the Gardein ground-beef substitute, I stumbled into what I think is an excellent combination, which I plan to stick with.

I have to add that Nina was less enthusiastic about the results: mix too bland, shells too thin. So this is a new favorite that I'll probably mostly keep to myself.

Trader Joe's Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers

When I saw these bags on the new-products display at Trader Joe's, I couldn't understand why they were promoting one of their most stalwart old items as new. I had to look more closely to notice that these were not the usual Dippers.

I loves me my Dippers. You could send a SWAT team to break in and do a random surprise inspection of my kitchen any day, any time, and you'll always find at least one bag of them in my cupboard, and usually two or three so that I'm never at risk of running out of them. So of course it was an instant "yes" to try this new version. Heck, I love the original so much that I would have bought any new variation on them that TJ's cared to offer, short of "Super Onion Flavored Onion Corn Chip Dippers, Now With Extra Onion."

I confess that I had never heard of "elote" before. Relying on the first result in a Google search, I learn: "Elote corn is Mexican street corn roasted over an open grill and coated with salt, chile powder, butter, cotija, lime juice, and mayonnaise or crema fresca." That sounds delicious!

Compare that with the seasonings added to these new TJ's chips: maltodextrin, sugar, salt, chipotle peppers, nonfat dry milk, lowfat buttermilk, "spice," corn flour, "natural flavor," citric acid, sunflower oil, habanero pepper powder, "natural smoke flavor," turmeric extract, and "trace of lime."

I'd say those lists are only vaguely similar.

So how do they taste? Not so great, if you ask me--and nothing like what my brain conjures up from the quoted description of elote. There's definitely some mild heat from the peppers (though this is quite variable from one chip to another, I found). Then there's a fairly complex mix of other tastes that I can't put my finger on--presumably the sum of the turmeric, "smoke" and other unspecified "flavors."

This is one of those times when I can't explain exactly what I don't like--but I don't like. Maybe it's the turmeric, which I haven't liked in any of the TJ's products in which it has appeared.

Nina and I were eating them with the last of my stockpiled jars of Fall Harvest Salsa. I objected to the chips clashing with and even dominating the lovely flavors of the mild salsa. Nina, conversely, thought it was a fabulous combo. In fact, after a dozen or so salsa-laden chips, she declared these to be her favorite corn chips of all time. This is not the kind of announcement she drops casually or thoughtlessly.

So you've got a very, very mixed review here.


Will I buy it again? 

No. Well, not unless I accidentally grab the wrong bag, once these migrate to the regular snack shelf of the store.

Trader Joe's Chipotle Vegetable Quesadillas

This is a new product from Trader Joe's; see their introduction to it here.

I found this quite tasty. I liked the combination of cheese, corn, and beans. The tortilla portion was a little strange--surprisingly thick, more like a pita bread than a tortilla. I guess I didn't mind that, but it was unexpected.

You're given three choices for preparation. I chose pan-frying. Apparently I had the burner up too high, because I ended up lightly scorching them. I guess my stove's idea of "medium heat" doesn't match that of the Trader Joe's test-kitchen people.

Nina was definitely less pleased than I was. She was a definite "meh" on these.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes, though I think it will be just an occasional break from my routine, rather than a new favorite.

Trader Joe's Chicken Enchiladas Verde

There's a lot here: four enchiladas (though that's not obvious from simple inspection), and each legitimately large enough to be the centerpiece of a meal, as the suggested serving size correctly indicates. Being refrigerated, rather than frozen, they preserve a decent sense of being fresh. And they're super-easy to prepare, with just a couple of minutes in the microwave. I found a little more sogginess of the wrap than you'd get in a restaurant, but not intolerable.

However:

(1) They're really stuffed full of chicken. I realize that many, perhaps most, buyers will see this as a positive. I don't. My gradual decline in consumption of all meat products continues. Though I'm not opposed to a little chicken occasionally, I'm put off by having so much of it at once. (I felt the same way about the Chicken Breast Parmigiana.)

(2) They're too bland. They haven't had the flavor fully beaten out of them by the Trader Joe's Blandification Committe, but at least a couple of committee members took a whack or two.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito

To the best of my knowledge, Trader Joe's has had only one item called a "breakfast burrito" before--and it was terrible.

This new one is much, much better. Not great, but tasty enough to be enjoyable. It's still on the bland side, and could use a little more kick with the addition of some sort of mild hot sauce, or a spicier sausage recipe, but I liked it as is. It's also far easier to prepare than the previous frozen version--90 seconds in the microwave oven was just right, as the label directs.


Will I buy it again? 

Probably not. I rarely eat any breakfast. Of course I could eat it for some other meal, but if I'm in the mood for a burrito, a breakfast burrito is not usually on my mind. I'd choose this one instead. Or if it's going to be one of those rare occasions that I include poultry, this chicken burrito bowl.

Trader Joe's Authentic Mexican Style Handmade Vegetarian Tamales With Cheese And Green Salsa

Well. I've put off writing about these for a couple of weeks after finishing them off, because I'm not sure what to say.

I guess the first thing to note is that the cooking directions are confusing. One basic question they don't answer is whether one is supposed to remove the parchment paper that is wrapped around the corn husk. The first time, I didn't. The second time, I did. I couldn't tell much difference, except that more of the innards leaked out the second time.

I tried both the steaming and the microwave alternative directions simultaneously, as a scientific experiment. But then I stupidly got them mixed up on my plate, so I wasn't sure which was which. (Good thing I didn't try to become a scientist, eh?) Nina was with me, and she felt confident about her two, and had a definite preference for the steamed one.

The corn-flour shell comes out very soft and delicate, which I assume is what's intended. But overall they're just incredibly bland. It's been a good long time since I invoked the Trader Joe's Blandification Committee, but I must suspect that they had a hand here. There's cheese? Oh, OK, if you say so. There's green salsa? Well, sure--maybe. But really what I tasted most was corn.

Disappointing. Unsatisfying.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Flour Tortillas With Whole Wheat

I didn't actually purchase an empty bag, as it might appear. But I did manage to forget to take a picture of this product, and realized it only when it was time to write this review, after I had eaten all of the tortillas.

These are large tortillas, nearly the size of dinner plates. They're the same size as the Handmade Flour Tortillas, the Habanero Lime Flour Tortillas, and the Handmade 100% Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas. The first of that trio is not only a Top Ten list member, but one of my staples; you will rarely find me without a package in my refrigerator, because I eat an average of about three of them a week.

In fact, I was trying to buy another bag of the same when I was foiled by the store being temporarily out of them. So I picked this one instead.

They work fine as the base for my tostadas--probably the single most common main dish I make for myself. But I prefer white flour to wheat flour tortillas, and they lack the thickness, excellent texture, and charmingly unique shapes of the handmade varieties.


Will I buy it again? 

Only in a pinch, when my favorites aren't available.

Trader Joe's Queso Cheese Dip

Good queso. Just the right amount of spiciness and chunkiness. Of course it's loaded with everything that's terrible for your diet, but you don't exactly buy queso because of its medicinal qualities, do you?


Will I buy it again? 

Yes. It's too fat-laden to become a staple, but I think I'll indulge as an occasional treat.

Trader Joe's Pollo Asado Burrito

This is one of the weirdest burritos I've ever had. The ingredients aren't too unconventional, but the overall flavor profile is. I taste basically two things: corn and sugar. If I pay attention, I can notice the presence of beans and rice, too. But while I can see the chicken and cheese, I sure can't taste them, even with effort. Really, what I kept thinking with every bite was, "Why is this so sweet? Burritos aren't supposed to be sweet."


Will I buy it again? 

No. It's weird, off-putting, and slightly disturbing. Plus there's the chicken thing.

Trader Joe's Chicken Burrito Bowl

New item; $3.49, serves one.

Based on long experience with Trader Joe's frozen-to-oven foods, I set the timer for 36 minutes, instead of the 25-30 recommended on the side of the box, and it proved to be exactly right. Hot throughout, just a bit crispy at the edges.

I liked the overall result a lot. It felt like just the amount I wanted to eat for my lunch. The level of spiciness hit the sweet spot between blandness and excess. The ratio of chicken nuggets, veggies, and rice/quinoa was pleasing. I really can't think of anything to complain about.


Will I buy it again? 

Yes, though with a caveat common to these posts--specifically, that I would buy it a lot more often if they made it (or made an alternative version) with TJ's own excellent vegan fake chicken. As it stands, my desire to minimize my intake of meats--even those that aren't as objectionable as beef and pork--will be the limiting factor in how often these bowls see the inside of my freezer.

Also: Canada, for Mexican food??? What, is Trump's wall already keeping things out from the south?

Trader Joe's Pizza Al Pollo Asado

It seems strange to use both the "Mexican food" and "pizza" tags simultaneously. But I think I must, because this thing is labeled as a "pizza," but is about as un-Italian as possible. It's a masa corn-flour base with refried beans, salsa, and chunks of chicken breast on top. When baking, it smells just like tortillas frying.

As is so often the case with TJ's frozen foods, it took significantly longer to heat properly than the 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees that the box advised. It was barely warm after 15 minutes, so I gave it another 5, and then it was OK, but still needed a bit more.

It was OK overall, but nothing special. If I'm going to be eating something that is basically a tostada, well, I would rather make my own, as described here. They're not only a mainstay of my diet, but one of my favorite things to eat. Trader Joe's should freeze and sell those instead of this boring little thing.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Beef Steak Burritos With Seasoned Beans

Terribly bland. Pieces of beef were tough. Even following the heating instructions carefully, the burrito shell comes out soggy in some places, dried out and hard in others.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's Organic Vegetarian Chili With Red Beans & Onion

Trader Joe's carried a vegetarian chili for a long time, but then it disappeared before I got around to trying it. Now it's back, reformulated with all organic ingredients. (It's not explicitly labeled as vegan, but that's not because of any dairy ingredients. No explanation is given for why it doesn't get the "V" symbol. I'm guessing it has something to do with being made in a facility that also makes stuff with milk products, so they can't guarantee that there isn't some trace of such things making its way into this stuff.)

I was worried about buying something with "onion" in the product name, but I was relieved to find that the onion is not prominent in either taste or appearance. In fact, the only thing that's prominent in taste is pepper. There's a moderate level of hotness, but not a lot else going on. That is, there's not the happy party of flavors that characterize really good chili.

I didn't mind eating it for dinner last night. And today I'll polish off the leftovers for my lunch, and be content. But it basically leaves me bored.


Will I buy it again? 

No.

Trader Joe's 99% Fat Free Bean & Rice Burrito

The Trader Joe's Blandification Committee got hold of this product and beat it like a red-headed stepchild. When they were done, it was both 99% fat-free and 99% flavor-free.


Will I buy it again? 

Why would I want to do that?

Trader Joe's Chicken Enchiladas

The package contains two enchiladas, which the labeling claims make two servings. This is a lie. The package contains one serving. Unless you are Herve Villechaize.

The other strange thing about the package labeling is that it directs the consumer to pierce the plastic film layer over the tray. But there is no plastic film layer! Or at least there wasn't in the one sample I purchased. Was this a manufacturing anomaly? Or did they decide to change how it's put together, and then forget to rewrite the heating directions?

This led to a bit of a dilemma in preparation. I didn't want it to dry out, so I covered it loosely with my standard microwave splatter-preventing food cover. The result was that the center of both enchiladas seemed perfect, but the ends of both were overly dried out.

In spite of that, these were pretty good. I think they hit just the right note of Mexican spiciness: they evaded the wiles of the Trader Joe's Blandification Committee without going overboard so that one would need a chaser of bicarb.

I will say again, however, that this is the kind of item for which actual chicken could be readily substituted with any of the excellent plant-protein-based imitations, with little or no loss. The chicken contributes so little to the overall flavor profile that I, for one, would not notice--let alone mourn--such a switch, and I would be happier for it. If TJ's isn't willing to lose some sales from the die-hard carnivores, why not make two versions, and keep both camps happy? Chickenless Enchiladas right next to the Chicken Enchiladas would be a lovely thing. More choices is more better.


Will I buy it again? 

Maybe, but if so, it's going to be a rarity. I'll buy a lot of things to try for this blog that I wouldn't get just for my own sake. To move from the "try it once to write about" category to the "put it into the regular rotation" category, things need to be a notch above the "pretty good" that this rates.

Trader Joe's Mini Cinnamon Sugar Churros

This is day 11 of an extended New Products Week. 


This is a brand-new product; see Trader Joe's description of it here. They're just deep-fried dough with a packet of cinnamon sugar to be added by the user after the churros have been heated.

I've never had churros before, though I've had plenty of other similar pastries consisting of fried dough with cinnamon sugar, usually under the name of "elephant's ears." But the shape of these churros isn't flat and thin like those, so the center is soft rather than crisp. I thought that worked to their detriment.

At first I thought the suggested serving of 10 was excessive, but it turned out to be just right. They're small; each one is less than two bites.

They seemed a little undercooked with the recommended 6-7 minutes at 425 degrees. For the next batch, I'm going to try 9-10 minutes and see what happens.

The enclosed package of cinnamon sugar badly needs a resealable closure, like the main bag has.

Overall, pretty good, but not great.


Will I buy it again? 

I don't think so.

Trader Joe's Handmade 100% Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

I love, love, love Trader Joe's Handmade Flour Tortillas. These I like somewhat less. They taste just a little too "wheaty" for my preferences, and I find the color a bit off-putting. Having not compared the two products side by side, this might be a trick of my bad memory, but I also get the impression that these are somewhat tougher.


Will I buy it again? 

I think I'll just stick with my favorites.

Trader Joe's Quiche

This is a two-in-one post--and you didn't even have to wait for a double-coupons day to get it!

Trader Joe's actually sells three varieties of quiche in this product line. The third is spinach and mushroom, which I was quite sure I wouldn't like, so I skipped it. Nina and I each ate half of the two versions shown above.

Both of them had nice crust and nice texture throughout. Surprisingly for a TJ's freezer-to-oven product, the baking time made them come out exactly right. (Most such TJ's things require more time than the instructions specify.) The size was just right for one serving.

I had the "Mexicaine" one first. What makes it Mexican? Not much other than green chili peppers. If tasted blindfolded, I never would have identified this as even remotely Mexican. It tasted like basic quiche, with maybe a tad more spiciness than usual, and maybe more cheese. I liked it just fine, but it was nothing to write home about.

The broccoli version was less successful. It is indeed chock full of chopped broccoli. (Because of that, its calorie count is lower--460--than the Mexicaine's 500. That's what happens when you replace cheese with a vegetable, I guess.) But I quickly sensed the presence of my personal kryptonite ingredient, the dreaded onion. I started looking, and soon found a little cube of what I felt confident was, in fact, the offending matter. I checked the box, and sure enough, there it was in black and white: "dehydrated onion." Bah! Some day I will be an absolute despot, and will by royal decree rid the world of this foul, noxious plant. But I'm not quite there yet.

Will I buy it again? 

The Mexicaine yes, the broccoli/cheddar cheese/ONION no.

Nina's View

Raise your hand if you are surprised that I think Bob has this backwards.

The Broccoli one is yummy, with good clearly-identifiable flavors and pleasing textures. The Mexicaine is quite dull and one-note. I'm not buying either because: cheese.