Tesco, Sainsbury's and Charlie Bigham's Chicken Tikka Masala ranked with surprising result

Three critics have tested whether Chicken Tikka Masala ready meals from Charlie Bigham, Tesco, or Sainsbury's really hit the spot.

Taste testers Sam, Andy, and Mags sampled the meals, with the manufacturers kept secret until after their preferences were revealed.

The taste investigation involved each promoter trying out Charlie Bigham first, followed by Tesco, finishing with Sainsbury's. The aim was to explore the possibility that less costly brands could outrank pricier options in terms of both value and taste.

This supermarket foods critique comes as part of a Channel 5 production, 'Supermarket Own Brands: The Luxury Taste-Test', where supermarket offerings are set against luxury brand counterparts.

Charlie Bigham's Chicken Tikka Masala, the first on the chopping block, was described as "not too spicy" with "very tender chicken", according to the wine expert Sam. Fellow panellists Mags and Andy expressed similar high praise for the dish, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Though the initial curry by Charlie Bigham, retailing at £6, garnered applause, it was the £4.25 Tesco offering that stole the limelight. Wine importer Mags, also a contributor for Which?, branded this offering a "step up" from Bigham's dish and praised its taste, noting it "looked appealing and was appealing".

Mags' views were echoed by Sam and wine influencer Andy who concurred that it surpassed Charlie Bigham and in turn was superior to Sainsbury's own £3.25 Chicken Tikka Masala. They concurred that Sainsbury's offering had a robust spice profile but fell short of the competition.

In an overall analysis, Sainsbury's clinched third place, trailed by silver-medalist Charlie Bigham. Tesco's own brand curry was awarded the gold.

The panel, consisting of