Michelina's Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables with Chicken

I purchased Michelina's Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables by mistake, but it turned out better than I expected. I was actually reaching for a small frozen pizza and somehow ended up with the Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables With Chicken in my shopping cart. I was disappointed when I got home and realized what I'd done, but my earlier expectations were quickly amended after eating it for lunch.

Michelina's Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables With Chicken is a single serving frozen meal packaged in a cardboard container suitable for microwaving. The 8 oz meal isn't enough for a large appetite, but was adequate for a quick lunch. If rounded out with salad and bread or rolls, it would make a much more substantial meal.

I purchased the frozen meal at my local Save-A-Lot store at a price of .99, which I thought very reasonable. I believe I've seen the same or similar Michelina's meals at WalMart at a bit higher price, so the cost will vary from one store chain or location to another.

The cooking directions on the package are like most frozen microwaveable meals in that you open a corner of the lid to vent, cook for approximately 3 minutes, stir, and microwave for an additional minute or two. The package indicates that the cooking times designated are based on an 1100 watt microwave, and while I'm not sure the wattage of my oven, I found the cooking directions to adequately heat my meal through.

Frozen meals with rice often don't turn out well, and many microwave meals end up too watery for my taste, with little meat and even less flavor. While there wasn't what I would consider a lot of chicken in Michelina's Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables With Chicken, I was surprised to find it very tasty and enjoyed my surprise lunch that day. Whatever seasoning was in the meal overshadowed any minor issues with the texture.

I'm not a fan of peppers and onions, and while I enjoy cooking with them for flavoring, I will usually pick them out of my dish before eating. I expected to have to do that with this meal and wondered how much would be left to eat when I did. Once again I was surprised, as the amount of peppers and onions was small in relation to the rice, chicken and other vegetables. I decided to be brave and eat it 'as is' and was pleased at the taste.

Nutritional information as listed on packaging:

440 calories (17 cal from fat)
19 g total fat
20 mg cholesterol
820 mg sodium
53 g total carbohydrates
2 g dietary fiber
2 g sugars
11 g protein

20% vitamin A
60% vitamin C
4% calcium
6% iron

Soy sauce, which is used to prepare most any stir fry, explains the excessive amount of sodium in this meal, and is to be expected. If you're not on a low sodium, low carb or low cholesterol diet, you might find Michelina's Stir Fry Rice & Vegetables With Chicken to be just the thing for a quick and tasty lunch. At the low price of .99, I'll make the mistake of buying it again.

Source:
Personal opinion
Product packaging