#7 - Batchelor's Chicken Flavour Deli Box Noodles

• Brand: Batchelor’s Deli Box Noodles
• Flavour:Chicken Flavour
• Cost: £1.00 (3 for £3 deal, normally £1.19 each)
• From: Tesco
• Description: Noodles in a tasty chicken flavour sauce
• Weight: 75g (255g when prepared)
• Allergies: Milk, Egg, Wheat and Gluten
  
  
                                                    Not big enough in stature or flavour...

Well it's back to Batchelor's Deli Box Noodles and I've got to reiterate that I really do enjoy the packaging of this brand. An entirely cardboard box that contains just noodles and a sachet of flavouring, plus there's enough room to stir your creation and get flavour through every fork full.

The Mild Curry flavour that I tried earlier in the week boasted 75% less fat than a pot noodle, these are only 60% less fat but that still seems to appeal. However, they are nearly 17% lighter.

“How do they taste?” The answer is not very flavoursome. The noodle mixture you're left with is a great consistency and I love seeing the peas and sweetcorn kernels rehydrate into full size. The only problem is that they are a bit watery and this is a little off putting as you can't see any water as you aren't left with any kind of soup. The smell, surprisingly, is very chickeny and this may confuse the senses into thinking they taste chickeny too, but there just isn't enough of that flavour in there.

“Do they remind me in any way of a chicken dish?”  The answer is no. The reason for that may be that they only contain 0.17% of chicken powder and this appears to be the only chicken flavouring in the box, this is disappointing. There is MSG in this pot along with Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (also known as E365). E365 is used in products that contain natural glutamates* (the 0.17% of chicken powder will have them in there) and when combined with MSG (98% MSG / 2% E365) it is supposed to enhance the flavour by 4 times. I like chicken a lot but I like it quite heavily seasoned and this I'm afraid barely tastes seasoned at all.

“How do I feel now I’ve finished it?” The answer is not bad at all, if not still a little hungry. The overall taste left on the palette is actually a little bit chickeny, almost like crispy (unseasoned) chicken skin. I think I will definitely be snacking before dinner time.

Conclusion – Needs two things, more in the pot and more chicken flavour. If they crack that these will be an absolute winner, if they don't then I might have to start adding to the pot to sustain myself (see Noodle News - 30/01/13). These would go lovely with a bit of shredded, left-over, roast chicken and a good dose of salt and pepper.

Need 4 Noodle Rating: 5.5/10

*Glutamate is either glutamic acid, its anions or salts. Glutamic acid is an amino acid.