Ariana Losch
Gwynedd Stuart
Let’s be real: Unless you’re shopping at an Asian market, most frozen Chinese food isn’t exactly what you’d get from your favorite takeout spot. (Unless we’re talking frozen dumplings—there are some amazing frozen dumplings out there.) Still, when you’re craving something easy and familiar but don’t have the ability to hit up an H-Mart or 99 Ranch Market, the freezer aisle of any old major U.S. supermarket has some solid options… if you know where to look. Luckily, that’s what we do. So put down that stir fry sauce and put away the wok. Here’s our list of the best frozen Chinese food to buy.
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- Wei Chuan BBQ Chicken Steamed Bun
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In terms of novelty and convenience, bao buns are some of the best frozen Chinese food you can buy—and as brands like Wow Bao continue to grow more popular, it seems like grocery stores are finally waking up to that fact. But know this: Wei Chuan’s Barbeque Chicken Steamed Buns set the standard for frozen bao. Stuffed with tender chunks of BBQ-flavored chicken, these buns deliver a deeply savory bite in the perfect bun-to-filling ratio. The bun itself is fluffy and a little sticky. My mouth is literally watering as I write this. If you’re looking for steamed buns, you have to try them. —Ariana Losch
Read the full ranking of the best frozen bao buns
Credit: Merc / Wei-Chuan
- Innovasian Chinese-Style BBQ Pork Fried Rice
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Pork can go so, so wrong in a frozen meal. (True for meat in general, really.) But thanks to all that salty, sweet, smoky umami flavoring, every nibble of pork in Innovasion BBQ Pork Fried Rice is an instant dopamine hit. Even with takeout, I never expect the meat to be the best part of fried rice, but here, that savory flavor seeps into the whole dish. Full disclosure: This brand didn’t rank #1 in our fried rice ranking (that went to a Japanese Hibachi-style fried rice), but it’s still some of the best Chinese frozen food we’ve tried. It deserves its moment! —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Bibigo Chicken Soup Dumplings & Bibigo Pork Soup Dumplings
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Yes, I know: Bibigo is a Korean food company. (I’ll never forget it, in fact, since I watched the popular K-drama Business Proposal, which also doubled as a 12-hour-long advertisement for Bibigo. Oh, Netflix.) But if American brands can make some of the best frozen Chinese food we’ve tasted, so can Korean brands—and Bibigo’s soup dumplings are top notch, people. They’re small in size and potent in flavor. The dumpling wrapper is thin but sturdy. And that rich soup broth bursts out in a literal mouthgasm. I’m sorry you had to read that, but I must speak my truth. —Ariana Losch
Read the full ranking of the best frozen soup dumplings
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- P.F. Chang’s Orange Chicken
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No one (except my whiter-than-your-average-white relatives in Florida) dines at P.F. Chang’s for authentic Chinese cuisine. The same can be said for their frozen food—but damn if they don’t know how to make a good orange chicken. (Which makes sense, considering orange chicken isn’t really authentic Chinese food, but I digress…) We loved the thick, savory-leaning orange sauce in this dish, made with ginger, oyster sauce, red chili paste, and blissfully free of corn syrup. The flavor is layered and interesting while steering clear of any cloying sweetness. Sometimes, the best frozen Chinese food isn’t real Chinese food. And we just have to be okay with that. —Ariana Losch
Read the full ranking of the best frozen orange chicken
Credit: Merc / Target
- Minh Pork Egg Rolls
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Minh Pork Egg Rolls are everything you want in a pork egg roll—juicy and savory on the inside, crispy, flaky, and a little greasy on the outside. Yes, they’re delicious, but for once, they taste pretty authentic, too—and that’s what makes them some of the best Chinese frozen food to buy. The egg roll wrapper gets deliciously brown and shiny out of the oven, almost like it’s been brushed with oil and deep fried. You really don’t even need a sauce with these, that’s how juicy and flavor-packed they are (not that any of us would stop you from absolutely dousing them in sweet and sour). Live your best life. —Ariana Losch
Read the full ranking of the best frozen egg rolls
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- P.F. Chang’s Spicy Sichuan Style Chicken
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Sorry to be sacrilegious, but the Spicy Sichuan Style Chicken from P.F. Chang’s is one of the best frozen Chinese meals we’ve tried to date. Is it super authentic? No, no it is not. But thanks to real Sichuan peppercorns, it does pull off that ma la (hot and numbing) flavor it promises—and the best frozen Chinese food delivers on its promises. The mushroomy sauce has a real kick to it. Plus, compared to the boring rice in other P.F. Chang’s meals, the lo mein noodles here are pretty satisfying. Overall, it’s comforting and flavorful—and at the end of the day, that’s all we want from the best frozen Chinese meals, really. —Ariana Losch
Read the full ranking of the best P.F. Chang’s Frozen Meals
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Ming’s Spicy Dan Dan Noodles
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We’d tasted these frozen dan dan noodles in a previous taste test and I SWEAR they’re better than they were the first time. Hey, brands reevaluate, recipes change—it happens! The noodles come in a rich brown sauce that has actual ma la spice—the szechuan peppercorns really numb your mouth and leave you wanting more. And I love that the chicken, while it isn’t ground, per se, is finely diced in a way that makes it way more like the ground pork you find in dan dan noodles from a restaurant. In my experience, dan dan noodles are much dryer than this, but c’man—it’s a frozen meal and a little moisture is nice. Dry microwave noodles would probably be pretty sad! Anyway, nice one Chef Ming. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Chili Crisp Noodles by Esther Choi
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As a lil’ thought experiment, I tried to think of a dish that isn’t represented in the frozen aisle that I would release if I were a celeb chef, and I literally couldn’t think of anything. Everything is pretty well covered! But these chili crisp noodles are pretty unique. They’re spicy and taste like chili and sesame oil, and there is some crunch in the mix, too—okay, not “crunch” but texture. There are bits of garlic and sesame seeds and chili pepper seeds that add some textural interest. Listen, I know Esther Choi is a Korean chef, but these chili crisp noodles seem heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine, so they’re making the list! Sue me! —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best Bao Buns
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Best Fried Rice
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Best Soup Dumplings
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Best Orange Chicken
Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Best Egg Rolls
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Best P.F. Chang’s Meal
Rating:
9.5/10
Sporks
Best Chef Ming’s Meal
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
Best Unique Frozen Meal
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Justine Sterling
