The $4.99 ALDI Freezer Find So Good I Buy 3 Boxes at a Time

My son has loved Indian food since he was a little kid. Even at five years old, he would get so excited when the waiter at the restaurant brought out a plate of chicken tikka masala. His joy was unbridled, and he would often sing an impromptu song about his favorite dish.

The song wasn't that sophisticated—he would repeat in his high-pitched little boy voice "chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka masala" over and over as he munched on the actual dish. While he's now got a deeper voice than his father, he still loves chicken tikka masala.

I recently discovered a new Aldi find that I knew would bring him just as much joy as chicken tikka masala: Aldi's Journey to India Butter Chicken Mini Naanpanandas. 

Why I Love Aldi’s Journey to India Butter Chicken Mini Naanpanadas

I discovered this great appetizer while strolling through Aldi's frozen section. A 10.2-ounce package of a dozen naanpanadas with tamarind dipping sauce costs only $4.99. The package says that there are three appetizer-sized servings, but it's possible to stretch it to four, as they're so rich and filling.

However, that's for normal people with normal appetites. As soon as my 15-year-old son saw the package, he asked if he could try it, and by "try it," he meant devour the whole box in one sitting. "These are really good," he said. "They taste just like chicken tikka masala."

I asked him to save one for me, but, as a hungry teenager, he forgot to save me a single naanpanada. I thought he'd like them, so I bought two packages of the butter chicken and one box of the other flavor option, chickpea curry.

I snagged one from the second package, which we heated in the air fryer; the smell of garlic and ginger wafted out of the pastry. I bit into a lush symphony of spice, cream, and chicken. To my palate, it tasted exactly like butter chicken, but my son didn't catch the subtleties.

The crust was nicely browned. My son thought it was similar to a samosa crust, but it felt more delicate to me, like a cross between puff pastry and naan. In any case, they're really delicious as a snack, but also fancy enough to serve as a party appetizer. 

I also liked the chickpea curry version, which has a similar flavor to chana masala, but my son preferred the butter chicken. He ate eight of the 12 in the second package, proving that they're also worth singing over.

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