Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Aldi Chicken tikka masala ultra-processed?

460g Chicken tikka masala Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Aldi Chicken tikka masala

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 95 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed chicken tikka masala

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

chicken 40% (Chicken Breast, Yogurt, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Paprika Powder, Garlic Purée, Ginger, Cornflour, Green Chilli, Tandoori Masala Powder (Paprika Powder, Salt, Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Cinnamon, Cloves, White Pepper, Bay Leaf, Chilli), Garam Masala (Coriander, Cumin, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Mace, Ginger, Cloves, Fennel, Nutmeg, Bay Leaf), Salt, Colour (Paprika Extract), Fenugreek Leaf, Chilli), Water, Skimmed Milk, Tomato Purée, Coconut, Whipping Cream, Ginger, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Tomato Paste, Red Chilli, Butter, Water, Sugar, Cornflour, Salt, Coriander, Cumin Seeds, Coriander, Garam Masala (Coriander, Cumin, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Mace, Ground Ginger, Cloves, Fennel, Nutmeg, Bay Leaf), Coriander, Smoked Paprika, Cardamom, Coriander, Turmeric Powder, Cumin, Cardamom Pods, Turmeric, Cardamom Seeds, Fenugreek Leaf, Cinnamon, Green Cardamom Pods, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Mace, Ginger, Cinnamon Powder, Cloves, Fennel, Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf ALLERGY ADVICE, warning (Although every effort has been made to remove bones), some small bones may remain, Contains spices, flavourings, preservatives NIVW

Additives: E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

CHARGRILLED MARINATED CHICKEN (40%) [Chicken Breast, Yogurt (Milk), Water, Rapeseed Oil, Paprika Powder, Garlic Purée, Ginger Purée, Cornflour, Green Chilli Purée, Tandoori Masala Powder (Paprika Powder, Salt, Ground Coriander, Turmeric, Ground Cumin, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, White Pepper, Ground Bay Leaf, Chilli Powder), Roasted Garam Masala (Ground Roasted Coriander, Ground Roasted Cumin, Black Pepper, Ground Cinnamon, Roasted Cardamom, Ground Mace, Ginger, Cloves, Ground Fennel, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf), Salt, Colour: Paprika Extract; Fenugreek Leaf Powder, Chilli Powder], Water, Skimmed Milk, Tomato Purée, Coconut Extract, Whipping Cream (Milk), Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Tomato Paste, Red Chilli, Butter (Milk), Oak Smoked Water, Sugar, Cornflour, Salt, Coriander, Cumin Seeds, Coriander Powder, Roasted Garam Masala (Ground Roasted Coriander, Ground Roasted Cumin, Black Pepper, Ground Cinnamon, Roasted Cardamom, Ground Mace, Ground Ginger, Ground Cloves, Ground Fennel, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf), Ground Coriander, Ground Smoked Paprika, Ground Cardamom, Roasted Coriander, Turmeric Powder, Roasted Cumin, Cardamom Pods, Turmeric, Cardamom Seeds, Ground Fenugreek Leaf, Ground Cinnamon, Green Cardamom Pods, Black Pepper, Roasted Cardamom, Ground Mace, Ginger, Cinnamon Powder, Cloves, Ground Fennel, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf ALLERGY ADVICE: For allergens, see ingredients in bold. May also contain almonds, cashews, pistachio nuts, peanuts and sesame. WARNING: Although every effort has been made to remove bones, some small bones may remain. Contains whole spices. No artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives NIVW

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
4 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 19 chicken tikka masala

From least to most processed, this one ranks 10th. 89% of the chicken tikka masala here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 19 chicken tikka masala, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 4088600399911, last edited 27 March 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.