GEM Japanese Teriyaki Chicken with Rice product reviews

This is the third meal from Gem Escape Meals and after having had the other two I was expecting this to be good too. The other two I used the oven method for cooking and for the Teriyaki chicken I used the microwave method as I took it to work for lunch one day, I wasn't expecting too much with the cooking method involved but was surprised at how good it had cooked.

The rice was done really well, almost better then some microwaveable rice packs out there, and it was just the right amount to mix in with the chicken and sauce, which were very good and even more so when you realise it is gluten, dairy and soy free giving real options for people out there.

The only downside for me with this meal compared to the others was it was really salty for my taste buds, something I'm not sure if it was just me being sensitive to salt as I don't really put it on any of the foods I eat. But I do think it was a bit more salt then what was required, apart from that small gripe it was a good lunch to have.

Well after a rainy day with scratchy kids at home I realised I hadn't defrosted our meat for dinner so decided to whip out the GeM meals from the freezer and treat myself to an easy dinner. With four meals between the five of us I cooked up some broccoli and carrots and gave the kids a small portion of each meal and Hubby and I split the rest.

The kids loved the novelty of having several different meals to try and enjoyed reviewing each dish. The Japanese Teriyaki Chicken came out a winner with all three of them. They finished all of their helpings and Miss Six ate all but the taste I had had of mine as well. We all liked the rice which was very light and each grain separate so not at all sticky and stodgy (like the rice I usually serve them...).

The sauce was absolutely devine. I loved the taste which was perfect for the kids and they didn't even notice the red capsicum or that they were eating chicken. The edaname beans are something we don't usually eat yet everyone ate them without complaint. Hubby and I loved this meal and I would definitely buy this to have on hand for Hubby or the kids when I haven't organised myself to have a gluten free meal prepared or for an alternative to those nights when I get home late from afterschool activities and would normally cook scrambled eggs on toast. With the cost of gluten free bread being what it is this isn't a much more expensive alternative! Hubby said he would buy this to have in his freezer at work for lunches.

Whilst I could make this myself for cheaper I am not sure I cold make it as tasty and this is a brilliant more cost effective alternative to takeaways when we are still working out what foods my family can now eat with the withdrawal of gluten from our diet. I love that this is a very natural product containing (aside from the thickener 1422) items you would have in your own pantry.

If you want a healthy, ready made meal that is gluten, dairy and egg free then this is definitely a product worth trying.

I think I've tried Teriyaki Noodles before, but I don't think I've had Teriyaki Chicken! The other meals had boxes that said they were Soy Free, but this one has everything else but that, so I'm guessing that there was soy in the sauce, in which case I'm impressed because I'm not a big fan of soy sauce, and yet this dish tasted alright. I enjoyed this meal for a stretch, but for some reason I had a bit of a struggle at the end, the sweet sauce just seemed to be a flavour I don't entirely agree with.

The rice was nice, it wasn't all sticky like Sushi rice, it was light and tasty, so I think that the rice is one of my favourite ingredients in this meal! The chicken was nice, is was delicious and adequately tender, it wasn't fall-apart-in-your-mouth kind of tender. The beans and veges were well done, they were well cooked, and they had a good amount of flavour in them, which is what counts!

I loved the picture on the front of the box, it looks like how the Chinese would have prepared their chicken, and it is actually making my mouth water right now, no, seriously! The instructions were descriptive, and I like how there were instructions for cooking in the microwave, and in the oven, so if you don't have one of them, you will be able to know how to cook it in the other!

The QR code on the back of the box is clever, it leads you to a website that contains recipes for Gluten-free meals, so you can now just scan and then make your own gluten-free meals without having to do online hunting for them! My opinion on this meal, all summed up, is that it is tasty, convenient, and very effective, so whether you are allergic to gluten or not, I strongly advise that you try this dish, chances are you won't regret it!

I am only a recent convert to Teriyaki Chicken, it never used to appeal but in recent months my tastebuds seem to have taken a new tilt and suddenly foods I found 'distinctly unappetising' - to put it politely - have found new appeal. This was one of those foods.

Gluten Free meals are harder than they sound... you may think "Well, there's no FLOUR in chicken or the sauces... so of course it's GF-friendly!" but... some sauces DO use flour, most chicken coatings require a flour base to help them stick, and some manufacturers use flour as a thickener or bulking agent because it's cheaper than the alternatives... so just because you can't see the flour, doesn't mean it's not there in quantities concentrated enough to trigger symptoms in some with the allergy. Personally, I know a Japanese chef who coats his chicken in flour before cooking to help give it a little protection from the hot oil and also a nice golden colour, but you would never know when you ate it.

So... a heat'n'eat version of a difficult dish... had to be tried first, I felt. Glad I did, though now I worry it has spoiled me for the rest of the range, it was that tasty! Full of flavour, plenty of the right taste profiles, not too salty... it's a fine line to get this dish to a place I will not only eat it, but crave more, but GEM Meals has somehow managed to pull off this amazing feat. To have a serving of rice in there as well was just great, as I am rubbish at cooking a proper rice - I always manage to either overcook it because I get distracted, or undercook it by getting paranoid and taking it off the heat too soon. This was perfect.

Cooking it really is as simple as the instructions say - Remove the box, a couple of small punctures in the film to allow overpressure steam to escape without bursting the cover entirely, a few minutes in the nukebox and there you have it. Be sure to adjust the timing to suit your microwave - mine is getting on in years and I need to bump up all recommended timings.

Overall, after the first bite I wasn't prepared to try anything "special and creative" with this - I was too busy eating and groaning in delight to listen to that little voice in the back of my head who pipes up with the good "Hey, how about we try this?" ideas. My only small gripe - it's a small portion for those who have "bigger fuel tanks" so the price may be a little steep for some if they feel they need two portions to satisfy them. Try this with some GF Naan maybe, or a side dish of steamed vegetables with a little soy and honey drizzled over it, to help fill you up.

I had the Teriyaki Chicken meal for my lunch yesterday. A guy stopped at my desk and was checking out the box. He asked about it and I told him the cost which ones I had already tried. He is very health conscious so he was impressed that there were healthy frozen meals like this on the market.

I went and cooked this up for my lunch. The rice was slightly discoloured, but when I tasted it I realised that the sauce had shifted into the rice side and it wasn't burnt or anything. My usual thing is to mix the sauce into the rice anyway. So once I had mixed things up, I let it cool slightly before eating it.

Now, I was really impressed with this meal! I have had loads of frozen meals in the past. Its not unusual for me to select a frozen meal for my lunches at the supermarket. But this was one of the first meals I have ever eaten, from frozen where the vegetables tasted fresh and crisp! The beans were amazing.

Also usually a Teriyaki sauce is a bit too salty for me, but this sauce was amazing and a great balance. Now, it made a great lunch but you could have easily cooked it for dinner. If you wanted it to go further, just add a further sachet of Jasmine rice.

I am grateful I don't have food allergies but I know several people that do. My sister has a gluten intolerance but can't eat many products designed for a gluten free diet because she also has an intolerance to potatoes. I was pleased to see that GEM's Japanese Teriyaki Chicken with Rice would be suitable for her. Now she is able to enjoy the convenience of a heat and eat meal.

My first reaction when I opened the box was that there was a lot of white rice. The box says it is 33% but it looks like nearly 50%. The rice is on one side and the teriyaki chicken is on the other. After heating the meal I tirred the two parts together so that I would get some flavour in every mouthful. The sauce is delicious and has lots of tender chicken in it. There aren't as many vegetables as what is in the picture but still enough to make me feel like I was having a balanced meal.

I think this is my favourite of the GEM meals I have tried. I am probably more likely to buy it as my husband (who cooks the meals) doesn't like rice so I seldom get to eat it.