Nomi
UPF Food Scanner
Know what’s really in your food
Get the free app
Chicken Tikka Masala by Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's

Chicken Tikka Masala

Barcode 00244978
Scanned  22  times by Nomi users
Not Ultra-Processed

No — Chicken Tikka Masala is not ultra-processed.

All listed ingredients are basic foods or culinary ingredients (rice, spices, yogurt, cream, tomato paste, sugar, oils, nuts, butter, herbs). There are no industrially processed isolates or additives such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers, or industrial syrups. Therefore, it is not classified as ultra-processed under the given NOVA-style criteria.

Ingredients

1 ultra-processed marker
  • OK
    cooked pilau rice
    A prepared rice dish flavored with spices and aromatics, cooked with basmati rice, water, onion, rapeseed oil and spices such as cumin, cardamom, turmeric, clove, and bay leaf.
  • OK
    cooked marinated chicken breast
    Cooked chicken breast with marination and rapeseed oil; contains 18% chicken.
  • OK
    low fat yogurt
    Low-fat yogurt made from cows' milk.
  • OK
    cornflour
    Ground corn starch used as a thickening agent in cooking and baking.
  • OK
    paprika
    A ground spice made from dried red peppers (Capsicum species), used for color and flavor in many cuisines.
  • OK
    ginger purée
    A smooth paste made from ginger, used to impart ginger flavor in sauces and dishes.
  • OK
    garlic purée
    Pureed garlic, often used as a flavoring base.
  • OK
    green chilli purée
  • OK
    fenugreek
  • OK
    coriander (cilantro seeds)
    Dried seeds of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum). Warm, citrusy flavor used ground or as whole seeds in spice blends and curries.
  • OK
    chilli powder
    Ground dried chili peppers used as a spice to add heat and flavor in dishes. It is a basic single-ingredient spice.
  • OK
    cumin
    A warm, earthy spice from the seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant, common in spice blends.
  • OK
    cinnamon
    A sweet-spicy bark spice with warm, woody notes often used in baking and savory dishes.
  • OK
    ginger powder
    Ground dried ginger root, a common spice and flavoring. Not UPF as a basic spice/ingredient.
  • OK
    white pepper
    A spice ground from ripe peppercorns with the outer husk removed, used to impart mild heat and aroma to dishes.
  • OK
    clove
  • OK
    nutmeg and cardamom
    A blend of ground nutmeg and cardamom spices used for flavoring and aroma in cooking and baking.
  • OK
    bay leaf
    A dried leaf of the bay laurel tree used to impart a distinctive herbal, slightly floral aroma to soups, sauces, and braises.
  • OK
    onion
    A common bulb vegetable used as a base flavor in many cuisines. Crisp, pungent, sweet when cooked.
  • OK
    cream (16% fat, cow's milk)
    Dairy cream with 16% fat content derived from cow's milk, used for enriched textures and flavor in beverages and dishes.
  • OK
    tomato paste
    Concentrated tomato juice cooked down to a thick, concentrated concentrate used as a base or flavoring in sauces and dishes.
  • OK
    sugar
    Granulated sugar derived from sugarcane or sugar beets; a basic, single-ingredient sweetener.
  • OK
    rapeseed oil
    A basic culinary oil pressed from rapeseeds (Brassica napus). Used for frying, baking, and dressings. Neutral flavor.
  • OK
    water
    Essential base ingredient for countless foods and beverages; serves as solvent and texture modifier.
  • OK
    cashew nut
    Dried or roasted seed of the cashew tree, commonly eaten as a snack or used in cooking.
  • OK
    butter (cow's milk)
    A dairy fat product made from churning cream from cow's milk.
  • OK
    coriander leaf
    Coriander leaves (cilantro) from the Coriandrum sativum plant, used fresh or dried for aroma and garnish.
  • OK
    salt
    Common mineral compound (sodium chloride) used as a seasoning and preservative across cuisines.
  • OK
    turmeric
    A bright orange-yellow root commonly used as a spice and for its active compound curcumin, with warm, earthy, slightly peppery flavor.
  • UPF
    color paprika extract: bay leaf
    A colorant extracted from paprika, possibly combined with bay leaf components; used to impart orange-red tint. It is an extracted/color additive rather than a basic ingredient.
  • OK
    nutmeg
    A fragrant spice ground from the seeds of the Myristica fragrans tree, used to flavor sweet and savory dishes in small amounts.
  • OK
    cardamom
    A small aromatic seed (or pod) used as a spice with a strong, sweet, floral and citrusy aroma.

More in Ready Meals

See all Ready Meals →

Other ready meals products Nomi has analysed ingredient by ingredient.

Common questions about Chicken Tikka Masala

Is Chicken Tikka Masala ultra-processed?

No — Chicken Tikka Masala by Sainsbury's is not ultra-processed, so it is not a UPF (ultra-processed food). All listed ingredients are basic foods or culinary ingredients (rice, spices, yogurt, cream, tomato paste, sugar, oils, nuts, butter, herbs). There are no industrially processed isolates or additives such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers, or industrial syrups. Therefore, it is not classified as ultra-processed under the given NOVA-style criteria.

Which ingredients in Chicken Tikka Masala are ultra-processed?

Nomi flags one ingredient in Chicken Tikka Masala as an ultra-processed marker: color paprika extract: bay leaf. See the full ingredient breakdown above for what each one is.

What does "ultra-processed" (UPF) mean?

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrial formulations made with ingredients and additives you wouldn't find in a home kitchen — such as emulsifiers, artificial flavourings, colourings and modified starches. The classification is based on the NOVA system used by researchers and dietitians worldwide.

How can I check whether other foods are ultra-processed?

Scan any barcode — or photograph the ingredients label — with the free Nomi app for iOS and Android. You'll get an instant ultra-processed verdict with every ingredient explained in plain English.

BBC As seen on The One Show

Scan it yourself,
right in the aisle

This page was shared from Nomi, the free app that tells you instantly whether any food is ultra-processed.

  • Scan any barcode — or photograph the ingredients label
  • Every ingredient explained in plain English
  • Daily check-ins show how food affects how you feel
  • Save favourites and build a healthier shopping list

Free download · No subscription needed to start scanning

Nomi monthly wellbeing report
Nomi scan result screen

Product information comes from public databases and Nomi's own analysis, and may contain errors. Always check the packaging. Ultra-processed classification is based on the NOVA food processing system.

Nomi — UPF Scanner Free on iOS & Android
Get the app