Smart Ones Thai Style Chicken and Rice Noodles

January 31, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $2.00
Serving: 1 meal, 9 oz.
Calories: 260
Fat: 6%, 4g
Cholesterol: 9%, 25mg
Sodium: 24%, 570mg
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 14%, 43g
Fiber: 8%, 2g
WW Points: 5 Points

Smart Ones says: The flavors of Thailand are infused into this tasty dish of juicy white meat chicken and tender rice noodles in a spicy peanut sauce, accented with carrots, chives and red peppers.

Abi says: This Smart Ones Chicken in Peanut Sauce completely kicks the ass of Lean Cuisine’s Peanut Chicken. If these two meals were in a bar fight and the Lean Cuisine one would have to be taken away in an ambulance. That’s just how much better Smart Ones Thai Style Chicken tastes.

Caveat: They use rice noodles instead of whole wheat. That is sort of lame and not nearly as fiber-rific as the Lean Cuisine option. Just kidding! It is only one gram of fiber, so eat some broccoli and you are set.

Speaking of broccoli, the carrots should be broccoli instead. Also, these carrots-cum-broccoli should be on the side of the dish and not interspersed with the noodles, chicken, and dee-licious peanut sauce. If not a change to broccoli, then quit providing the carrots in ‘matchstick’ size…sticks. Seriously, they end up overcooked and soggy and pretty damn depressing. Also, they turn sort of brown and blend in with the sauce. It is not quite the explosion of color that the box picture would have you believe.

Chives and red peppers were described as present, but managed to slip out unnoticed, much like teenagers who have stoners for parents. Not that my parents are stoners, that I have teenage kids, or that I snuck out of the house growing up. Hey, I lived waaaay out in the country.
Sneaking out of the house would have involved walking miles through fields. No thank you.

And the peanut sauce that I have not yet lovingly described? I don’t often eat every single bit of food out of a frozen meal tray. Today was the exception. I chased every lame carrot matchstick and noodle bite with my fork and briefly considered licking the tray. Or maybe just running my forefinger across the tray and licking my finger. Whatever it was, it would have grossed out the people around me. Maybe the month of eating ‘diet’ frozen meals has finally done me in, or maybe you’ll just have to try this meal yourself and find out. It is only 5 Points.*

*Not that I really know how many Weight Watchers Points a person should have if they are on a diet. Is 5 acceptable? Does it make sense as a lunch? Is it a splurge? Please share, thanks.

comments

11 Responses to “Smart Ones Thai Style Chicken and Rice Noodles”

Catherine on January 31st, 2007

5 Points for lunch is reasonable. I can have 32 Points a day, so I’d probably add a cup of broccoli or green beans (0 Points) and a WW yogurt, for 1 Point. Except that I don’t like Thai food.
MaryAnne on January 31st, 2007

This is my absolute favorite Smart Ones meal. I love rice noodles and peanut sauce so it doesn’t get much better than this for only 4 grams of fat and 260 calories. I have eated two of these for dinner before. Everytime I eat this meal, I have a good day. Seriously. And, my carrots are usually crunchy and not mushy because I don’t cook it as long as it suggests. Mmm, this sounds good. It’s too bad I already ate lunch.
TEd on February 1st, 2007

So that means you’re a stoner?
Abi Jones on February 2nd, 2007

I don’t use drugs.
Eryn on September 21st, 2007

A favorite! I actually just finished one myself for lunch. I threw away the box and forgot how many points it was so I googled it and ran across your review.

I too currently eat 32 points a day (which WW calcualtes by your height and weight. The more weight you loose/ or the smaller are to start the less points you eat) and let me say that 5 points for a meal is more than reasonable. It’s amazing! Especially when you add vegetables to this dish for more texture and substinance which doesn’t add points. Good call on broccoli!
Cheryle on October 19th, 2007

I’m not following the Weight Watchers plan but picked this one up because it looked promising. Overall, I was pleased with the taste and texture of everything. My biggest complaint is that there wasn’t MORE, but I guess one can’t except much for 260 calories.

I supplemented my entree with about 2 cups of green salad and some Trader Joe’s Champagne Pear Vinaigrette dressing (45 calories for 2 TBSP) and I feel reasonably satisfied.

I will definitely buy this meal again.
Abby on December 4th, 2007

This is my favorite smart ones meal. Just an FYI, if you like more zing, invest in a bottle of thai hot sauce and add it into this. MMmmm…
Ishtra on March 17th, 2008

I usually am not a fan of the smart ones line, but I LOVE this one! Such great flavor and I like letting myself think I am eating more exotic foods without killing the calorie limit.
Smart Ones Pasta Primavera : Heat Eat Review : We Review TV Dinners, Frozen Meals, and Microwavable Foods on April 11th, 2008

[…] look back at my dalliances with Smart Ones meals reveals that there are few items that I enjoyed: Smart Ones Thai Style Chicken and Rice Noodles and Smart Ones Chocolate Chip Muffins. But hey, I like almost all Thai food and muffins. Well, […]
Tracy on April 11th, 2008

One of my favorite diet meals, bar none.
Alena on April 21st, 2008

I just ate this and had such high hopes… but the chicken was nasty! The texture completely grossed me out… it was rubbery and stringy at the same time. Guess I should just stick with the vegetarian meals…