Why You Might Want To Skip This Trader Joe's Frozen Mexican Entree

International foods and flavors have always had a tricky passage across the world of Trader Joe's. Many of the grocery chain's top-selling items are flavors from across the globe, and, in fact, TJ's is often considered a gateway for curious shoppers interested in developing a taste for cuisines or dishes from abroad. All the same, Trader Joe's international foods are a lightning rod for critiques and criticism around authenticity and appropriation. It's one reason the company underwent a rebrand of its global options at the start of this decade. Enter a recent Tasting Table review of the Trader Joe's international foods. There are some foods that TJ's does really well, and others — like the chicken mole — which are ... disappointing.

Scratch-made mole takes time. Obviously, the packaged options on offer from Trader Joe's aren't going to hit all the notes that a homemade mole will. That said, the sample we tasted turned out to be majorly lacking in any depth or complexity. Mostly, it felt as if it was made with shortcuts and the bottom line of a balance sheet in mind. Our reviewer mentioned that it would have been hard to even identify it as mole without an indication from the package. The ingredient list was noticeably absent of chocolate, cacao, or peanut butter, each of which can be important for developing the earthy flavor of dark moles. This can be explained away by the fact that TJ's classifies its mole as being mole rojo, despite it not having a standout color in that regard.

As it happens, we were not the only ones who noticed that Trader Joe's apparently thought a chile pepper flavor could replace the use of chocolate. "I thought the earthy smoked chili pepper taste overwhelmed the whole dish and made it super unbalanced," said one reviewer on Reddit. Others mentioned it tasting too sweet, and for others, it was just okay.

Despite our feelings about this TJ's option, many reviewers across social media felt that this mole is an excellent entry point if it's your first time with the flavors. In particular, reviewers on Reddit emphasized that the chicken meat is tender, the flavor is approachable, while other tasters have noted a tangy, rich smell that makes the dish instantly appealing once heated. One thing that everyone can seemingly agree on is that this mole is made even better with a few upgrades.

For some, it's as simple as using this mole as a finishing sauce on other dishes, such as enchiladas or tacos with poblano pepper and potato. You could throw it into a quesadilla, use it with your breakfast tacos, or even combine it with a bit more chicken for a fuller plate. A little bit of salsa can go a long way, as can sour cream and green onions. Another way to upgrade this Trader Joe's international food is to make your own shortcut mole recipe (which includes cacao and nut butter), and allow this Trader Joe's option to stew with those ingredients for a while. You'll end up with a lot more sauce and a deeper flavor, too.