Butter chicken is one of Australia's most-loved curries, and most of us reach for a paste rather than grinding spices from scratch. Which one ends up in your trolley usually comes down to flavour, habit and what's on the shelf.
Patak's has been a pantry staple for generations, and its Butter Chicken Paste is one of the best-known in Australian supermarkets. So when people ask how our Butter Chicken Curry Sachet compares, it's the natural paste to put beside it.
We've laid the two nutrition panels and ingredient lists side by side so you can choose the one that suits how you like to cook and eat. The two pastes take different approaches. Patak's carries its spices in oil for a rich, concentrated paste, while ours is built on tomatoes, onions and a little extra virgin olive oil for a lighter base. Per 100g, Turban Chopsticks is:
- 42% lower in kilojoules (calories)
- 51% lower in total fat
- 56% lower in sugars
- 42% lower in sodium
- 31% higher in protein
Butter chicken paste nutrition compared (per 100g)
The biggest differences are in energy, fat, sugars and sodium. Saturated fat is close to level.
|
Per 100g |
Turban Chopsticks Butter Chicken |
Patak's Butter Chicken Paste |
Difference |
|
Energy |
661kJ (158 Cal) |
1140kJ (272 Cal) |
42% less |
|
Protein |
3.4g |
2.6g |
31% more |
|
Fat, total |
10.1g |
20.6g |
51% less |
|
Saturated fat |
1.3g |
1.4g |
7% less |
|
Carbohydrate |
11g |
16.1g |
32% less |
|
Sugars |
3.5g |
7.9g |
56% less |
|
Sodium |
1120mg |
1920mg |
42% less |
Calories converted from kilojoules (1 Cal = 4.184kJ). Percentages are calculated as (Patak's − Turban Chopsticks) ÷ Patak's.
What it means per serve
Per serve, the difference works out to about 44 calories, 4g of fat and 312mg of sodium, before the chicken, cream or rice go in.
Patak's lists a 39g serve of paste on its label, so we've compared the same 39g of each:
|
Per 39g serve of paste |
Turban Chopsticks |
Patak's |
Difference |
|
Energy |
258kJ (62 Cal) |
445kJ (106 Cal) |
187kJ (44 Cal) |
|
Fat, total |
3.9g |
8.0g |
4.1g |
|
Sugars |
1.4g |
3.1g |
1.7g |
|
Sodium |
437mg |
749mg |
312mg |
|
Protein |
1.3g |
1.0g |
+0.3g |
Sodium is worth a closer look. Australia's suggested dietary target for adults is 2000mg of sodium a day (about 5g of salt), so a 312mg difference is roughly 15% of that target in a single serve of paste.
For a family of four cooking butter chicken once a week, that adds up to around 9,000 fewer calories, 850g less fat and 65g less sodium over a year, from the paste alone.
What's in each paste
The nutrition differences come down to the recipes. Patak's builds its paste on rapeseed oil with a little sugar and maize flour, a classic approach that gives a rich, glossy paste. Ours uses extra virgin olive oil and no added sugar, with tomatoes and onions doing more of the work.
|
|
Turban Chopsticks Butter Chicken |
Patak's Butter Chicken Paste |
|
Oil |
Extra virgin olive oil |
Rapeseed oil |
|
Added sugar |
None |
Yes |
|
Flour thickener |
None |
Maize flour |
|
Made in |
Australia |
United Kingdom |
|
Gluten free and plant based |
Yes |
— |
Full Turban Chopsticks ingredient list: Water, Australian White Vinegar, Fresh Roasted Spices, Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onions, Garlic, Australian Lake Salt, Ginger and Chilli.
Ten ingredients you'd recognise from your own pantry, with no seed oils, no fillers and no added sugar. The 3.5g of sugars per 100g comes naturally from the tomatoes and onions.
Why we use extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and is rich in monounsaturated fats. It also carries flavour beautifully, so the roasted spices bloom when the paste hits the pan. We use it because it tastes better and it's the oil we cook with at home.
Why lower sodium matters
Most Australians eat more salt than recommended, and much of it comes from packaged foods rather than the salt shaker. Choosing a lower-sodium paste is an easy swap that doesn't change the dish you love.
Recipe: Creamy "Butter Chicken" Butter Beans
Swap the chicken for protein-rich butter beans in this 15-minute plant-based twist using our butter chicken curry paste sachet. One sachet serves 3 to 4.
All you need are two cans of butter cans, a can of coconut milk, butter or a vegan alternative and some spinach or other veggies in the fridge.
Tip: Serve with toasted sourdough for extra crunch. Prefer the classic? Pan-fry 500g diced chicken with the paste first, then follow the same steps.
See the full recipe: Creamy "Butter Chicken" Butter Beans.
Which butter chicken paste is right for you?
Both pastes make a delicious butter chicken. If you love a rich, traditional paste and a familiar flavour, Patak's is a reliable classic. If you're watching kilojoules, sugar or sodium, or prefer a short, clean ingredient list made in Australia, Turban Chopsticks gives you a lighter starting point with the same creamy, comforting result.
Shop the Butter Chicken Curry Sachet 2 Pack, $10 or try every flavour with the Curry Paste Sachet Collection 8 Pack.
Butter chicken paste FAQs
Is butter chicken healthy?
It can be. Most of the kilojoules in butter chicken come from the paste, cream and butter. Starting with a lower-fat, lower-sodium paste like Turban Chopsticks cuts 42% of the kilojoules from the paste before you've made any other swaps.
How many calories are in Patak's butter chicken paste?
Patak's Butter Chicken Paste has 1140kJ (272 Cal) per 100g, or about 445kJ (106 Cal) per 39g serve. Turban Chopsticks Butter Chicken has 661kJ (158 Cal) per 100g.
Which butter chicken paste has the least sodium?
Of the two compared here, Turban Chopsticks has 1120mg of sodium per 100g, 42% less than Patak's at 1920mg.
Does Turban Chopsticks butter chicken contain added sugar?
No. The 3.5g of sugars per 100g occurs naturally from tomatoes and onions.
Is Turban Chopsticks butter chicken gluten free and vegan?
Yes. The paste is plant based and gluten free, so you can make it with chicken or keep it vegan with chickpeas, tofu or vegetables.
Where can I buy Turban Chopsticks butter chicken paste?
Online at turbanchopsticks.com.au or at stockists around Australia.