3 Frozen Chicken Pot Pies That Are (Almost) Better than Homemade

Classic chicken pot pie is a labor of love. Making a perfectly flaky pie crust, chopping all those vegetables, and whisking together a rich, creamy sauce from scratch can take the better part of a day. Thankfully, the freezer section at your grocery store has several pies that can drastically reduce the time spent making a pot pie, so you can go straight to the eating part.

To find the best frozen chicken pot pies, I tested eight different pies from six different brands at my local grocery stores. For each test, I followed the package instructions for baking in the oven, knowing that the microwave will make even the best crust soggy. I wanted to experience these pot pies at their finest, so they spent 20 to 40 minutes in the oven and then 5 minutes resting on the table — the most important step to prevent scorching my mouth on the molten lava filling.

I didn’t find any pot pies that were better than homemade, but I did find three that deserve a spot in your freezer — and a place in your dinner rotation.

With big, tender chunks of chicken and an abundance of peas and potatoes, this pot pie got high marks for the quality of its ingredients. For me, a pot pie is more than a little bit about the crust, so I was initially surprised to find that this one lacks a bottom crust. Fortunately, though, its top crust makes up the difference. One Target reviewer recommended inverting the pot pie into a bowl for optimum crust-to-filling distribution and said, “Unless you plan to make a big batch of homemade pot pies with all-natural organic ingredients from your local market, this really can’t be beat, and is worth every penny.”

Buy: Blake’s Frozen All Natural Chicken Pot Pie, $3.99 for 8 ounces at Target

This was, by far, my favorite pot pie of the ones I sampled, and would have claimed the top spot if it were more readily available nationwide. Meat pies are all the rage in New Zealand, where Kiwi Kuisine founder and former pro rugby player Bert “Ram” Todd hails. These petite pies go way beyond the traditional velouté filling I’m used to with vibrant flavors like curry, green chile, and stout.

The flax and whole-wheat pastry crust is sturdy yet flaky, and the chicken filling is bursting with curry flavor. They’re slightly harder to find if you’re not in the Mid-Atlantic; I bought my test sample at my local Whole Foods store and you can order packs of 12 (in various flavors) online.

Find it in stores: Kiwi Kuisine Curry Chicken Pie, $6.99 for 8.1 ounces at Whole Foods

First, let’s get this out of the way: This pie is not gluten-free. There’s wheat in the crust! But the addition of the cauliflower gives the crust a unique flavor and appealing texture that holds up well after baking, and that’s something I can get behind. 

One online reviewer said, “I have loved these Marie original pot pies since I was a little girl. I was very excited to try one made with cauliflower in the crust! It was just as good, if not better, than the original! I would definitely recommend trying this!” I couldn’t agree more.

Buy: Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie with Crust Made with Cauliflower $4.59 for 14 ounces at Target

Do you have a frozen chicken pot pie that you swear by? Tell us about it in the comments below!