Best Overall: Great Lakes Pot Pies
Great Lakes Pot Pies
Quality ingredients, multiple sizes, and gluten- and dairy-free options: Great Lakes Pot Pies has it all.
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Gluten- and dairy-free pies available
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Three-pie minimum
When Jannie Teitelbaum set out to create a food business, the first thing she did was ask her friends what kind of food they wanted. The answerconvenient meals without processed ingredientsmade Teitelbaum recall the frozen chicken pot pies of her childhood, and she began testing recipes. One day, six months into the process, her son proclaimed her latest chicken pot pie the best he had ever eaten, and Great Lakes Pot Pies was born.
The company’s chicken pot pies come in three sizes: 5-inch, 9-inch, and a 5-ounce hand pie. Besides chicken, the pot pie contains carrots, celery, onion, peas, and corn, and is seasoned with thyme and just a touch of cayenne pepper to wake up the taste buds. Great Lakes also carries gluten-free and dairy-free chicken pot pies.
You must order a minimum number of pies to qualify for shipping: 9-inch pies come in packs of three, 5-inch pies in packs of eight, and hand pies in packs of 12. The 9-inch pies sell for about $24 each, 5-inch pies are about $10 each, and hand pies are around $7 each. Gluten-free and dairy-free pot pies cost a little more. All pies ship frozen with dry ice, and shipping is extra.
Can Frozen Chicken Pot Pie Go Bad
How long does chicken pot pie last in the freezer? Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 4 to 6 months, but will remain safe beyond that time. The freezer time shown is for best quality only chicken pot pie that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
Bake For 20 Minutes On A Given Temperature
Put the chicken pot pie in the oven and let it bake for 20 minutes. The goal is to heat the entire inner filling well and evenly, not to keep it lukewarm.
It takes another 10 minutes to get it all done, but now youre going to boost the temperature a bit to get that crunchy brown-gold-colored crust.
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A Comfort Food Favorite
The Southern California based-chain thrived for more than 40 years, becoming a comfort food favorite with a few unique touches that set it apart from its competition, namely a fully-stocked bar, serve-yourself salad bar, and of course, a menu that heavily featured Callender’s signature sweet and savory pies. At one point the chain had nearly 140 locations . The Orange County Register captured Callender’s cozy, grandma’s house-themed decor complete with dark wood outfitted dining rooms, overflowing bread baskets, and a vintage plaque menu offering slices of pie for 35 cents.
Marie Callender’s dine-in pie appeal was wide, but take-home pies did a booming business as well. The market for bake-at-home versions was so hearty that the company branched out into frozen foods. Reuters reports that ConAgra paid a cool $57.5 million for the brand back in 2011. Unfortunately, the restaurants didn’t fare as well. USA Today notes that the company filed for Chapter 11 in 2019.
Make Ahead Chicken Pot Pie
Can you refrigerate Chicken Pot Pie before baking?Yes! Simply make as directed including adding the pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready to bake it, preheat your oven, remove from the fridge, and add the egg wash . Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes covered with foil, then remove foil and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown and sauce bubbling inside.
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Healthy Chicken Pie Recipes
According to the USDA, most chicken pot pies are around 302 grams and have 616 calories. Chicken pot pies typically have 15.4 grams of protein, 35.8 grams of fat and 58 grams of carbohydrates. They’re also rich in a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, particularly manganese, selenium, vitamin K and B-complex vitamins.
Chicken pot pie can be healthy, but there are certain aspects that can make them less so. For instance, pastry dough is often very rich in saturated fat because it’s made with butter. There aren’t many ways of getting around this the ideal pastry dough is crunchy and flaky.
Even vegan pastry dough, which is made with margarine or coconut oil, isn’t that healthy. According to Harvard Health Publishing and the Cleveland Clinic, both of these ingredients are rich in saturated fat too.
If you’re interested in a healthy chicken pot pie low in saturated fat, you’ll likely need to make your own chicken pie. While it’s tough to reduce the saturated fat in your dough, you can always opt for low-fat ingredients in the interior of the pie. This includes choosing low-fat cuts of chicken, like chicken breast. The American Heart Association typically considers lean meats like chicken breast to be healthiest, especially when skinless.
How To Cook Costco Chicken Pot Pie In The Air Fryer
Frozen chicken pot pies should be cooked for 20- 25 min at 350°F in the air fryer. For thawed chicken pot pie, it will take about 15 min.
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Are Pot Pies Bad For You
In general, these frozen pot pies are poor choices if youre trying to keep your weight down. They contain too many calories and too much fat for the nutrients they deliver. Their poor nutrient value could be made up by eating a salad with them made from nutrient-rich vegetables, such as carrots and spinach.
How To Reheat Chicken Pot Pie In An Air Fryer
Reheating your chicken pot pie in an air fryer is, to tell the truth, the oddest way to do it. It definitely isnt conventional, but it still will get the job done.
It is better to employ any other method you find listed above, but if it is not possible, or if you do not have a microwave or an oven, an air fryer used properly will do the trick!
This method is quite effective as it will give you a warm meal relatively quickly and will reduce the washing down to a minimum.
Here are the steps to reheat chicken pot pie in the air fryer:
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Are Pot Pies Healthy For You
For a typical American adult, each pot pie provides about a third of the maximum amount of fat, a third to half of the cholesterol-raising saturated fat, and a quarter to a third of the sodium recommended for our daily intake. In general, these frozen pot pies are poor choices if youre trying to keep your weight down.
Pot Pie Brands: 10 To Try At Least Once
Pot pies are said to date back to 9500 B.C. They were likely first made in Greece using various meats and were cooked over coals. Needless to say, the modern era has spoiled us. We no longer have to hunt, gather, and spend hours preparing our pot pies. We can go into any grocery store and likely find several pot pie brands that can be conveniently cooked at home with minimal effort. Here are 10 brands for you to consider for buying for your next meal.
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How To Reheat Chicken Pot Pie In A Toaster Oven
Reheating a chicken pot pie in a toaster oven is similar to both reheating it in an oven and in a microwave. It is a little time-consuming, but it can produce incredible results.
The toaster oven is able to give you a warm, hearty filling along with a crunchy, crispy crust on top of your chicken pot pie.
The temp to reheat a chicken pot pie in the toaster oven varies between 380 to 400°F and you will not need to wrap it in aluminum foil as you would do in a standard oven.
It is an incredibly straightforward process. Just take your chicken pot pie out of the fridge and stick it into the preheated toaster oven!
If you are using a frozen chicken pot pie, it is better to take it out of the freezer and let it defrost at room temperature.
If you do not have enough time to let it defrost on its own, you can use the defrost setting in your microwave to quicken the process, before positioning it in the toaster oven.
Here are the steps to reheat chicken pot pie in the toaster oven:
How Much Do Chicken Pot Pie Delivery Services Charge
Most of the expense from ordering a chicken pot pie for delivery comes from the shipping. To get chicken pot pies delivered, budget at least $80, although for that price you may be able to get multiple pies. If you want to spend less, local delivery from a place like Boston Market is likely your best option.
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Boston Market’s Chicken Pot Pie Was By Far The Largest
Boston Market’s chicken pot pie was the only one portioned out to be two servings, though it wasn’t marketed that way. It hulked in comparison to the others and took a whopping 11 minutes to cook in the microwave. It was also the most expensive at $4.19.
It needed to be cooked inside the box, but once it got going, the whole kitchen started to smell like homemade pot pie. It came out piping hot and cooked perfectly after letting it sit for five minutes, per the cooking instructions.
We were initially hesitant about cooking it in the microwave, and it didn’t come out looking the most glamorous, but once we tasted it, all those fears went away. The crust was flaky and crispy and the chicken tasted high quality. The gravy was thick and the veggies were fresh. It definitely tasted like it could have been homemade.
Best Local/catering: Boston Market
For hot local deliverywhether it’s one chicken pot pie or hundredsBoston Market can make it happen.
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Local only, no shipping
Founded in 1985, Boston Chicken was a local rotisserie joint until entrepreneur George Naddaff saw an opportunity to nationalize the brand. Rechristened Boston Market in the mid-1990s, the company now has more than 300 locations in 22 states, with New York, New Jersey, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas home to the majority of franchises.
The chicken pot pie at Boston Market is a substantial 15-ounce serving. It’s made with rotisserie chicken, vegetables, and gravy, baked into a crispy, flaky crust. For an easy night in with the family, enter your ZIP code on Boston Market’s website to see if there’s a nearby location that delivers. For larger gatherings, catering is the way to go. Boston Market can deliver chicken pot pie for up to 5,000 guests. Pies will arrive fresh, hot, and ready to eat. Best of all, each pie is served with a mini loaf of cornbread.
A chicken pot pie sells for around $8. Not all locations deliver and delivery fees apply. Boston Market does not ship chicken pot pies.
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Best Combo: Grandma’s Chicken Soup
Grandma’s Chicken Soup
Grandma’s chicken pot pie and soup combos take comfort to the next level.
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Pies not made in-house
Grandma’s Chicken Soup is run by a brother and sister team from Boston who were inspired to offer their Bubby’s chicken soup to the whole nation. This classic soup can bring a little ease to everything from a case of the sniffles to a tough breakup. Add chicken pot pie to the mix, and you’ve got one seriously powerful cocktail of comfort.
Grandma’s pot pie and soup combo includes two, 12-ounce chicken pot pies by Mrs. Budd’s and a half-gallon of Grandma’s chicken soup. You can get your chicken soup with noodles, rice, or matzo balls, orif you need extra carbsnoodles and matzo balls. The chicken pot pies are filled with chicken, peas, and carrots. Grandma’s is great for gifting you can add all kinds of things to this package, like various cakes and other comfort sides like knishes, latkes, grilled cheese kits, and even a teddy bear.
The chicken soup and pot pie combo costs around $22, plus shipping. Grandma’s ships on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. If you want your order sent next day shipping, Grandma’s ships on Thursdays as well. You can also include a custom gift message.
Making Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Chicken pie recipes typically include chicken, vegetables and pastry dough. If you want to create your own chicken pot pie at home, every pound of boneless, cubed chicken breast will need to be combined with other ingredients, including:
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1/2 cup of roughly chopped celery
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1/2 cup of roughly chopped carrots
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cup of minced red onions
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cup of roughly chopped leek
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cup of diced russet potatoes
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cup of minced parsley leaves
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cups of chicken bone broth
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150 milliliters of white wine
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cup of oat cream or full cream milk
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A few tablespoons of your choice of fat, like extra virgin olive oil or butter
For the richest flavor, cook the chicken and all of these vegetables together in chicken bone broth, white wine and your choice of fat. The cream or milk should be added in at the end, at low heat.
The entire mixture should be creamy and thick, thanks to the starch from your vegetables. If your mixture isn’t thick, add a tablespoon or two of flour or cornstarch to thicken it. Only add the spices and herbs in at the last moment. This amount of pie filling can result in one large pie or four small pies.
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