The Ultimate Comfort Food: Marie Callender's Vs. Swanson Chicken Pot Pie

For me, there is nothing like comfort food after a hard day. Granted this isn't the healthiest way to deal with stress, but stick with me. Comfort food is a treat that should be reserved for those hard days when everything seems to go wrong. For many people, they may choose meatloaf, cheeseburgers, fries, or even fried chicken. But, I pick one of the ultimate comfort foods. For me, it's chicken pot pie. There is just something in chicken pot pie that is good for your soul. After a hard day, no other food can wipe away the stress like a big chicken pot pie. Unfortunately, being a college student who also works its hard for me to find the time to prepare a chicken pot pie from scratch. Luckily, there are several companies who make frozen chicken pot pies. Two of the biggest companies are Swanson and Marie Callender. If you were to look in my freezer right now you would actually find one of these brands. But, which brand is better? Does Marie Callender's homemade taste win out or does Swanson cheap price tempt this college student?

Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie

The first thing you will notice when looking into a freezer case is that Marie Callendar's chicken pot pies cost a lot more than other brands, especially Swanson's chicken pot pies. This may be enough to scare people away from buying a Marie Callender chicken pot pie, especially a college student on a tight budget. But, I decided to go ahead and try Marie Callender's chicken pot pie. The first time I made a Marie Callender chicken pot pie I prepared it in the oven. I have never had good luck with the packages that claim to get foods crispy in the microwave. When I finally sat down to eat my Marie Callender chicken pot pie, 60 minutes later, I was really surprised. The sauce in a Marie Callender chicken pot pie is delicious. The vegetables also stay slightly crisp, rather than turning to mush. But, the best part of a Marie Callender chicken pot pie is the crust. It's has an unbelievable buttery crust and is incredibly flakey. Honestly, it's like you made this chicken pot pie yourself. After that first Marie Callender chicken pot pie, I was hooked, though I wasn't crazy about the 60 minute bake time. Eventually, I tried cooking Marie Callender chicken pot pie in the microwave and was pleasantly surprised that it tasted just as good as when it was baked in the oven. But, are Marie Callender chicken pot pies any better than Swanson chicken pot pies?

Swanson Chicken Pot Pie

First of all, Swanson chicken pot pies are cheap. They cost around $1 or less, while Marie Callender pot pies will set you back around $2-3. But, Swanson chicken pot pies are a real let down for your taste buds. The sauce in Swanson chicken pot pies is watery and has very little taste. The vegetables in Swanson chicken pot pies are mushy. Worst of all, Swanson chicken pot pies also have a less than appetizing crust that stays mushy in spots no matter if you bake it or microwave it. Swanson chicken pot pies are honestly some of the foulest things I have ever tried to eat. If you're craving a pot pie, stay away from Swanson chicken pot pies or any other flavor for that matter.

As you can see, I'm partial to Marie Callender chicken pot pies. Truthfully, I hated chicken pot pie until I tried the Marie Callender brand. The only chicken pot pie I had tried before Marie Callender chicken pot pie was Swanson and that was enough to make me stay away from this comfort food for probably 15 years. Swanson chicken pot pie really is that bad.