Banquet - 2 crust, small, as low as 50c on sale. Gravy is thin and very artificial-tasting. Meat is in uniform cubes and somewhat spongy (I suspect it's some sort of loaf or composite product.) tiny cuts of vegetables. Definitely more gravy than meat/veg. Veg: Carrot, potato, peas. Crust is thin but good, I usually like it but for some reason the microwave cooking sometimes leaves the bottom crust a little gooey in the center of the pie.
Marie Callenders 7 ounce - Same size as the Banquet, made by the same company (ConAgra). Hard to find this size in the grocery store, but available in multi-packs at Costco. Better gravy than Banquet, better quality meat & more of it, bigger vegetable cuts. Might be by the same company but they're using a different recipe. Microwave recommended, paper pie pan so no toaster oven.
Same kind of problem with the bottom crust; sometimes kind of skeevy.
Willow Tree - Top crust only, aluminum pan must be baked in an oven or a toaster oven. Huge chunks of white meat only, no veg, excellent homemade-tasting gravy. V. expensive. Locally made in Attleboro MA and distributed primarily in New England.
Valu-Time - Cheaper than Banquet, but otherwise comparible.
Boston Market - 16 oz pie, 2 crust. Lots of meat (white and dark) but also odd chunks of cartilage. Gravy tastes good. Good veg: carrot, corn, green bean. Crust is flaky and decent, even on the bottom. This should be a winner, but there is something about this pie that almost nauseates me. The gravy has a "slippery" mouthfeel, a vague and unpleasant gumminess that triggers my gag reflex. this may be unique to me; with the other positive aspects of the pie you might want to try one for yourself. Onions are slimy. Made in Canada, est 277
Stouffers - 16 oz, 2 crust. Lots of meat (all white) delicious, homemade-tasting gravy (with a pronounced onion taste.) Peas, carrot, potato, onion veg. Crust is awesome. A little salty. Totally, however, awesome. 1st place so far. Canada, est. 186
Bremer Select - 10 oz, sold in 4-packs at ALDI. All white meat, veg include potato & carrot. Very good gravy and lots of real white meat chicken; top and bottom crust, very good.
Bremer 7 oz - sold individually at ALDI, 55 cents, small cubes of dark meat only, sparse carrots and potatoes, dark and kind of artificial-tasting gravy. Top and bottom crust. Comparible to Banquet.
note from Steph re: Mrs. Budd's - This microwave pot pie is surprisingly and delightfully delicious. (twitter 10/6/10)
Swanson - 7 oz, 2 crust - Better crust than banquet, flaky, good flavor. Gravy is thin and dark, white meat chicken is obviously reconstructed chicken loaf, spongy, strange tasting. carrots. no taters, a few very strong-flavored peas. As good as banquet, no better.
Mrs. Budd's - 12 oz - fully baked white meat chicken pie 1, peas & carrots - delicious homestyle gravy, big pieces of carrots, huge chunks of real white meat chicken, awesome quality, excellent crust
Mrs. Budd's fully baked white meat chicken with brocc, carrots, pearl onions. - 12 oz - Big florets of broccoli, not over cooked, huge chunks of chicken, carrots. Didn't find any pearl onions at all in either of the pies we had. Still awesome, excellent gravy and crust, truly top notch. P-629
Bistro Cuisine - flaky puff pastry, really excellent, big chunks of real chicken, corn, peas, carrots delicious gravy but a bit thicker than I like. Another top-notch pie, also by Budd Foods. 10 or 12 oz I think.
