Mrs. Budd’s Chicken Pie Review
Author’s Note: Not a paid review. Of course. These are my own salty opinions. I have no affiliation with Mrs. Budd’s or Publix.
You’re not the boss of me.
I love the smell of chicken pot pie in the morning. Yes, it’s 9am and I’m eating a chicken pot pie. Because there’s no law against it. And you’re not the boss of me! So there.
There’s a funny story about this pie. I live in Florida, where “Mrs. Budd’s” is not available. Well, it wasn’t available. And my friend who lives in the Northeast wanted me to try it. So he elaborated packed and mailed a frozen Mrs. Budd’s pie to my doorstep. Because that’s what friends do — they send you chicken pie in the mail. These are just facts.
But the wicked postal system delayed the package delivery by more than a week. Because that’s what they do. My precious pie thawed and rotted. So I received a melted, oozy, stinky pie. Curse you, cruel postal system!
But then Mrs. Budd’s magically appeared in a grocery store near me. Publix, to be exact. And the pies were BOGO. So I had to BOGO. I made a special trip just to BOGO. When you need to BOGO, you gotta BOGO. That is all.
And here I am, bleary-eyed and sleepy, eating my first bite of Mrs. Budd’s Chicken Pie.
What does it taste like?
It’s better in some ways than I expected. But worse in others. If you like MSG, this is the pie for you. My first thought when I tasted it was, “wow, there is MSG here.” And I was right. In fact, Mr. Monosodium Glutamate runs a whole street gang, right here, in this pie pan. The flavors are STRONG and delightfully savory. Almost criminal.
Meat & Veggies
My first slice had very few vegetables. Two lonely peas. And two chunks of carrot. Three small chunks of meat. Mostly a big pile of translucent gravy. This made me sad.
But the second slice had ALL the veggies. Lots of thick slices of tender-crisp carrots. There was more meat, too. The chicken meat is good quality, overall. Although, it’s a mixed bag. Some chunks are big and tender, and others are a bit more scraggly. Hey, who am I to judge? There are only 10 grams of protein per serving, which is 1/3 a pie. So, not exactly protein-packed.
Crust
This is super-duper thick crust. But light and flakey. It’s lusciously soft on the underside, where it touches the gravy. It’s got a beautiful “buttery” flavor, somewhat like the Publix Chicken Pot Pie I previously reviewed. Almost “Ritz Cracker” flavor. It smells amazing when it comes out of the oven. Sadly, there is only crust on the top. Tragic, because: I like this crust.
Gravy
I don’t hate this gravy as much as I expected. In fact, I don’t think I hate it at all. But I expected to hate it, because I generally do not like translucent gravies (usually thickened with corn starch). I like flour or milk-based gravies. This one has strong, delicious flavor without being too slimy or sticky. And that’s good, because there is a LOT of it. It tastes like celery and hopes and dreams.
(I did, however, hate the sticky gravy in Costco’s Chicken Pot Pie. Here is my extra-snarky review.)
Ingredients in Mrs. Bud’s Chicken Pie
The first two ingredients are chicken broth and chicken meat. So, that’s promising. I can’t say I’m entirely enthused about the rest of this, however. There are preservatives, artificial flavors, MSG, hydrolyzed soy protein, maltodextrin, and more. Boo.
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 1 cup, or 1/3 the package, and contains 340 calories. You get 18 grams of fat (5 grams saturated fat), and only 10 grams of protein. There are 36 grams total carbohydrates, of which 2 grams are fiber and 2 grams are sugars. There’s a hefty chunk of sodium, with 32% your daily value. And some surprise Vitamin A (36% daily value), and a lot of Iron (29% daily value). And a whiffle of Calcium (11% daily value).
Price and Servings
The 28 ounce package cost $8.99 at my local Publix. But, the magic of BOGO means it was half that. Since there are 3 servings per pie, each serving would cost about $3 at the regular price.
By the way, Mrs. Budd’s also makes another variety of this pie, with broccoli and cheese! I was told NOT to buy this version (in the green box). So, of course I bought it! Don’t tell me what to do. It’s still sitting in my freezer, but stick around for the review. This is a larger pie — a full 3 pounds. And the gravy looks more luscious. I might like it better. Or I might not. Suspense.
Shelf Life
The “best by” date on my package allowed about 6 months to consume.
Heating Instructions
There are two ways to heat this chicken pie. Here’s a simplified version:
- Oven: 350 for 40-45 minutes, if frozen; 375 for 25-30 minutes if thawed.
- Microwave: keep inside the box and heat on HIGH for 10-11 minutes if thawed.
This comes packed in a metal pan, so the microwave instructions feel scary. But I guess they know what they’re doing? Probably more than I do. Anyway. I baked mine in the conventional oven. Because I have trust issues.
I used a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath my pie. Which ended up being unnecessary. Mine cooked perfectly in 45 minutes.
Dramatic Conclusion
In conclusion, the flavors of this pie are outstanding. Especially if your tastebuds enjoy the organized crimes of MSG. The textures are pretty good. But it’s got snack-level protein. It tastes more processed than homemade. This is a fun comfort-meal, but not the sustenance I want on a regular basis.
On my extremely precise “Awesome-o-Meter,” this chicken pie scores a “Maybe.”
The End.
P.S., if your friends aren’t mailing you chicken pies, you need better friends.
More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you:
