NOT all of us can – or would choose to – spend £22 on a chicken pie with its head poking out.
Yet it hasn’t stopped London foodies from getting a slice of the action – devouring every part of the bird served up in the traditional pastry casing.
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But hearts, livers and feet are not for everyone and there is no evidence to suggest that conventional poultry pies are likely to leave a fowl taste in connoisseurs’ mouths.
James Liveris puts supermarket brands to the test and rates the best.
Here are his pies and lows…
Morrisons Roast Chicken Pie – £3.15, 204 calories per 100g
★★★☆☆
FOLLOWING the traffic light guidance, this would balance out as the healthiest pie.
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It may take 55 minutes to cook from frozen but the wait would be worth it on a chilly winter’s eve.
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The crust is thin but the sauce is thick and the chicken is chunky.
Morrisons also opted for the larger baking dish – with this pie feeding four.
This should be in every family’s freezer for a rainy day.
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Waitrose Chicken & Gravy Pie – £2.57, 266 calories per 100g
★★★☆☆
BOASTING a First For Animal Welfare badge, you know the ingredients have come from a good home.
Word of warning though, do not wear a white shirt while tucking into this delight.
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Its crumbly unstable shell is a pitfall for the gluttons with its rich chicken stock gravy pouring out with no end in sight.
And being on the pricier end of the scale, shoppers could expect a bit more diligence.
However, the tender poultry is marvellous and paired with a scrumptious juice sees it marked above average.
Sainsbury’s Chicken & Gravy Shortcrust Pastry Pie – £4.25, 256 calories per 100g
★★★☆☆
HOMEGROWN chicken cooked in a rich gravy that is encased in shortcrust pastry, enough said.
Sainsbury’s option would be a perfect crowd pleaser when the kids have come home from evening sport and you need something on the table instantly.
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It is quite an authentic pie in that you can taste the crunch of the onion in the gravy and the chicken pieces are nice and robust.
While the flavours are good, there is nothing outstanding about the whole package.
Though, this creation also serves three people so you can definitely chalk it down as a great deal.
Lidl Chicken & Gravy Pie – £1.59, 257calories per 100g
★★★☆☆
FOR the cheapest pie of the lot, Lidl should be proud.
The shortcrust base and a puff pastry lid makes it taste as if it was homemade.
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I can honestly say I could not stop cutting into this pie.
The succulent pieces of chicken and creamy gravy make this the perfect all-rounder.
This humble pie would be any tradesmen’s guilty pleasure come smoko.
Marks & Spencer Chicken & Leek Pie – £5.50, 310 calories per 100g
★★★★★
THE cockiest of pies on supermarket shelves.
The chicken and leek pie has cemented its spot in the brand’s swanky gastropub line, and rightly so.
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It is creamy and undeniably satisfying.
The buttery golden pastry is complemented with a mustard and veg filling that takes the clucker to new heights.
Although this is the priciest option it gets an almost perfect score from me.
Tesco Chicken & Gravy Pie – £2, 250 calories per 100g
★★☆☆☆
THIS pie has a strong structure and for good reason.
Inside is a tasteless muddy sauce that would fail to appease any hungry customer.
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It is a shame because Tesco seems to have gone big on every element inside this pastry to make it value for money.
The gravy is honest, the base is thick and the chicken portion is decent.
Yet unfortunately, it could be a matter of less is more – keep this option out of the trolley.
Aldi Deep Filled Puff Pastry Topped Chicken & Gravy – £1.69, 227 calories per 100g
★★★★☆
AS soon as you cut this open a thick creamy gravy oozes out.
While it may be deeply filled with delicious British chicken, it certainly presents itself as a neat and petit meal.
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The pastry was well balanced but did lack a bit of the textbook golden gloss.
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Taking its extremely affordable price into consideration – this creation cannot go overlooked.
I believe this pie would even keep the noisiest of football fans occupied and silent.
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