I tried supermarket frozen chicken pies – my delicious £2.99 winner WASN’T Aldi

CHICKEN pie is the ultimate comfort food, especially in the cold depths of winter.

But if you haven’t got time to make your own, the supermarkets have got your back.

A quick browse down any frozen aisle will reveal many varieties, some with vegetables, some with leek and some with bacon.

But which tastes best and is good value for money?

Here, Lynsey Hope rates a selection out of five for taste and value.

Morrisons Chicken, Ham Hock and Leek Pies

• £3.45 for 2 pies (78.4p per 100g)
• Nutrition per pie: 505 calories, 25g fat, 3.5g sugar, 1.30
• Cooks in: 35 minutes

I had high expectations for these Morrisons pies given the price when compared to other supermarket frozen pies.

But I’m not sure they delivered.

The crust looked a bit burnt after cooking for the recommended 35 minutes.

There was plenty of filling inside and the ham hock had a nice flavour. But I’m not sure these would make my shopping list again.

• Flavour: 4/10
• Value: 3/10
• Overall score: 3/10

Waitrose Chicken, Ham and Leek Pie

• £5 for one sharing pie (£1.25 per 100g)
• Nutrition per ½ pie: 531 calories, 33.7g fat, 4.3g sugar, 1.30g salt
• Cooks in: 65 minutes

This Waitrose pie looked appetising and had a lovely flavour.

The puff pastry cooked perfectly, was flaky and soft to eat, and was topped with poppy seeds.

The chicken was tender, the ham hock gave it real depth of flavour and the cheese sauce was rich and moreish.

The leek wasn’t too overpowering.

My only complaint is whether this is big enough for two to share – I’d have liked it a bit bigger.

• Flavour: 9/10
• Value: 8/10
• Overall score: 8/10

Tesco Roast Chicken Pie

• £3.35, serves 4 (48p per 100g)
• Nutrition per ¼ of pie: 325 calories, 12.7g fat, 3.3g sugar, 0.89g salt
• Cooks in: 60 minutes.

This Tesco pie was not my favourite, the gravy was a bit watery.

The chicken was succulent but there wasn’t enough meat.

The flavour was ok but it was more expensive than other supermarket own brands, so I wouldn’t rush back for this.

• Flavour: 5/10
• Value: 5/10
• Overall score: 5/10

Lidl Deluxe Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pies

• £2.99 for 2 (74.7p per 100g)
• Nutrition per pie: 536 calories, 31.8g, 2.3g sugar, 1.03g salt
• Cooks in: 35-40 minutes

My absolute favourite pie came from Lidl. This pie was a good size, a good price – and delicious.

There was lots of meat and they had a good flavour. I liked the creamy texture inside the pie, which oozed out as you cut into it.

The bacon was smoky and nice and the leek gave a pleasing contrast. Not the cheapest but still pretty good value. My winner.

• Flavour: 10/10
• Value: 9/10
• Overall score: 10/10

Asda Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pies

• £2.25 for 4 (37.5p per 100g)
• Nutrition per pie: 284 calories, 13g fat, 3.9g sugar, 0.71g
• Cooks in: 30-35 minutes

Sadly these pies were quite empty with hardly any filling, they definitely needed more chicken and more bacon.

It was basically just pastry – and that wasn’t great either.

It tasted like suet and was very dry. They were tricky to get out of the foil tray too, ending up looking like a pile of mush on the plate.

These are one of the healthier options though with only 284 calories and 13g fat, though this is probably as there wasn’t much to them. Disappointing.

• Flavour: 3/10
• Value: 4/10
• Overall score: 3/10

Sainsbury’s Pub Specials Chicken and Ham Hock Pies

• £3.40 for 2 (85p per 100g)
• Nutrition per pie: 410 calories, 20.4g fat, 3.7g sugar, 1.03g salt
• Cooks in: 35 minutes

Quite pricey for a supermarket pie but it looked good. What is strange is the mix of pastries.

The base is made of shortcrust and filled with chicken, ham hock, leek and a white wine sauce. But the lid is made of puff.

Whilst the top cooked beautifully and was topped with a lovely cheese and parsley crumb, the shortcrust seemed to need longer in the oven. But you couldn’t do that without burning the top.

The filling was good with a nice taste and plentiful.

• Flavour: 7/10
• Value: 6/10
• Overall score: 7/10

Aldi Crestwood Chicken & Bacon Family Pie

• £2.49, serves 4, (35.5p per 100g)
• Nutrition per ¼ pie: 459 calories, 27.7g fat, 2.1g sugar, 1.11g salt
• Cooks in: 55 minutes

An incredibly cheap meal for four people, Aldi‘s pie was brimming with diced chicken and bacon with meat making up around 23% of the ingredients.

The pastry base was shortcrust and the lid was puff, but this didn’t affect the cooking like the Sainsbury’s pie.

It was pretty delish actually – and exceptional value. I’d definitely buy this again.

• Flavour: 9/10
• Value: 10/10
• Overall score: 9/10

Meanwhile, for those who have the time and the energy to bake your seasonal goods from scratch, we’ve revealed the best home cooked Christmas recipes.

Elsewhere, if you’re looking for more cosy dinner options, we’ve rounded up homely winter soups.

These quick recipes need few ingredients and you can take them to work in a flask, reheated, or freeze for later.