Trader Joe's Handheld Pot Pies Are Back (But Have They Improved?)

We’re now firmly in the part of the year when pumpkin spice, Halloween, and even…yes…Christmas foods are starting to show up. And that means there will be a lot of comeback kids in the coming weeks and months, as former faves from seasons past get to step up to the plate for another swing. Thankfully, though, there are also a few returning items rearing their heads again that have no association with any of those three, and are simply a bit more, I dunno, cozy. Comforting. With a “let’s stay in tonight, it’s too cold outside” feel.

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So, we come to Trader Joe’s, which has just brought back its Handheld Chicken Pot Pies. Yay! Or…yay? Are people pleased? ‘Cos they weren’t last year. Let’s check in.

Trader Joe’s Handheld Chicken Pot Pies

In the last 24 hours, we’ve learned that Trader Joe’s Handheld Chicken Pot Pies are back in stock at its stores. These pies have been a seasonal item for a couple of years now, and Trader Joe’s has confirmed that, once again, they’ll only be available for a limited time. In an attempt to transport all of the savory goodness of a pot pie into handheld, empanada-esque form, they take the plate and the fork out of the situation. Pure, hand-to-mouth bliss.

Well, we hope so, anyway. Trader Joe’s Handheld Chicken Pot Pies have had a mixed reception ever since they first appeared. Last year, we tried them ourselves and gave them a 6.5 out of 10, noting that they were, to put it mildly, a little dry. There was barely any gravy to speak of. And a pot pie with no gravy is like a postman who doesn’t know where your mailbox is. It just doesn’t deliver.

So, Are They Better?

…we’re not sure. A Reddit thread posted yesterday in praise of the handheld pies said that they were “12/10,” and a couple of people in the comments also said how much they liked them – but sadly, the dryness still seems to be an issue. Multiple people point out that they’re just not moist enough, and one person said, “The only way I can eat these is if I also buy gravy to dip it in.” Another comment also compared their texture to a tuna sandwich. Yikes.

But maybe you like a tuna sandwich effect in your pot pie. Maybe you’ve, in fact, been CRAVING a pot pie with little to no moisture. If so, this one might be for you. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.