The Stouffer's Frozen Dinner We Couldn't Sink Our Teeth Into (Literally)

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On par with classic frozen dinner brands like Banquet, Marie Callender's, and Hungry Man, Stouffer's cranks out a wide variety of comforting frozen dinners. Whether you're in the mood for meat loaf or pesto pasta, Stouffer's offers a nuke-able version to save you the effort of cooking. Tasting Table ranked 12 different Stouffer's frozen dinners from worst to best based on taste, visual appeal, and overall nourishment. And, while we found some truly delicious options, you should undoubtedly steer clear of Stouffer's baked chicken.

A baked chicken breast and mashed potatoes sound pretty hard to mess up, but Stouffer's somehow managed to botch this meal completely. Upon visual inspection, it already underdelivers when compared to the picture on the box. We tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, as most frozen meals undergo some visual degradation. Unfortunately, the taste and texture of the chicken and mashed potatoes were even worse than they looked. 

The chicken breast was so bad it was borderline inedible, and it wasn't for lack of trying either. The microwave dried it out completely, so trying to bite into it was like biting into a tire. To add insult to injury, the chicken had absolutely no seasoning, so even the shreds we managed to yank off this rock hard chunk of meat were tasteless. The mashed potatoes were equally bland and had an unpleasantly grainy consistency to boot. While the savory gravy that smothered both was fine, it wasn't nearly enough to take this out of last place.

Judging by their negative reviews, Walmart customers were just as disappointed as we were with Stouffer's baked chicken and mashed potatoes frozen meal. As far as visuals go, one pointed out, "The picture on the box looks nothing like the actual meal. The chicken breast, if you could call it chicken, was like a shredded chicken sponge." Another customer similarly compared the chicken to a rubber sponge, further arguing, "I'll never understand why these companies use processed glued together 'meat' when it's only a 3x3 piece [...] your customers are worth making real food, aren't they?" Other comments referred to the mashed potatoes as slime and powdered vegetables with a thin consistency made even runnier by the tasteless gravy. Simply put, the general consensus all 'round was that Stouffer's really missed the mark with its baked chicken.

There are tons of better frozen chicken meals out there, from Stouffer's and its competitors. Walmart customers and Redditors alike reckon that Stouffer's fried chicken and mashed potatoes are a great option. However, according to our ranking, the best frozen chicken meals can be found at Trader Joe's. One thing we noticed about the best of these dishes is that the chicken is broken down into chunks or slices, and generally coated in a sauce or gravy to ensure they retain moisture as you cook them. A case in point is our top pick for the best Stouffer's meal, the chicken fettuccine Alfredo, which comes with succulent chicken and broccoli smothered in a perfectly done, creamy sauce.