The Marie Callender's Comfort Meal That Was Discontinued With Little Notice

Rewind to 2020, and the world was topsy-turvy. Yet, for Marie Callender's fans, there was an extra bone of contention: The shocking discontinuation of the humble Herb Roasted Chicken. This frozen meal was the definition of comfort cuisine, and honestly, with 450 calories for just $4.19, a total bargain. 

The exact motivations for the meal's untimely demise are uncertain. Its discontinuation was confirmed via Facebook, attracting a flurry of comments below. "Okay but WHY was the herb roasted chicken discontinued????" wrote one bereaved user. Unfortunately, Marie Callender's only response was generic, citing: "Product changes happen for a variety of reasons, including ingredient availability, manufacturing updates, or to make room for new and exciting products that we hope you'll love just as much." 

Despite the cries of "bring back the herb roasted chicken," Marie Callender's stood firm. In retrospect, its snap decision was probably swayed by the global pandemic. The Facebook post, dated March 19, 2020, coincided with California's first stay-at-home order (incidentally, impacting Marie Callender's home state). With forced business closures, shifting consumer demand, and supply chain disruptions, strain was snowballing nationwide. This whirlwind of factors likely pushed the Herb Roasted Chicken into the elimination zone. The silver lining? At least most people had time to cook herb roasted chicken at home.

Snapping back into fast-paced life, the Herb Roasted Chicken has left a hole. It's tempting to look back on the tender bone-in chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and yellow smattering of sweetcorn with nostalgia. Marie Callender's did allude to "new and exciting products" in the pipeline, though, so is there an alternative? The jury is still out.

Unfortunately, Tasting Table trawled thoroughly through the most popular Marie Callender's frozen meals, and there's bad news: Replacements are limited. The most similar meal in the current range is the Lemon & Herb Chicken. However, while it sounds good on the packet, reality fell short of reviewer expectations. The meat's blandness was the biggest drawback; outside of the orzo's garlic butter sauce, the promised herby kick just didn't take flight.

For those with hearts set on chicken, Marie Callender's serves versions drenched in BBQ or sweet and sour sauce. Admittedly, that's a sharp contrast in flavor, but both meals pack a nutritional punch, containing 17g and 16g of protein, respectfully. In short? There are options. Just don't expect anything that steps comfortably into the Herb Roasted Chicken's shoes. Or holds a candle to the frozen Marie Callender's meal that's so good we'd eat it for Thanksgiving.