Why do some people refer to chicken stew with a top crust as "chicken pot pie"?

I have never heard of that foul plot before! I shall alert the Justice League immediately!

I blame Swanson. When they came out with HungryMan pot pies, they left out the bottom crust.

I would not notice the difference. If it was baked in a dish (not a pie pan) I would expect only a top crust.

Tasty question. I will buy some next shopping day.

Because that’s more acceptable than admitting that it has been in the back of your refrigerator since August.

August, 1983.

The word “pie” certainly does suggest a bottom crust. Not all pies have top crusts, but they all have something on the bottom to hold filling.

Except, of course, Boston cream pie. Why, oh why, does life need to be so complicated?!?!

One is made with still living chickens that attempt to escape their grotesque fate by tunneling in a stealthy fashion out of the bottom of the pie. They don’t usually succeed. The other starts with dead chickens.

I’m with you on this! Where do Sanders and Clinton stand on the issue of this fowl fraud? My vote may hang on the answer.

^ Doesn’t look good.

Much better

Isn’t pot pie really shepherd’s pie from a cook who didn’t have potatoes on hand?

The potatoes go only on top.

It’s really just chicken pie unless there’s a significant amount THC baked into the crust. ;-)

I can’t be as brand specific, but I’m going to take @zenvelo‘s word that Swanson eliminated the bottom crust on frozen Pot Pies. Man, was I pissed.

Hmm. A little research for this question and it appears chicken cobbler is pot pie filling with biscuits on top. Which is a new one on me.

I agree that this is one of the great neglected issues of our day. The fraud of a thin top crust promising side and bottom dough is a monstrous beytrayal of everything this country formerly stood for. Purveyors of this callous deception undermine the very fabric of cullinary integrity and reduce the dining experience to the sort of risks formerly associated with used car lots.

I bet @Coloma makes a great pot pie.

@Call_Me_Jay Chicken Pot Pie is only with chicken and vegetables, and cubed potatoes, no other meats allowed.

Don’t be throwin’ your mystery dishes near the venerable Pot Pie.

I have no idea what a pot pie is but I WANT ONE NOW!

@Stinley A pot pie is the same as an Engish savoury pie; you would just call it a meat pie or in this case, chicken pie.

Maybe because it’s cooked in a pot?

As far as frozen pot pies go, Marie Callender’s makes a good one.

Maybe the pie crust was originally out in the pot. Pot pies?
Chicken Cobbler? Gah, that evokes some nasty images, like a chicken pot pie with sliced peaches on top. haha

@jca Yes, Marie Callenders pot pies are quite good.

@Coloma I agree that those M C pot pies are pretty damned good, though reading that ingredient list on the box can set you wondering. There’s an expanded variety of the things now, and for those of you who have yet to try one, I strongly urge you to grab one of the M C creamy mushroom chicken pot pies. There are a pair of Foodsco supermarkets here that sell the entire line of frozen Callender pot pies. The small individual pies go for 1.89 a pop , and that’s the everyday price. Such a deal!

A pot pie is a type of meat pie with a top crust, generally made of flaky pastry.

FYI

I’m salivating about the pies again. If I ever come round to yours for dinner, you know what to make me.

For some reason I’ve always viewed meat pies with less trepidation than fruit pies. I’m more confident of throwing savory ingredients together and coming up with something delicious than I am with sweet.

Fruit pies seem regimented to me. Meat pies are more fun to make, more freewheeling!

(I used a bottom crust)