Make & Model - Mountain House Chicken & Dumplings
Package Size - 4.66 ounces
Servings Per Package - 2
Calories Per Serving - 310
Approximate Shelf Life - 30 years
Prep Method / Prep Time - Add boiling water to package / 8-9 minutes
MSRP / Cost Per Ounce - $7.99 / $1.71 per ounce
URL - http://www.mountainhouse.com

Mountain House's take on a classic Southern recipe. Freeze-dried chicken and buttermilk biscuits with peas and carrots in a smooth white gravy.

Tester #1: Patrick Vuong
Chicken and dumplings in a bag? I love the idea, but the execution leaves much to be desired. It looks and feels like mashed potatoes but has the taste of bland breading. I barely taste the gravy and, wait, is there even chicken in here? On the plus side, it's stupid-simple to make, and the resealable pouch can be cleaned out and used in other ways if you're stuck in BFE. Bonus points for its three-decade-long shelf life.

Tester #2: John Schwartze
Made with time and care, chicken and dumplings is true American comfort food. Unfortunately this one won't rival grandma's recipe anytime soon. It's like mashed potato consistency with a slightly doughy, dumpling aftertaste. There's a few identifiable peas and carrots, but if there's chicken I'm hard pressed to find any. At 38 percent sodium per serving (1 cup) and a disappointing taste, I can't say I'd pick this for my emergency food stockpile or even a weekend camping jaunt. Kinda gross.

Tester #3: Patrick McCarthy
I'm no expert on Southern comfort food, but this seems like a respectable take on a timeless dish, given the constraints of freeze-drying. The white gravy is thick and creamy, serving as a vehicle for the occasional chunk of chicken, peas, carrots, and small lumps of buttery biscuit. A handful of larger pieces of biscuit remained somewhat dry in the center, but other than that there's not much to critique here. Not something I'd be watering at the mouth to eat again, but reasonably tasty when piping hot.