drop biscuits | thebrookcook

This chicken pot pie was really elevated by the inclusion of fresh herbs. Even the biscuits had arugula in them. I loved it!

This was our Valentine’s Day dinner. ❤ The recipe was adapted from My Paris Kitchen, by David Lebovitz. I increased the amount of onions, garlic, peas, and chicken. I also used arugula instead of watercress in the biscuits.

I chose the “Americanized” version of his Chicken Pot Parmentier by using the biscuit topping rather than the potato topping. According to Lebovitz, the fresh tarragon in the filling still makes this dish decidedly French. Fancy comfort food. 🙂

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Chicken Filling:

4 cups (1 quart/1 liter) chicken stock (I used my homemade turkey stock)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
25 peeled pearl onions (I used frozen pearl onions, thawed)
6 T (3 oz/85 g) unsalted butter
6 T (60 g) all-purpose flour
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 T dry white wine
4 to 5 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken meat)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas or shelled fava beans, thawed
2 T finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp coarse salt, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Drop Biscuit Topping:

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 T (4 oz/115 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/2 cup packed (50 g) finely chopped arugula or watercress
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk

To Make the Chicken Filling:

Heat the stock in a saucepan over medium heat with the carrots, celery, and onions. Let simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Whisk a few ladlefuls of the warm stock into the flour mixture, which will appear lumpy at first but will smooth out as you go. Gradually add all the stock, including the vegetables, stirring as you go.
Cook for about 9 minutes, until thickened.
Add the garlic and wine and cook for 1 additional minute.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chicken, peas, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish. Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drippings.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.

To Make the Drop Biscuit Topping:

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, baking soda, and baking powder to combine.
Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter, combine until the butter is broken into pea-size pieces.
Add the arugula, and then the buttermilk, mixing just until the dough holds together.
Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop, distribute the dough evenly over the chicken filling. (I made 3 rows of 6 biscuits.)

To Finish: