One-Pot Chicken & Biscuits

I have another tasty cast iron skillet dish to share. I made this one-pot (skillet) chicken pot pie for our Valentine’s Day dinner. ❤

This recipe was adapted from epicurious.com, contributed by Sahara Henry-Bohoskey. I loved how the biscuit topping was crumbled and scattered over the top. The filling bubbled over and oozed over the sides of the pan- I was very happy that I placed the skillet on a baking sheet in the oven! Next time I would garnish each serving with fresh herbs to add a pop of color.

The original recipe notes that 1/4 cup of aged cheddar or one teaspoon of dried thyme, parsley, or rosemary could be added to the biscuit topping, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

For the Biscuit Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 6 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T heavy cream

For the Filling & To Assemble:

• 1 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 1/4 to 1 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 4 or 5)
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 2 T unsalted butter, divided
• 1 small or 1/2 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, scrubbed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium (5–8 oz) waxy potato (such as red), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, any leaves coarsely chopped and reserved, cut on a diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• flaky sea salt
• fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

To Make the Biscuit Topping:

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine.
2. Add chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and toss to coat.
3. Work in butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Add heavy cream and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms and no dry bits of flour remain.
5. Chill 20 minutes. Do ahead: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Cover tightly and keep chilled.

To Make the Filling & To Assemble:

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. (I set my oven to true convection.)
2. Heat oil in a 10″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high.
3. Pat the chicken with paper towels to dry. Season both sides with salt.
4. Arrange chicken thighs in pan in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, 5–7 minutes. Turn over and cook until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. (Chicken will finish cooking through in the oven.)
5. Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Reserve any accumulated liquid.
6. Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in pan (no need to clean).
7. Add chopped onion, carrot, and salt; stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
8. Add chopped potato, celery, garlic, thyme, pepper, and remaining tablespoon of unsalted butter. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
9. Add flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until flour coating is golden and nutty-smelling, about 3 minutes.
10. Add white wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
11. Add chicken stock or water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until mixture is thickened a bit, about 4 to 6 minutes.
12. Uncover pan and stir chicken and any accumulated juices, coarsely chopped celery leaves (if using), heavy cream, and peas into filling.
13. Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed.
14. Scatter pieces of dough over filling. Brush with cream and season with pepper and flaky sea salt.
15. Place skillet on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips and transfer to oven.
16. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.
17. Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Chicken Pot Pie with Drop Biscuit Topping

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:

1. 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.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
3. 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.
4. Cook for about 9 minutes, until thickened.
5. Add the garlic and wine and cook for 1 additional minute.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chicken, peas, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
7. 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.
8. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.

To Make the Drop Biscuit Topping:

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

To Finish:

1. Bake the chicken potpie for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling and hot.

One Year Ago: Chicken Stew with Biscuits

Two Years Ago: Fried Chicken Thighs & Cheesy Grits

Four Years Ago: Fried Chicken Biscuits

Five Years Ago: Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork and Popovers

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

Chicken Stew with Biscuits or Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits… whatever you want to call it- It’s classic comfort food. This version was the runner-up dish for our Valentine’s Day dinner this year. I suppose we had two Valentine’s day dinners (plus leftovers!). Lots of love in my house. ❤

This recipe was adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten, via Barefoot Contessa.com. We ate it with a green salad. I modified the recipe to use rotisserie chicken meat, reduced the butter, and incorporated homemade turkey stock. I also steamed the carrots and heated the stock in the microwave and used a food processor to make the biscuit dough.

I made the stew and biscuit dough a day ahead and refrigerated them separately. The day I was ready to serve the dish, I warmed the stew for 1 hour at room temperature, re-heated in the oven for 30+ minutes, and then topped with the pre-cut raw biscuit dough and continued to bake for approximately one half hour. Perfect.

2022 Update: I used 3 carrots and 2 peeled and diced CSA turnips instead of 4 carrots and pearl onions. Fabulous!

For the Stew:

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken or turkey stock, preferably homemade
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes (I used Trader Joe’s liquid concentrate chicken broth.)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 carrots, medium-diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley, optional

For the Biscuits:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
3. Steam the diced carrots with 2 tablespoons of water in the microwave for 2 minutes.
4. In a microwave safe bowl, preferably with a spout, heat the chicken stock in the microwave until hot. Remove and incorporate the concentrated stock. (Alternatively, the stock can be warmed in a separate pot on the stove.)
5. In a large pot or Dutch oven (I used enameled cast iron), melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent.
6. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
7. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.
8. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream.
9. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley, if using. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
10. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper.
11. Bake for 15 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
13. Add the butter and pulse (or mix on low-speed) until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and pulse (or combine on low-speed) until the dough just comes together. Mix in the parsley, if using.
14. Dump the dough out on a well-floured piece of parchment-paper. Using your hands, pat out to 3/8 inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2-1/2 inch round cutter. Only re-form the dough once.
15. Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling.
16. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven.
17. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

One Year Ago:

• Meera Sodha’s Chicken Curry

Three Years Ago:

• Fried Chicken Biscuits
• Broccoli & Mozzarella Potluck Stromboli

Four Years Ago:

• Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry

Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings

This dish was HOT. Super spicy. I was so excited to get my hands on both sweet and hot Hungarian paprika- and then even more excited to find a dish (Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best One-Pot Dish” no less) that incorporated hot paprika. Well, I don’t know if my paprika was just too fresh…

I am a fan of spicy food, but my family had to slather this spicy gravy with sour cream in order to eat it. A lot of water was consumed as well. I thought that the sour cream in both the sauce and the biscuits would temper the heat- or by eating each bite along with part of a fabulously moist and tender biscuit would be enough…

BUT- after saying all of that- this dish was so wonderful it definitely deserves to be made again. Smell- AMAZING. Biscuits- AMAZING. I would modify the recipe by using 1 tablespoon of hot Hungarian paprika along with 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika next time. This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff-favorite” recipe, contributed by Grace Parisi.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces (I used 10 thighs)
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 5 T cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup sour cream (I used light)
• 1 large yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T hot Hungarian paprika (I would substitute 1 T sweet for half of the hot next time)
• 3/4 tsp caraway seeds
• 1/2 tsp dry thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour.
2. In a deep ovenproof skillet (I used enameled cast iron), melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned on both sides, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Pulse in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup of the stock with 1/2 cup of the sour cream and drizzle over the dry ingredients; pulse until a dough forms.
5. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in the paprika and caraway and cook for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of sour cream and stir until smooth. Add the thyme and bring to a boil.
7. Scoop twelve 3-tablespoon-size mounds of biscuit dough over the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the biscuits are cooked. If biscuits are not golden, turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, until the biscuits are golden. (I omitted this step.)
8. Serve the goulash in bowls, spooning the biscuits on top.

One Year Ago:

• Mexican-Style Chicken over Penne

Two Years Ago:

• White Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

Vegetable (& Chicken) Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

I have made this pot pie many, many times. I love the pearl onions, rosemary-infused broth based sauce, and puff pastry crust. In this version, I loaded it with CSA vegetables- including carrots, kohlrabi, and 5 baby bok choy! It was more of a vegetable pot pie, which I prefer. Tasty. This recipe was adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins.

Yield: Serves 8

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups sliced carrots (1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1 large kohlrabi
• 5 baby bok choy or other greens such as kale or chard
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 2 cups pearl onions
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken breasts (about 2 large), cut into chunks or strips, about 4 cups
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook. (I used grilled chicken this time but broiled, steamed or poached are also all options.) Cut into bite-sized cubes or strips.
2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the carrots, kohlrabi, and 1 rosemary sprig, and boil for 4 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and set aside. Discard the rosemary.
3. With the tip of a paring knife, make a small incision at the root end of each onion; be careful not to cut through completely so that the onion does not fall apart in cooking. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the onions, and cook until just tender, 10 minutes. Using a bamboo strainer, lift onions out of the boiling water, rinse under cold water, and peel. Set aside.
4. Add the greens to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. Drain and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook, whisking over medium-low heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved carrot/kohlrabi liquid. Cook, whisking, until thickened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add a sprig of rosemary, cover, and set aside to cool. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
6. Spread the chicken and vegetables evenly over the bottom of a deep 9×11 pan. Pour thickened sauce over the mixture and insert rosemary sprigs.
7. Roll the thawed puff pastry to a rectangle large enough to seal over the baking dish. (I roll it between pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper.)
8. Whisk the egg and water together, and brush to outside rim of the baking dish with the egg wash. Drape the dough over the top and press the edges to seal. Brush the top with egg wash as well. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
10. Transfer the baking dish to the oven, and bake until the pastry is puffed and well browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately.