I vividly remember my first chicken pot pie. I was at a local arcade turned restaurant in a small town outside of Boston, where, I will say, the portions matched Texas’s “everything is bigger” slogan.
I could never finish the whole plate, and that was fine by me. Taking it home for dinner (or breakfast) the next day was part of the thrill of ordering it. I remember the comforting scent of butter, the flaky pastry cracking as I scooped a portion onto my spoon. To me, it’s just one of the most iconic American dishes. So when I started to really get into cooking, naturally, it was one of the recipes I looked to master. But time and time again there was always something wrong—the filling wasn’t creamy enough, or the pastry was too soggy or too bland. Then I metchicken and biscuits.
Chicken and biscuits is like that cool auntie who only visits during the holidays. She’s family, but she’s got stories to tell—she’s a true rule breaker. The creamy base of chicken and biscuits can be filled with any vegetable of your desire. Want to add some turnip,parsnip, orbroccoli, or incorporate the chicken in the form of herby meatballs? Go for it. It’s a recipe I make when I need something the whole family (including my 20-month-old toddler) will devour. I adore how this recipe can shape-shift depending on whatever vegetables I need to use before they expire or whatever excites me the most in the produce aisle. I’ve made enough riffs on the recipe that I can whip up this skillet with a baby on one arm.
My usual filling is exactly the same as a classic chicken pot pie, bringing together sweet onion (I will spare you from peeling a dozen pearl onions for this recipe, because I actually want you to make it), carrots, peas, potatoes, celery and of course, bite-sized pieces ofchicken thigh. Slicing the carrots and celery into ½-inch pieces rather than the traditional small dice brings texture and helps the vegetables hold their shape rather than turning into mush. The kicker here is how the biscuits cook perfectly atop the creamy gravy so that you get golden tops that crisp like a flaky pastry but the bottom of the dough cooks through, soaking in the gravy like a succulent dumpling getting the best of all the textures in one bite. The biscuit addition also helps to thicken the filling, ensuring a creamy gravy every time.
In this recipe I make a drop biscuit topping that can easily be scattered. When making these biscuits, you cut the butter into the flour by rubbing them together to create a shaggy mass, then stir in your cream and that’s all there is to it—no rolling out or cutting into circles required.
You can also dress the biscuit topping up by adding shredded aged cheddar, or thyme, parsley, or rosemary. But this recipe is easy in all the ways you need it to be. You can make the dough a few days ahead of time and store it in the fridge wrapped tightly to use when needed. Better yet, you only need one bowl and oneskillet, which doubles as the perfect serving dish.
