This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
This chicken pot pie with biscuits is a unique twist on a comfort classic filled with chicken and vegetables and topped with flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Chicken pot pie is in the pantheon of comfort food - right up there with meat lasagna, chili and baked cheddar mac and cheese.
Everyone knows this classic dish consists of chicken, veggies in a creamy sauce that is baked in a pie crust. But why just have the standard when you can upgrade it with fresh biscuits!
Why This Recipe Works
- Homemade biscuits - yes you can use store-bought biscuits but these buttermilk biscuits aren't difficult to make and tastes so much better.
- More forgiving recipe - by making with biscuits instead of a pie crust, you are actually making something easier. Biscuits are faster to make from scratch and frankly more tasty than pie crust.
- Flavorful - you get the buttery flavor from the biscuits and the creamy chicken pot pie filling you know and love.
Jump to:
Ingredients Notes
- Biscuits - uses a simple recipe of flour, baking powder, salt, butter and most importantly buttermilk.
- Chicken - chicken thighs are a little fattier which adds more flavor to the dish.
- Mirepoix - the famous combination of onion, celery and carrots which is a base for many recipes including this.
- Poultry herb blend - a combination of thyme, rosemary and sage that adds additional flavor.
- Low-sodium chicken stock - adds additional chicken flavor, but also thins out the filling slightly.
- Whole milk - the base for the creamy sauce.
- Peas - frozen works best.
- Lemon - adds a touch of acidity.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations for this chicken pot pie with biscuits include:
- While homemade biscuits are easier to make then you think, try canned biscuits if you're in a pinch.
- I like boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can also use chicken breasts or even rotisserie chicken.
- I'm a fan of fresh herbs but dried herbs are a good substitute. Just use ⅓ of the amount as they are more potent.
- I'm partial to chicken stock for the filling, but chicken broth works too.
- If you want an even creamier filling, substitute the milk with heavy cream.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Grate the butter with a cheese grater before adding to the dry ingredients. Blend with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until it is clumpy and looks like course crumbsl
Create a well in the center, adding the buttermilk and honey. Stir with a spatula until just combiend.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface before patting into a rough rectangle, about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 4 pieces and stack on top of each other. Press down to flatten into a rectangle again about 1 inch thick.
Cut with a 3-inch biscuit cutter to get 8 biscuits. You'll have to re-roll the scraps to get to it. Keep in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Cook the chicken in an oven-safe pan over medium heat with butter for 4 minutes per side or until done. Remove and set aside before adding the onion and herbs, cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the carrots and celery, cooking for another 5 minutes before stirring in the garlic, cooking 30 more seconds. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly add the stock and milk, stirring until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the chicken, peas and salt. Taste and adjust for seasoning if needed.
Arrange the biscuits on top and brush with melted butter. Bake at 425°F for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked and filling is bubbly.
FAQs
Not a problem. Just prepare the filling on the stove then transfer to a glass baking dish and place the biscuits on top before baking.
Yes. Just prepare the filling ahead of time and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once ready to make, heat up in the microwave while making the biscuits and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
The biscuits can also be prepared up to 2 days in advance and store (unbaked) in the fridge.
You can place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Be sure to separate the biscuits from the filling.
The filling is best reheated over low heat in a skillet. Add a splash of milk or stock as it thickens up when in the fridge.
Take the biscuits, wrap loosely in aluminum foil and heat at 200°F until warmed through. You can also throw in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Weeknight Options
While I would argue this chicken pot pie with biscuits recipe is pretty easy to begin with, you can make a few substitutes that will save some time.
- Use frozen mixed veggies to save from chopping the celery and carrots.
- Use store-bought canned biscuits.
- Use rotisserie chicken so you don't have to cook any.
Keys to Homemade Biscuits
There really isn’t much better than a good homemade biscuits and by following these tips, you’ll make the best buttermilk biscuits out there.
- Use cold butter: It is super important to use cold butter. You want pockets and layers and when the butter melts as the biscuits bake, it releases steam which creates pockets of air. This makes them flaky on the inside, but crisp on the outside. It doesn’t hurt to throw the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before using.
- Buttermilk and honey: The acidity as well as the fat from the buttermilk works in conjunction with the baking powder to help the dough rise, while the honey helps balance the salt out.
- Do not overmix: The key to good flaky buttermilk biscuits is not overworking the dough! I repeat, you DO NOT overwork the dough. You want to form the dough until it just comes together.
- Fold and flatten dough: Folding the dough creates layers. You want to fold in thirds toward the center and do it 6 times to create enough layers.
- Do not twist biscuit cutter: It is important to not twist the cutter when cutting out your biscuits. Just press the cutter down firmly. By twisting, you actually seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising.
- Bake close together: If you want biscuits to really rise, they rise more when they are touching. It prevents them from spreading out when baking.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the chicken pot pie with biscuits turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Cheese grater - used to grate the butter for the biscuits.
- Large bowl - need a bowl to be able to mix together the biscuit ingredients
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to fit the filling and biscuits that is also oven safe.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If short on time, use store-bought biscuits and rotisserie chicken.
- Use a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven so you can make the filling and then bake the dish in the oven to cook the biscuits.
- Homemade chicken stock can be used for extra flavor.
- If you want a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with mushrooms and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- To get the biscuits golden brown at the end, turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes.
Other Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this chicken pot pie with biscuits or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon honey
Filling
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 lbs chicken thighs (4 cups shredded)
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon poultry blend, chopped (thyme, rosemary, sage)
- 2 cups carrots, chopped small
- 1 cup celery stalks, chopped small
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix until combined.
- Grate the cold butter using a cheese grater. This is an easy way to get it into small pieces to incorporate in the dry ingredients. If you do not have a cheese grater, you can just cut into small cubes. Blend the grated butter in with the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. The mixture should be clumpy and look like course crumbs. Throw bowl in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Create a well in the center of mixture and add buttermilk and honey. Stir everything together with a spatula until just combined - do not overwork the dough.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rough rectangle, about one inch thick. Fold one side into the center and then the other side and turn it horizontal. Gently flatten. Repeat the folding process 6 times. Gently roll out the dough once more into a rough rectangle until it's about ½ inch thick. Cut the biscuit with a 3-inch biscuit cutter or floured glass. Re-roll any scraps until you get 8 biscuits total. Keep biscuits in fridge while you prepare filling.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large oven-safe pan or Dutch oven. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove and shred.
- Add diced onion and poultry blend and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, cooking for another 5 minutes. Stir garlic in and cook for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the chicken stock and milk, stirring, until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken, peas, lemon juice and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Arrange the biscuits on top of filling. Brush biscuits with some melted butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through and the filling is hot and bubbly.
Notes
- If short on time, use store-bought biscuits and rotisserie chicken.
- Use a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven so you can make the filling and then bake the dish in the oven to cook the biscuits.
- Homemade chicken stock can be used for extra flavor.
- If you want a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with mushrooms and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- To get the biscuits golden brown at the end, turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes.
Leave a Reply