Chicken Pot Pie Biscuit

The smell of butter hitting a hot skillet still takes me back to my first apartment, where I attempted pot pie on a tiny electric stove that took forever to heat up. My roommate leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, asking if we were really having comfort food on a Tuesday. The sauce almost broke on me that night, but we ate it standing up anyway, laughing at my lopsided biscuit topping.

My mother-in-law made this for us after our daughter was born, arriving with a steaming dish and a look that said she understood exactly what we needed. The house smelled like thyme and butter, and she showed me her trick for getting the biscuits to rise perfectly even though she had never measured anything in her life. That meal fed us for three days, and I still think of her hands whenever I drop the dough onto the filling.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken works beautifully here, just pull it into bite-sized pieces and let it absorb that creamy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter: Start with this for your veggie sauté, it builds the foundation of flavor that carries through the whole dish
• 1 small onion, finely chopped: The smaller you dice, the more evenly it distributes throughout the sauce
• 2 medium carrots, diced: Fresh carrots give better texture than frozen, and they should be cut roughly the same size as your celery
• 2 celery stalks, diced: Dont skip this, it adds that classic pot pie aroma and subtle savory depth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced: Add it after the vegetables soften so it does not burn or turn bitter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour: This is your thickener, and sprinkling it evenly over the vegetables prevents lumps from forming
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth: Using low-sodium lets you control the salt level, especially important since the biscuits have their own seasoning
• 1 cup whole milk: Whole milk creates that velvety restaurant-style sauce, though you can get away with 2% if that is what you have
• 1 cup frozen peas: These go in last so they stay bright green and do not turn mushy
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves: Fresh thyme makes a difference, but if you only have dried, use half the amount and crush it between your fingers first
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste: Season at the end since the broth and butter already contain some salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper: Freshly cracked gives you the best aroma and heat distribution
• 2 cups all-purpose flour: Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping directly, which compacts it and throws off the ratio
• 1 tablespoon baking powder: Make sure it is fresh by checking the expiration date, old baking powder leads to flat biscuits
• 1 teaspoon salt: This goes in the biscuit dough to balance the sweetness of the buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda: Combined with buttermilk, this gives the biscuits their lift and golden color
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed: Keep this ice-cold and work quickly, those tiny butter pockets create flaky layers
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk: The acidity activates the baking soda and tenderizes the dough

Instructions

Get your oven ready:

Preheat to 400°F and move your oven rack to the center position so the biscuits bake evenly without burning on top.

Build the flavor base:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add your onion, carrots, and celery, cooking them until they soften and start to smell sweet.

Add the aromatic:

Stir in the garlic and let it cook just long enough to become fragrant, about one minute, being careful not to let it brown.

Create the roux:

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables while stirring constantly, letting it cook for a minute or two to remove any raw flour taste.

Make the sauce:

Pour in the chicken broth and milk gradually while whisking, bringing everything to a gentle simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Bring it all together:

Stir in the cooked chicken, frozen peas, thyme, salt, and pepper, letting everything simmer for just a couple of minutes to marry the flavors.

Transfer to your baking dish:

Pour the filling into a 9x13-inch baking dish or a deep pie dish, spreading it evenly so the biscuits will sit level.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until everything is evenly distributed.

Cut in the butter:

Work the cold butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

Form the dough:

Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently until just combined, stopping as soon as the dough comes together to keep the biscuits tender.

Top the pie:

Drop large spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the filling, leaving small gaps between them for steam to escape and the sauce to bubble through.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling up around the edges.

Let it rest:

Wait about 10 minutes before serving, which feels impossible but helps the filling set so it does not run everywhere when you scoop it.

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This recipe became my go-to during a particularly hard winter when everything felt overwhelming. I would make two at a time, keeping one for us and dropping the other at a friends door, always with a note that said just bake this at 400 for thirty minutes. Something about that golden crust breaking open to reveal steam and comfort felt like giving someone a hug they could eat.

Make It Your Own

The beauty of pot pie lies in its adaptability. I have added corn kernels for sweetness, swapped in turkey after Thanksgiving, and even made it vegetarian with extra vegetables and a mushroom broth. The creamy sauce base works with whatever you have, just keep the total volume roughly the same so the baking time stays consistent.

Getting Ahead

You can assemble the entire filling up to two days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, bring it to room temperature while the oven heats, then top with the freshly made biscuit dough. Never refrigerate the raw biscuit dough on top of the filling, or the butter will soften and you will lose that rise.

The Perfect Sides

A simple green salad with vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cream sauce. Roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or green beans add color without competing with the pot pie flavors. Some nights we just eat it with nothing else, standing at the counter with forks.

• A crisp white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio balances the creaminess
• Iced tea with lemon works beautifully if you prefer something non-alcoholic
• Cranberry sauce on the side adds a bright contrast that surprises everyone

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There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a bubbling, golden-topped pot pie from the oven. It feeds more than hunger.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I achieve a flaky biscuit crust?

Use cold unsalted butter cut into the flour mixture and handle the dough gently without overmixing. This creates layers that bake into a flaky crust.

→ Can I prepare the filling ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the filling in advance and refrigerate. Add the biscuit dough and bake just before serving for fresh texture.

→ What can I substitute for chicken in the filling?

Turkey is a great alternative that works well with the vegetables and creamy sauce.

→ How do I ensure the filling is not too runny?

Simmer the filling until it thickens after adding flour, broth, and milk. This helps achieve a creamy but firm consistency.

→ Are there any tips for adding extra vegetables?

Adding diced potatoes or corn to the filling boosts texture and flavor without altering cooking time significantly.