Chicken pot pie with biscuits is one of the coziest, most comforting dishes that one can prepare when the season turns cooler. My creamy chicken pot pie recipe features a light, buttery drop biscuit topping, plus lots of aromatic veggies such as leeks, carrots, parsnips, celery and peas to create a belly-warming meal that also nourishes the soul!
Just the Recipe To Cozy Up With
I think a large part of the reason I'm such a big fan of the fall and winter season is because I'm a “snuggle bug” through and through, and love to get cozy when the weather gets nice and cool.
For me, getting cozy is all about wrapping myself in my favorite blanket, and wrapping my hands around a hot bowl of home cooked food that is comforting, warming and perhaps slightly more decadent.
And if it's brimming with lots of savory sauce, bits of veggies, a little meat, and lots of creamy flavor, it's most certainly going to not only warm my belly, but sooth my soul as well.
Homemade chicken pot pie with biscuits is one of those classic recipes that is the epitome of that type of comfort food for me, made with love and good quality ingredients.
This is just the dish I'm craving as we move into the more festive, cooler months, making it one of my favorite meals to simmer up, top with homemade drop biscuits, bake, and spoon out of a pie dish into my waiting bowl!
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie with a Buttery, Biscuit Topping
Part of the appeal of a homemade chicken pot pie recipe for me is that the topping is incredibly versatile. One could use either a pie crust type of topping, or a tender biscuit topping, the latter being my personal favorite.
I tend to appreciate a bit more “bite” to my chicken pot pie in the way of a topping, so I prefer the biscuit topping because it offers more substance, and stands up a bit more to the rich, creamy chicken filling.
It's almost like having a piece of buttery bread alongside the stew-like sauce to sop things up with, offering a bit more “oomph” than the thinner, pie crust-style of topping.
And because I really like to season my chicken well before adding it to the filling, I actually roast up a couple of split chicken breasts—skin on and bone in—while I prepare my sauce, and then cube that up and fold it into the filling at the end.
Rotisserie chicken could very easily be substituted here in a pinch, but I find that roasting up my own makes for super juicy and delicious chicken which takes this chicken pot pie over the top when it comes to flavor.
I also like to use both chicken stock and some half and half to create the creamy sauce, and use leeks in place of onion, for milder flavor.
The addition of parsnips into the mix with the carrots and celery is really tasty for that hint of earthy sweetness, which gives this pot pie recipe a slightly more complex flavor as well.
Here's a sneak peek at my chicken pot pie recipe with buttery drop biscuits: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To get started, I season my split chicken breasts and roast those for about 45-50 minutes, or until cooked through; I allow the chicken to cool just until I can easily handle it, then discard the skin and cube the meat. (You could also substitute rotisserie chicken for this, if desired.)
- While the chicken roasts, I prepare my chicken pot pie filling by sauteing some leeks, carrots, parsnips, celery, and garlic in butter; then, I add in a good amount of flour to help create a nice, thick and creamy sauce, using both chicken stock and half and half. I finish the filling by folding in some peas, fresh thyme and parsley, and my cubed chicken breasts.
- Once the filling is prepared, I whisk up my ingredients for my easy drop biscuit topping; then, I pour my filling into my prepared dish, and using a small scoop or large spoon, drop portions of the biscuit batter over top.
- I bake my chicken pot pie on a baking sheet lined with foil to catch any drips, until the biscuits are golden and cooked through (about 24 minutes), then sprinkle with additional thyme and serve directly out of the dish.
Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 8
Nutrition Info: 478 calories (per serving with 1 biscuit)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Chicken Pot Pie Filling Ingredients:
- 2 large split chicken breasts, skin on and bone-in (or 4 cups cooked, rotisserie chicken)
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided use
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated onion, divided use
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 5 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large leeks (or 3 small ones), cleaned, sliced in half and sliced into thin, semi-circles (white part only)
- 4 small carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more to sprinkle over top as garnish
Buttery Drop Biscuits Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup half and half
- 6 tablespoons unsalted, melted butter, slightly cooled
- To roast your split chicken breasts, preheat the oven to 400° and line a medium baking sheet with foil. Place the split chicken breasts onto the baking sheet, drizzle with a touch of olive oil, and sprinkle over some salt and black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of the granulated onion, plus the granulated garlic; then, place the chicken into the oven to roast for about 45-50 minutes.
- While the chicken roasts, prepare the sauce for the filling: place a large, non-stick skillet or pan (even a medium pot) over medium-high heat, and add the butter; once melted, add your leeks, carrots, celery, and parsnip, plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper, plus the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and the white pepper, and saute the veggies for about 10 minutes, until beginning to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, and once aromatic, sprinkle in the flour and stir it to combine with the veggies, cooking it for about 30 seconds to cook out the raw flavor. (The mixture will be quite thick and paste-like, at this point.)
- Next, slowly pour in the chicken stock, and using a whisk now, carefully whisk things together until the flour is completely incorporated and smoothly blended in; then, pour in the half and half, and whisk to blend.
- Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer to allow it to thicken, then reduce the heat, cover, and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about 22 minutes, stirring fairly frequently, just until the parsnips and carrots are tender. Keep warm.
- Once your chicken is roasted, remove it from the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 425°; allow the chicken to cool just enough so you can handle it, then remove the skin and cube the meat.
- To finish the sauce, fold in the diced, roasted chicken (or rotisserie chicken), the peas, the parsley, the 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of granulated onion, and stir to incorporate. Spray a medium-large baking dish with cooking spray (mine is about 9 inches by 11 ½ inches by 2 inches), and spoon the chicken pot pie filling into it. Set that aside while you prep your buttery biscuit topping.
- To prepare the drop biscuits, add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl, and whisk to blend; pour in the half and half as well as the melted butter, and using a spatula, fold the ingredients together just enough to bring them together to create a thick batter. (You want these to be light and fluffy, so take care not to over mix the batter as this will create tough biscuits.)
- To top the chicken pot pie, use a 2 tablespoon scoop (or a large spoon) to dollop about 8 mounds of biscuit batter evenly over top of the filling, and gently press down to flatten any peaks. Brush the biscuits with a tiny touch of half and half, then place the baking dish onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake the chicken pot pie for about 24 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through. (I cover mine very loosely with foil for the last 8 minutes of baking, so the biscuits don't get too dark.)
- Once baked, allow the chicken pot pie to rest for 15 minutes before enjoying, as it allows the biscuits to rest and the filling to slightly cool just enough to comfortably eat.
- Sprinkle with some fresh thyme leaves, and enjoy.
Tips & Tidbits for my Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits:
- Split chicken breasts for added flavor, or use rotisserie: Roasting up a couple of split chicken breasts is super easy to do, and I like to do this because it ensures tender, juicy and flavorful chicken. If you're pressed for time or simply prefer a short cut, you could certainly use good quality rotisserie chicken instead, and cube it up to add into the sauce.
- Earthy veggies for texture: Leeks are a terrific ingredient to use in chicken pot pie, offering a more subtle-yet-fragrant flavor to the filling. In a pinch, you could certainly use regular onion, and dice it fairly small. I use a parsnip in the filling as well, which has a nice, sweet earthy flavor; however, you could substitute another carrot for that if you prefer.
- How to make chicken pot pie with biscuits ahead: If you'd like to do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to recipe preparation, ahead of when you'd like to serve your chicken pot pie, simply prepare the sauce to completion, allow it to cool, and then keep in the fridge. On the day you'd like to serve, just mix up the quick drop biscuit batter, gently warm the filling, and continue with the assembly/baking.
- You choose the size of your drop biscuits: I like to make my drop biscuits a medium size, and sort of dollop them all over the top of the filling, leaving a bit of space for them to spread as they bake. I use a 2 tablespoon scoop, but you could use a larger or smaller one, depending on how you like your biscuit topping.
Craving more cozy and comforting recipes? Check out this Chicken Casserole, this Chicken Tortilla Casserole, this Shepherd's Pie, or this Southwest Sweet Potato Casserole!
Linda Betz
Ingrid! THIS is amazing! Excellent blend of herbs. I have never roasted chicken with herbs on them. Perfect! Only changes I made were diced potatoes instead of parsnips because I was just too lazy to go out and find them in the market. I made the sauce separate because I thoughtt the potatoes would break down too much. I just poured the sauce over the vegs and chicken and carefully mixed it. Thank you, as always for sharing your recipe. Love to you.
The Cozy Apron
I'm so excited you gave this cozy recipe a try, Linda! Even more thrilled to read that you enjoyed it, and even made it your own with the addition of those yummy potatoes.
May you all stay cozy and comforted, with full, happy bellies! Sending love, xoxo.
Felishia
Made this tonight and it was incredible! I did a few things differently though. I used chicken thighs instead of breasts because breasts dry out so bad on me. And I cooked them in my cast iron skillet and made this a one-pot meal by doing everything in the cast iron. I didn't have parsnips or leeks so I used 3 potatoes. Didn't have half and half so I used milk for the sauce as well as a splash of white wine and buttermilk for the biscuits. Probably one of the best chicken pot pies I've made so far.
The Cozy Apron
Felishia, so glad to read that you enjoyed! And thank you for sharing your creative tweaks—they sound perfect. 😉
May you glean lots of comfort and coziness from this recipe for a long time to come, especially during these cold months when a bit of extra TLC is exactly what's needed.
Happy cooking to you!
Diane Krause
Lovely recipe! How would you recommend freezing in individual servings?
The Cozy Apron
Thanks Diane! This dish is a little tougher to freeze individually, but if you'd like to do that, I would recommend freezing the chicken/sauce/veggie portion of the dish in individual freezer ziplock bags or other freezer-safe containers. And the biscuits I would remove and wrap individually in plastic wrap and place into freezer bags. You could even just prepare the chicken with sauce/veggies and freeze, and bake the biscuits separately (drop biscuit style onto a parchment lined baking sheet), and freeze those once cooled.
Joy
We have absolutely adored this recipe through the years. I am coming back to this recipe now for the drop biscuits for a quick morning breakfast, but now think I’ve lost my mind a little! Did the drop biscuit recipe used to ask for buttermilk? If so, could you maybe post the original recipe for this? We’ve enjoyed that version for so long! 🙂 thanks so much for your time!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Joy, yes, the recipe has, indeed, been updated. Hope you try this new version sometime—it's really delicious!
I have sent, to your email address, the original recipe which includes the biscuits (with buttermilk). Please check your inbox, and if it's not there, please check your "spam" or "promotions" folder. Enjoy! 🙂
CarolJ
A big thanks from me for the drop biscuit recipe and technique. I was looking for an alternative to the usual pie crust I put on my chicken pot pie and wondered if someone had posted a recipe with biscuits. And you had! I loved how fluffy the biscuits turned out and how easy they were to make. Major presentation points, too.
Ingrid Beer
Carol, this is music to my ears! Thrilled you found my recipe with the biscuit topping, and that it turned out as tasty and lovely for you as it did. I appreciate you taking some time to stop by and share your experience. May this pot pie bring you lots of coziness as we head into the cooler time of year! 😉
Happy cooking to you, Carol!
Christine
These Biscuits were A M A Z I N G ! I used on hand 2% and they were fluffy and tender. I put some butter on the top as they were baking and they were GBD, golden brown delicious. Thank you.
The Cozy Apron
Thanks so much, Christine! Thrilled that you enjoyed 'em! 🙂
Sam
Ingrid, I’d like to take you on the wild journey that led me to your recipe. I’m very sick right now. Earlier this week, I made some pulled pork with a mustard BBQ sauce, and while it was good, the sauce was EXTREMELY strong and a bit overpowering. Tonight, I knew I needed to make some dinner, but I was running out of energy fast. I somehow decided to make a pot-pie-esq meal out of the pulled pork (creamy mustard sauce is a thing, right? How bad could it be?). I wanted a biscuit topping that took basically zero effort, and after hunting I found this one. So I only made the biscuits from this recipe but that’s enough for FIVE STARS from me!!! I used some leftover evaporated milk I had with enough water to come to 3/4 C and then made little biscuits over the top of my mixture, they were done in 20 minutes. They were perfectly cooked, buttery, and fluffy tender and dinner was amazing, better than some of the stuff I cook when fully healthy LOL. Husband and 4 year old approved. Thank you thank you THANK YOU for helping this poorly mama get a dinner on the table!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Sam! I am so sorry you're feeling so under the weather...and I hope you quickly recover and feel much better!
I absolutely loved reading your comment. I am so happy the drop biscuits from this recipe turned out so good for you, and I'm sure your pork pot pie 😉 tasted very yummy! Nothing better than when hubby and 4 year old give their thumbs up, too, right?
I really appreciate you sharing with me, and I hope you give this recipe a try in it's entirety at some point. It's very comfy-cozy, and perfect when the weather turns cooler.
Happy cooking to you...and a speedy recovery!