Shelly's Recipe

CHICKEN POT PIES WITH CHEDDAR–SCALLION BISCUITS

Category: Casseroles - Chicken and Turkey

6 TO 7 SERVINGS

NOTE: Using precooked rotisserie chicken meat saves valuable prep time.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Prepare pies up to the point of baking; then wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes; then bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

FOR THE FILLING:
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 medium-size carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 large celery rib, diced
1 medium-size yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup roughly chopped white button mushrooms
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
3 cups chopped cooked chicken, white and dark meat (see “Note,” above)
1/3 cup sweet peas (frozen is fine)

FOR THE BISCUITS:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 scallions (green onions), green parts only, thinly sliced
1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
Milk (for brushing biscuits)

First, make the filling: In a medium-size saucepan over high heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add carrots and squash. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain vegetables, reserving broth. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and salt; cook until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add milk slowly, whisking as you do; then add reserved broth, whisking until smooth. Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with pepper. Add parsley, chicken, reserved vegetables, and peas. Divide filling evenly among 6 ramekins or other 8- to 10-ounce ovenproof bowls, leaving about a half-inch at the top for biscuits. If you have extra filling, put it in another ramekin.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Make the biscuits: In a large bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Working quickly so that the butter stays cold, use your fingers to smear the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with plenty of lumps. Stir in cheddar and scallions. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk; add to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix.
Divide dough into two balls. On a lightly floured counter, press dough out to a .-inch thickness. Using a floured biscuit cutter or rim of a glass, cut out 2- to 3-inch rounds. Gather dough again as needed and press out again. Repeat with second dough ball. Divide biscuits among ramekins, overlapping as necessary. Brush tops with milk, and set ramekins on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until crust is nicely browned and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes.