Name: One-Pot Chicken and Biscuits
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp. baking powder; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces; ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 4); 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided; 1 small onion, cut into ½" pieces; 1 medium carrot, scrubbed, cut into ½" pieces; 1 medium (5–8 oz.) waxy potato (such as red), cut into ½" pieces; 2 celery stalks, any leaves coarsely chopped and reserved, cut on a diagonal into ½" pieces; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tsp. dried thyme; ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more; 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; ½ cup dry white wine; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water; ½ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing; ½ cup fresh or frozen peas; Flaky sea salt (optional)

A chicken pot pie topped with biscuit crumbles baked in a cast iron skillet.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

This easy chicken and biscuits recipe is all about the topping, and I’d pit a biscuit-clad savory pie over a fussier one capped with pie crust or puff pastry any day. The loosely scattered drop biscuit layer adds an enticing, fluffy texture and crispy top that contrasts the creamy filling, and biscuit dough takes a fraction of the prep time of those other pastries. Plus, you only need one bowl and one cast-iron skillet to get this dish on the table. To make it weeknight-friendly, you can even make the biscuit dough a few days before and store it in the fridge. Keep it simple and classic, or dress up your biscuit topping by adding ¼ cup grated aged cheddar, or 1 tsp. dried thyme, parsley, or rosemary.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Yield
8 servings

Ingredients

Dough

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

Filling and assembly

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 4)

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

1 small onion, cut into ½" pieces

1 medium carrot, scrubbed, cut into ½" pieces

1 medium (5–8 oz.) waxy potato (such as red), cut into ½" pieces

2 celery stalks, any leaves coarsely chopped and reserved, cut on a diagonal into ½" pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water

½ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

½ cup fresh or frozen peas

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Preparation

Dough
Step 1
Whisk 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl to combine. Add 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and toss to coat. Work in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms and no dry bits of flour remain. Chill 20 minutes.
Do ahead: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Cover tightly and keep chilled.
Filling and assembly
Step 2
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a 10" cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 4) on both sides with ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Arrange chicken thighs in pan in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, 5–7 minutes. Turn over and cook until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. (Chicken will finish cooking through in the oven.) Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly, then cut into 1" pieces.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in pan (no need to clean). Add 1 small onion, cut into ½" pieces, 1 medium carrot, scrubbed, cut into ½" pieces, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 medium (5–8 oz.) waxy potato (such as red), cut into ½" pieces, 2 celery stalks, cut on a diagonal into ½" pieces, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1 tsp. dried thyme, ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, and remaining 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Cook, stirring, 1 minute, then add 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until flour coating is golden and nutty-smelling, about 3 minutes.
Step 4
Add ½ cup dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until mixture is thickened a bit, about 4 minutes.
Step 5
Uncover pan and stir chicken, coarsely chopped celery leaves (if using), ½ cup heavy cream, and ½ cup fresh or frozen peas into filling. Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed.
Step 6
Dollop golf-ball–size pieces of dough over filling. Brush with cream and season with pepper and flaky sea salt (if using). Place skillet on a baking sheet to catch any drips and transfer to oven. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is bubbling, 25–30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.