Recipe: Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pie with Herbed Drop Biscuits (using roast chicken)

BISCUIT-TOPPED CHICKEN PIE

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 medium carrot (4 ounces), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into
1/8-inch thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion (about 4 ounces) peeled and diced
8 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 rotisserie-style roast chicken with lemon, garlic and fresh rosemary, skinned, meat cut from bones and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
8 frozen Herbed Drop Biscuits (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set four 12-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet, or use an 8-cup baking dish about 2 inches deep.

In a 1-quart saucepan, bring the stock or broth to a simmer. Add the carrots and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a plate and turn off heat under the stock or broth.

Meanwhile, in a 10-inch saute pan or skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat until the butter foams. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute until they just begin to brown, about 3 minutes more.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion-mushroom mixture and stir to dissolve. Immediately add the stock or broth, bring to a simmer, and stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes.

Add the cream, stir to blend and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, carrots, and parsley, bring to a simmer, then add salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Divide the chicken mixture among the ramekins or spoon it into the baking dish. Place the 2 frozen biscuits on top of the chicken mixture in each ramekin, or evenly space them on top of the chicken mixture in the baking dish.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

HERBED DROP BISCUITS
Makes 24 small biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons olive oil (for brushing tops)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until butter pieces are no larger than a pea.

Add the herbs, pepper and buttermilk, stirring just to blend well. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the biscuits with the olive oil.

Bake until lightly browned, 12-14 minutes. Set aside 8 biscuits to cool and serve the rest.

Place the cooled reserved biscuits in a lock-top freezer bag and freeze until needed for the pot pie.

Source: Cooking For The Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart and Kathleen Taggart