Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pie

From the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Introduction

This takeoff on the old favorite, potpie, uses leftover chicken in a quick, creamy sauce with mushrooms. Popped into ramekins and topped with leftover biscuits, only a quick bake is needed.

We hope your memories from childhood include some homemade chicken potpie, not just frozen ones. Here is the perfect opportunity to use half a leftover chicken and some of the biscuits reserved from Sunday night’s dinner.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set four 12-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet, or use an 8-cup baking dish about 2 inches deep.
2. 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.
3. Meanwhile, in a 10-inch sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat until the butter foams. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 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.
4. Divide the chicken mixture among the ramekins or spoon it into the baking dish. Place 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.

Notes

• If you prefer potatoes in your potpie, skip the mushrooms and add a cubed peeled 8-ounce boiling potato to the stock or broth along with the carrots. Simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside and add to the pan along with the carrots. Parsnip would also be good. Follow the same procedure as for a potato. If you like peas, add 1/2 cup frozen peas when you add the chicken and parsley.
• Put the chicken carcass in a lock-top plastic bag, label it, and freeze it to save for making stock.

This content is from the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.