Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

By mytastytreasures

Skillet chicken pot pie, quickly made , without sacrificing taste. Based on Cooks Illustrated version.

Ingredients

• Biscuits
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus extra for the work surface
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Filling
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion , minced (about 1 cup)
• 1 rib celery , sliced thin
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots , thawed

Preparation

Step 1

1. For the biscuits: Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the cream with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, about 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a ball. Knead the dough briefly until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick circle. Cut the biscuits into rounds using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or cut into 8 wedges using a knife.

4. Place the biscuits on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack.

5. For the filling: While the biscuits bake, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the foam subsides. Brown the chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.

6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and return to medium heat until melted. Add the onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until incorporated, about 1 minute.

7. Stir in the vermouth and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the broth, cream, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken into the sauce, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes.

8. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the peas and carrots into the sauce and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut or shred it into bite-sized pieces and return it to the skillet. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.

9. For serving: Place the cooked biscuits on top of the skillet or individual servings.


****If you don’t have time to make your own biscuits for the topping, then use packaged refrigerated biscuits and bake them according to the package instructions. We prefer the flavor of Pillsbury Golden Homestyle Biscuits but you can use your favorite brand (you will need anywhere from 4 to 8 biscuits depending on their size). Serve this pot pie right from the skillet, or transfer the mixture to a large pie plate and top with the biscuits.