Easy and Delicious Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

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Chicken pot pie in a cast iron skillet with a biscuit topping is a quick and easy way to make a delicious comfort meal any night of the week. 

Using leftover chicken for chicken pot pie

This recipe is perfect to use any leftover pieces of chicken from making a whole chicken or any other meal that calls for chopped chicken. Using any left over chicken will help you reduce any potential food waste all while proving your family a delicious and nutritious meal.

While this recipe turns out best when the chicken has a general seasoning on it (like salt, pepper and garlic), chicken with just about any seasoning can be used here. I often use chicken that has been seasoned with paprika or chili powder and it turns out great.

The Veggies for Chicken Pot Pie

You will see that this recipe calls for carrots, potatoes, green beans, onion and corn. Although these are specific veggies that are most often used to make chicken pot pie, this recipe can be quite flexible. 

If you don’t have all of the vegetables that go into this recipe, that’s okay! You will find this recipe to work really well with a variety of different vegetables. In fact, this is a great way to use up a lot of leftover vegetables you might have hanging around your fridge or freezer. 

Making tweaks to the recipe by changing the base of vegetables can help with making this meal feel new if it’s frequently repeated.

The Sauce for Making Chicken Pot Pie

The sauce within this pie is primarily made with chicken broth, cream and arrowroot powder. Although these are simple ingredients, they come together with the salt and herbs to make a delicious meal. When the chicken broth reduces, it produces a slight umami flavor with additional nutrients. The cream makes the sauce look a bit like gravy and the arrowroot serves as a natural thickener.

Looking for more kitchen inspiration? You might enjoy:

• Simple and Delicious Shredded Beef Roast in a Slow Cooker
• Chicken Soup with Nourishing Bone Broth
• Classic Coleslaw

The Biscuit Topping for Chicken Pot Pie

Making a Flaky Biscuit Topping

There are a few specific tips that will help ensure that you make a delicious flaky crust every time. 

The first tip is to use extra cold butter, lard and milk. Ensuring these are all cold in the mixing process contribute to ensuring the butter stays firm until baking. Keeping the butter and lard as cold as possible before baking will help ensure the fats melt and produce steam while baking.  

The second tip is to manipulate the dough as little as possible. Over mixing the dough will cause the gluten in the flour to develop and will result in a chewy biscuit.  

Bonus tip – if you have time, try to chill the bowl and the rest of the ingredients BEFORE mixing your biscuit dough. This will aid in keeping the butter cold while mixing. 

Making the biscuit topping ahead of time

Making the biscuit topping a day or so ahead of baking this pie not only makes this meal easier to prepare on a busy night but it will ensure the butter and lard within the biscuit stay as cold as possible for as long as possible before baking. 

If you make this biscuit dough a day or two ahead of time, be sure to cover with an airtight lid, beeswax wrap or plastic wrap.

Tips For Making The Best Chicken Pot Pie Every Time

• If possible, don’t skimp on using salt, herbs or garlic! All three of these ingredients really make the meal well rounded and delicious.
• Chop the potatoes and carrots small and in similar size to ensure they both cook evenly. 
• Use as cold of ingredients as possible for the biscuits (mainly the butter, lard and milk) and keep the dough as cold as possible until right before baking.
• Do not over mix the biscuit dough or you will get a chewy biscuit.

Ingredients and Tools

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Pot Pie filling

Shredded or diced cooked chicken-I like to use leftover chicken from a roasted whole chicken

1 ½ cups potatoes (diced small)

1 ½ cups Chopped Carrots 

½ cup frozen green beans

1 Chopped Onion

½ cup frozen corn, optional

12-16 oz Chicken Broth

½ cup raw milk, or cream

½ tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

Salt + Pepper to taste

~ 1 tsp each (or more to taste) parsley, thyme and sage 

2 cloves strong garlic, minced

Biscuit Topping

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2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)

1 tsp cane sugar

3/4 tsp salt (we use Redmond Real Salt)

¼  cup butter, cold

¼ cup lard, cold

½ cup raw milk, lightly shaken

10 inch cast iron skillet

Directions

Prepare the Biscuit Dough 

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 

Dice the cold butter and toss in the flour. Mix the butter into the flour by squishing each piece of butter flat between your fingers until there are no obvious large pieces of butter. 

Slowly add the milk and stir until the dough just holds together. Do not over-mix.

Fold Dough and Cut Biscuits

Place the dough onto a floured surface. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle flour on top of the dough.

Press the dough to flatten a bit, cut the shape in half and stack the cut pieces. Press the dough a second time, cut and stack again. 

Place the dough back in the bowl and put it in the fridge to chill. 

Prepare The Filling

Preheat your oven to 425°F

In the cast iron pan, sauté onions, carrots and potatoes until the potatoes are mostly cooked through.

While the vegetables are cooking, season with salt, pepper, sage, thyme and parsley. 

After most everything is cooked, add shredded chicken and minced garlic. Sauté garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant. 

Add a pint of home canned broth and frozen veggies. Simmer the mixture on medium-low to reduce by about half 

While the broth is reducing, roll out the biscuit topping in the shape of the pan. 

To the skillet, add the cream. To the liquid, whisk in arrowroot powder.

Add the biscuit to the top of the cast iron.

Cut two slits in the middle and brush with butter.

Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving. 

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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe FAQ:

Can leftover chicken be used for this recipe?

This recipe is perfect to use any leftover pieces of chicken from making a whole chicken or any other meal that calls for chopped chicken. In most cases, the seasonings that are used on a previous meal. 

What veggies are used for Chicken Pot Pie?

Although there are specific veggies that are most often used to make chicken pot pie, this recipe can be quite flexible. If you don’t have all of the vegetables that go into this recipe, that’s okay! This recipe works really well with a variety of different vegetables. In fact, this is a great way to use up a lot of leftover vegetables you might have hanging around your fridge or freezer. 

How do I get a Flaky Biscuit Dough?

#1 tip: Use extra cold butter, lard and milk. Ensuring these are all cold in the mixing process contribute to ensuring the butter stays firm until baking. Keeping the butter and lard as cold as possible before baking will help ensure the fats melt and produce steam while baking.  

#2 tip: Manipulate the dough as little as possible. Over mixing the dough will cause the gluten in the flour to develop and will result in a chewy biscuit.  

#3 tip: If possible, try to chill the rest of the ingredients BEFORE mixing your biscuit dough. This will help to keep the butter cold while mixing. 

Can the biscuit topping be made ahead of time?

Making the biscuit topping a day or so ahead of baking this pie not only makes this meal easier to prepare on a busy night but it will ensure the butter and lard within the biscuit stay as cold as possible for as long as possible before baking. 

If you make this biscuit dough a day or two ahead of time, be sure to cover with an airtight lid, beeswax wrap or plastic wrap.