Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust

Homemade comfort food with a shortcut… This Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust is packed with hearty chunks of chicken breast, mushrooms and more veggies in a creamy sauce, topped with a buttery canned biscuit crust topping!

Growing up, I was always very into those little mini frozen chicken pot pies, I think Marie Callender brand. The flaky buttery crust was the actual best. Pretty sure my favorite part of chicken pot pie was the crust, especially the ooey-gooey parts.

Speaking of crust, something a little different is going on with this pot pie. But if you love pot pie crust like I do, I think you’ll be okay with it.

This pot pie has a classic filling with hunks of juicy chicken breast, along with carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a delicious creamy gravy filling. On top, it’s a little different. I know biscuits aren’t that hard to make, but I still love me a good dinner shortcut.

Making a pie crust or biscuits is definitely doable, but I’m not always in the mood. This recipe uses canned biscuits to create a pull apart, dumpling style crust on top. You won’t be able to get enough of those craveable little biscuit bites!

Note: I’ve rated this recipe as moderate difficulty because of the number of ingredients, preparation required, and skills used. However, if you prep all ingredients ahead of time and follow the directions carefully, it will not be difficult, but it will take longer than a simple weeknight dinner.

Where does the pot pie come from originally?

Basic pot pie (crust on the outside, filling on the inside) has a long and varied history, popping up throughout Spain, Greece, France and England, where they are still a part of traditional cuisines today.

Many versions of the pot pie have appeared in North America, where a recipe for “Pot pie or soup” was first officially published in 1845 in The New England Economical Housekeeper and Family Receipt Book (if you’re interested, more info here!).

What are the ingredients in this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust?

This ingredient list may look extensive, but each item has its purpose, which I’ll explain here. This recipe uses a combination of numerous classic ingredients (such as flour & butter!), so you’ll definitely be able to find everything at your local grocery store, if you don’t already have it on hand.

• unsalted butter – Using butter in the filling and all over the biscuits gives the absolute best flavor. All the butter is melted, then in Step 1, you’ll use 4 tablespoons to make the flour paste, and the remaining 2 tablespoons to coat the biscuits.
• all-purpose flour – The flour works as our thickening agent in the filling. It gets mixed with butter to form a paste, which is added near the end to thicken everything up.
• can of Grands Biscuits – Shortcut unlocked!! This is our crust. The biscuits get cut up into 6 pieces each, then mixed with butter and Italian seasoning. After the filling is cooked, the biscuits go into a single layer on top and bake to perfection.
• Italian seasoning – This helps gives the biscuit topping a nice flavor.
• avocado oil – I prefer to use avocado oil as my cooking oil, but you can also use olive oil. Half is used for cooking the chicken and half is used for cooking the veggies.
• boneless skinless chicken breasts – Since there’s already lots of butter and oil in this recipe, I prefer to use chicken breasts since they’re leaner than chicken thighs. I like having big chunks of juicy chicken and I feel like the breasts accomplish that better here.
• fine sea salt & fresh ground black pepper – Some is added to the chicken while the rest is used for seasoning the final filling mixture.
• yellow onion, mushrooms, carrots & celery – These are our glorious pot pie veggies! All of these get cooked in the same pan after the chicken to add flavor and get the perfect texture on the veggies.
• garlic – I love garlic and I require it in dishes like this. You do you! Measure with your heart.
• dry white wine – While totally optional (we enjoyed this pot pie several times without the wine), I think it really deepens the flavors and adds a complexity that is divine.
• chicken broth – For the majority of our filling liquid, use your favorite chicken broth. Feel free to play around with the amount after you try it once, if you like more or less saucy filling!
• cream – Okay full disclosure: The classic way would be to use heavy cream or another dairy-filled liquid, but I use dairy-free plain Nutpods to make it a little easier on my stomach. Pick whichever one you like or have on hand!
• thyme – Fresh herbs make the best addition to this classic comfort food and really take it up a notch in the flavor department.
• frozen peas – Finish it off with some frozen peas for the ultimate pot pie vibes!

How do you make this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust?

While this recipe may take a bit of time, it is certainly worth it for that creamy, comforting filling and biscuit heaven crust. It’s also delicious as leftovers, so it makes a perfect Sunday dinner with Monday & Tuesday lunch, if that’s your thing 🙂

For this pot pie recipe, most of the action happens all in the same pan, but it’s important to have the other components prepared as well. That way, all the cooking timing will work out and you’ll have no trouble during cooking and assembly.

First, take the time to prepare the flour/butter paste, as well as the cut and buttered biscuits. This way, you’ll have no delays later.

In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of the butter with the flour until a paste forms. The final thickness of the paste will vary depending on the temperature of the butter – it will harden as it cools but that’s okay.

Next, open up the can of biscuits and dump them into a mixing bowl. Use kitchen shears to cut each biscuit into 6 pieces. It doesn’t have to be even. Once all the biscuits are cut up, pour on the remaining melted butter and the Italian seasoning. Mix it up until all the pieces of dough are covered (it’ll be awkward but just do your best). Set both bowls aside for later so they’re ready when you need them.

With all the prep done, it’s time to cook the chicken. In a 5-6 quart Dutch oven or other large oven safe pot, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the raw chicken pieces, along with some salt and pepper. Cook for a total of 10-13 minutes, until the chicken pieces are completely cooked through and browning. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside for later.

In the same pan, again over medium heat, add avocado oil, followed by all the veggies except garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the onions are translucent and the veggies are starting to brown. At this point, add the garlic and cook for another minute while you stir.

The bottom of the pot should be browning. This is good! Add a splash of white wine (if you’re using it) and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. If you aren’t using wine, that’s okay. Just do this with the chicken broth.

Once all the brown bits are scraped from the bottom of the pot, add the rest of the chicken broth, the cream, and the thyme. Reduce the heat to low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add in the butter/flour paste from earlier. Stir it around for 2-3 minutes while it melts and thickens the filling.

Now for the final ingredients – add the peas and the cooked chicken back to the pot, along with remaining salt and pepper. And there you go – pot pie filling is ready!

For best results, I recommend using the same dish to cook the filling and bake the pot pie, otherwise, you’ll lose some heat and the dish will take longer to cook.

The final assembly step is to add all those biscuit pieces from earlier on top of the filling in a single layer. Make sure none of them are doubled up or they won’t cook through all the way.

Bake the assembled pot pie in the preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, until the filling is very bubbly and the biscuits are deep golden brown. Pay special attention to the biscuits and ensure they’re cooked through.

If you aren’t sure, I’d say to add another 3-4 minutes of cook time. The tops of the biscuits should be crisp and browned, while the bottoms will have a dumpling like texture. The biscuits should separate easily when you eventually cut into the pot pie.

I definitely recommend letting the pot pie sit and cool for at least 10 minutes before dishing it up. The filling will be a bit runny when it’s super hot, but it will thicken up as it cools.

Best tips for making Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust:

After several rounds of testing, here are my best tips for making this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust:

• Cooking the biscuits: It’s important to bake the pot pie until the biscuits are fully cooked. Depending on your dish, the temperature of the oven, and the type of biscuits used, this could take anywhere from 15-25 minutes. It’s better to overcook, rather than undercook this dish, if you had to pick one. The filling will be very bubbly, and the biscuits should be deeply browned.
• Transferring dishes: I recommend using the same dish to make the filling as you use to bake the chicken pot pie. This helps retain the heat of the hot cooking pan, which in turn helps cook the biscuits better from below. If you do transfer pans, you’ll have to add a few additional minutes of cook time.
• Prep everything ahead: You’ll have more success with this recipe if you have everything prepared ahead of time. This of course includes chopping the veggies, cutting up the chicken, measuring out ingredients. It also includes having the butter/flour paste made and the biscuits cut and seasoned, as described in Step 1.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, you could use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if that’s all you have. But since there’s lots of butter and oil in this recipe, I prefer to go leaner with chunks of chicken breast.

Can I use homemade biscuits instead of canned biscuits?

Yes, you can use homemade biscuits instead of canned. Use a recipe that makes about 8 biscuits, either traditional, or drop biscuits.

Here’s a great recipe for Drop Biscuits from New York Times Cooking. Make the dough as you normally would, but drop the dough on top of the pot pie filling!

What should you serve with this recipe?

I like to enjoy this dish by itself – it’s pretty filling! But you could also serve with a side salad or extra biscuits for dipping.

How do you meal prep this recipe?

This recipe makes delicious leftovers for lunch or dinner. There are also a couple different ways to prepare ahead and save time when making this recipe later.

1. Ingredient prep: Peel, chop and prep all of your ingredients, including the vegetables, herbs and chicken, up to 2 days ahead of time. This will save several minutes when you begin to cook the recipe.
2. Enjoy now and/or later: Make the recipe as written. It makes great leftovers! Enjoy some now and portion the rest into airtight containers with lids. Or make it all for meal prep, and store in six individual containers with lids.
3. Prep and freeze: This chicken pot pie filling is freezer-friendly. Simply make the recipe through Step 4 but skip the biscuits. Freeze the filling in Souper Cubes Trays (affiliate link!) to save for mini pot pies or a large pot pie later. I don’t recommend freezing the biscuits – just keep a can handy or buy biscuit dough when you want this homemade chicken pot pie with biscuit crust. For best results, store the frozen pot pie filling in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to store Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust:

Store leftovers in an airtight container with lid in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days.

How to freeze Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust:

This chicken pot pie filling is freezer-friendly. Simply make the recipe through Step 4 but skip the biscuits. Freeze the filling in 2-Cup Souper Cubes Trays (affiliate link!) to make mini pot pies or a large pot pie later.

For best results, store the frozen pot pie in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I don’t recommend freezing the biscuits – just keep a can handy, or buy a can of biscuits (or make some at home!) when you want this homemade chicken pot pie with biscuit crust.

How to reheat Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crust:

To reheat from the fridge, I recommend using the oven to keep the biscuits from getting too soggy. Ensure the leftovers are in an oven safe dish. Turn the oven on to 350F and place leftovers in the oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until hot and steamy.

To reheat from frozen, I recommend thawing the filling on the stovetop and then proceeding with the recipe from there. I have not experimented with cooking from frozen.