Part of what makes comfort food so comforting are the flavors which evoke memories of being small, fragile, and safe. Someone was there to make sure you were okay and there was always a warm bowl of soup, piece of pot pie, or helping of casserole to fill an aching belly. In fact, life was so good that your belly rarely ached … or at least, I hope that is the case for you. So when we want to relive those memories, we turn to those flavors. They can be rekindled, of course, by making the very same dishes. However, we do not always have the time to make a pie crust nor even to pre-bake a frozen one.
When that comes to pass, you can still capture the essence with those flavors. Chicken pot pie is basically thickened chicken soup (sans noodles, of course) with pastry snuggled around it. So find a good ovenproof skillet and discover how simple it can be to hold onto those comforting memories:
The base of this skillet pot pie is a chicken soup-inspired mixture of vegetables and tender chicken swimming in a thickened broth. Then, a layer of cheesy, garlicky biscuit dough is arranged over the top and the whole business finds its way to the oven for a bit. The result is a spoonable dish that has all the basic elements of a traditional chicken pot pie in about half the time it takes to make one.
This truly is a one-bowl meal. What that means is that you get about half the time it takes to make this simple dish to literally sit down and catch your breath. No side dishes to make. No salad to assemble. Just find a comfortable spot and look forward to enjoying your very own quick comfort food.
Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
- 2 tsp. cooking fat - I used bacon fat
- 1/2 c. diced onion
- 1/3 c. chopped green pepper
- 1/2 c. sliced carrots
- 1/3 c. chopped celery
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
- 1 c. chicken broth
- 2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 c. cold water
- 2 c. diced or shredded chicken - I used the meat from 3 chicken thighs
- 1 canister refrigerated biscuits
- 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In an ovenproof skillet, heat the cooking fat of your choice over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green pepper, carrots, and celery; sauté the vegetables until they are crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the salt and 1/4 tsp. of the freshly ground pepper and stir well. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and stir vigorously until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat.
Using a sharp knife or pair of shears, cut the refrigerated biscuits into quarters. Toss the biscuit dough with the remaining ingredients (parmesan cheese, granulated garlic, and remaining 1/4 tsp. of freshly ground pepper). Carefully arrange the seasoned biscuit dough over the chicken mixture in the skillet.
Bake the skillet in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the biscuit pieces are fully baked and golden brown. Serve hot in bowls.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes