The Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits: A Comfort Food Classic Elevated

Chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food, a warm and hearty dish perfect for chilly evenings or cozy weekends. Inspired by the queen of comfort food herself, The Pioneer Woman, this recipe takes the classic chicken pot pie and elevates it with a flaky, golden biscuit topping instead of traditional puff pastry. If you’re a fan of Ree Drummond’s easy-to-follow recipes and crave a pot pie that’s both comforting and satisfying, this biscuit-topped version is a must-try.

Golden brown biscuit-topped Pioneer Woman Chicken Pot Pie ready to serve.

This recipe draws inspiration from the Pioneer Woman’s original chicken pot pie, but with a twist that many home cooks, including my own Dad, swear by: swapping out the puff pastry for homemade biscuits. The beauty of a biscuit topping is in its delightful texture contrast. The exposed biscuit edges bake to a perfect crisp, while the underside, nestled against the creamy filling, becomes wonderfully soft and sauce-soaked. This combination of textures in each bite is what makes this Pioneer Woman Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuits truly exceptional.

While the recipe is straightforward, achieving the best flavor requires a little time and attention to detail. Roasting the chicken from scratch ensures incredibly flavorful, shredded chicken for the filling. However, for those short on time, rotisserie chicken is a fantastic shortcut. Similarly, while homemade biscuits are highly recommended for their superior taste and texture, using frozen biscuits can also work in a pinch, making this recipe adaptable to various skill levels and time constraints.

Pioneer Woman Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes (plus 2 hours if roasting chicken)
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Chicken:

• 2 chicken thighs
• 2 small or 1 large chicken breast
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For the Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Filling:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 4 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 large parsnip, finely diced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (from roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ~1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream

For the Homemade Biscuit Topping:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 – 1 cup whole milk

Instructions:

Get Started by Roasting the Chicken:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Lightly coat the chicken thighs and breast with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Place the seasoned chicken in a baking dish and roast for 2 hours, or until cooked through and easily shreddable.
4. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it cool slightly. Then, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred the meat using two forks. Set aside.

Prepare the Flavorful Pot Pie Filling:

1. Place a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
2. Add the finely diced yellow onion to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften and become translucent.
3. Introduce the diced carrots, celery, and parsnips to the pot. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften slightly.
4. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour over the vegetables in the pot. Stir continuously to cook the flour for about a minute, ensuring it’s well incorporated and there are no lumps.
5. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly to ensure the flour mixture blends smoothly with the liquid. The mixture should start to thicken as it heats.
6. Add the shredded cooked chicken, turmeric, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients evenly.
7. Pour in the milk, half and half, or heavy cream, stirring it into the filling.
8. Continue to cook the filling for a few minutes, allowing everything to heat through and the flavors to meld together. Once heated, reduce the heat to low and keep the filling warm while you prepare the biscuit topping.

Make the Golden Biscuit Topping:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.
2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs or small peas. It’s important to keep the butter cold for flaky biscuits.
3. Gradually add the milk to the bowl, starting with 3/4 cup. Mix gently with a fork or your hands until just combined and a dough forms. The dough should be a little wetter than pie crust dough and slightly sticky to the touch. You may need to add a little more milk, up to 1 cup total, to achieve the right consistency. Be careful not to overmix.

Assemble and Bake the Pioneer Woman Chicken Pot Pie:

1. Transfer the prepared chicken pot pie filling to a large casserole dish.
2. Take small handfuls of the biscuit dough and flatten them slightly with your hands. Arrange these flattened biscuit pieces over the top of the hot filling, piecing them together to create a rustic, biscuit crust. It’s perfectly fine if there are some gaps between the biscuit pieces, as they will bake together in the oven.
3. Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is beautifully golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot around the edges.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy this comforting and delicious Pioneer Woman chicken pot pie with biscuits! It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for family dinners and potlucks alike.