Raise your hand if you’re in serious need of comfort – coz I’ve got your answer right here. It’s like a big, warm hug. It’s Chicken & Biscuit Casserole (It’s like a pot pie with biscuits on top) and it might not cure all your issues, but for just a while at least, it’s gonna transport you to your happy place.

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole

I’ve tinkered around with various versions of this recipe for ages but this one here? It’s a winner winner chicken dinner for sure! For the amount of effort, it’s hands down the best Chicken & Biscuit Casserole.

About Chicken & Biscuit Casserole:

This dish has beautifully shredded chicken and frozen veggies (Who’s gonna know?) enveloped in a luscious, silky sauce. Now that easy sauce is homemade, but to take it next level, it has a little sherry. That sherry is optional but highly recommended.

And while this is not a “cheesy” casserole, there is a little cheese involved. There’s just a smidge on top of the casserole before the biscuits go on. But even better, there’s a good pinch of cheese on top of the biscuits along with some melted butter.

These biscuits (even tho they are the kind you pop open from the dairy case  – the small ones with layers) pretty much steal the show. That bit of cheese with the butter just melts into the biscuit top making the top all crispity! Yup. I don’t know any better word to describe it. Crispity is is!

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole, ready to go in the oven

Making Chicken & Biscuit Casserole:

I know this recipe looks like a lot of ingredients or maybe a little complicated to make – but it’s not! See, I included a recipe to cook your chicken if you need to, but you can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken if you want to. The chicken in the recipe is poached (very gently simmered) so it’s not a big deal.

In the sauce, there ARE quite a few ingredients, but they’re all simple ones that you’re likely to have around. Maybe not the Sherry but if you’re not used to cooking with it, it can go in a lot of recipes and keeps forever! Oh and I gotta mention the herb marjoram – it’s beautiful with chicken but you can sub in oregano if you want.

I like using frozen veggies for this dish and I like to pop them in the microwave to thaw them, then strain off any extra liquid. The casserole doesn’t cook for very long so this ensures you’re veggies are cooked. It also means the veggies won’t weep in the dish and water everything down.

You can use any frozen veggies you want; just make sure they are bite-sized, thawed and drained. And of course, you can partially cook your own fresh veggies and add them in instead if you’d rather.

Now we come to the biscuits! They steal the show, even these store-bought ones. If you want, make your own. These homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits would be fabulous.

There are a few things to know to keep any biscuits from being a soggy mess on the bottom when baked on top of a casserole like this:

• Make sure there is a bit of space between the biscuits.
• Add a little cheese to the top of the casserole before the biscuits go on.
• Place the casserole in the oven w/o the biscuits for 10 minutes until it is hot and bubbly. Then add the biscuits.

And of course, don’t forget to brush the biscuits with butter and add just a pinch more cheese! That could be garlic butter if you wish, btw.

More hints:

• I don’t think marjoram is a very popular herb these days but if you follow me, you’ll see I use it a lot. There is something almost magical about the way it flavors almost any chicken dish. If you think it might be an herb you won’t use again, feel free to sub in oregano.
• I do like to use my own Seasoned Salt when cooking the chicken. I mix the seasoned salt up, keep it in my cupboard, and use it when inspiration hits.

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole

Storing Chicken & Biscuit Casserole:

This is a casserole that is best the first day, piping hot out of the oven. But it is so good, you probably won’t turn up your nose at having it a second time around.

I find it best microwaved with the biscuit taken off the top and turned over. Then when heated through, put the biscuit back on top, top up.

This dish will not freeze well.

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole

Saving Money on Chicken & Biscuit Casserole:

The Chicken: I covered several options for the chicken in the recipe, but whatever chicken you use (white meat preferred, here) know that buying and cooking your own is cheaper than using a Rotisserie chicken. Look for breasts at a rock bottom (they’ll drop to a low about once a quarter) and stock your freezer when they’re on sale. This dish is perfect for leftover turkey, too.

The Vegetables: Frozen mixed vegetables are often on sale but are usually rock bottom twice during the year. First, in the fall when the harvest comes in as well as late spring/early summer. Usually, they aren’t the bargain everyone seems to think they are.

The Biscuits: The premium biscuits in the cans like I’ve used here are super pricey for what you get. Watch for sales around any holidays. Best bet? Make your own. Cheddar Bay Biscuits (yep, like the famous Red Lobster ones.) There are mixes but making your own drop biscuits is super easy. Here’s the link, again, to my recipe.

Hi guys! I’m glad to be back, yet again (I think I’m back, anyway), and hope to stick around. I have been missing cooking, blogging, and chatting with you all. Hope you had happy holidays and a very happy New Year! In the meantime – make this!! It will chase the winter blues away!

Mollie

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole

Chicken & Biscuit Casserole

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• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 5 servings 1x
• Category: main dish
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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For the chicken:

The recipe requires 2 to 3 cups shredded chicken (or turkey.)  Chicken may be dark or light meat or a mix. Chicken may be poached just for this recipe or from leftovers, or chicken from a rotisserie chicken.

• about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken (bone-in breasts use 1 3/4 pounds, bone-in thigh, 2 pounds or boneless breast, 1 1/2 pounds.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 10 to 12 black peppercorns
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken base, optional

For the Casserole:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth either from cooking chicken (may need to add a little chicken base if cooking broth is weak as noted above) or store-bought stock or broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk (preferably whole, but 2% works)
• 3/4 teaspoon marjoram or thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and then if necessary, drained
• 2 to 3 cups shredded chicken
• salt & pepper to taste: be generous with both
• 3/4 cup preferably large grated cheddar cheese, divided
• 10 small refrigerated Pillsbury Grand biscuits, or equivalent of another brand, another type of biscuit, or homemade biscuits
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

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Instructions

Note: this dish works best in a 7 x 10″ casserole

To prepare the chicken:

To poach chicken, place chicken pieces in a good-sized Dutch oven or stock pot. Cover with water by about an inch. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt, 10 to 12 black peppercorns.

Bring to a bare simmer and continue to lightly simmer until chicken is cooked through about 10 to 12 minutes. If time allows, cool in the broth.

Remove chicken and keep both the broth and the chicken. Shred the chicken and use 2 to 3 cups in recipe, below. The recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups of broth. The broth may be used as is or reduced to 2 1/4 cups and may be fortified with a little bit of chicken base if not flavorful.

If you are using already cooked chicken, like a Rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, store-bought broth/stock is just fine. Just be aware of how salty it can be and adjust your salt in the recipe if needed.

 

To prepare the casserole:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, adjust oven rack to lower middle.

Heat butter to medium-high in a one-and-a-half to two-quart saucepan and saute onions till just tender, about five minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly for about a minute. Add the stock in splashes, whisking constantly, then do the same with the milk.  Add in the marjoram or thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer and reduce to low, simmering about one minute till sauce fully thickens, stirring constantly. Add sherry and stir. Remove from heat.

Gently stir in the vegetables and chicken, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. At this point, the dish should taste just slightly salty. Place in a casserole, cover, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese, top with biscuits, trying to leave a little space between them. Use remaining cheese, a pinch on each biscuit. Place back in oven, uncovered, and cook until the biscuits are cooked through and crispy and browned on the top, about 14 minutes. Serve immediately.