This dish is serious comfort food at its best. It makes a great dinner for a cold winter night when all you want is something warm and delicious. It's full of chicken and veggies topped with homemade buttermilk biscuits.
Filling:
6 T. unsalted butter
3 carrots, sliced or cubed
3 ribs celery, sliced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth/stock
1 1/2 c. half and half
1 t. coarse kosher sea salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. ground sage
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
3 c. fully cooked cubed or pulled chicken
1 1/2 c. peas
1 c. yellow corn (fresh or frozen, NOT canned)
Biscuit Topping:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. baking powder
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. sugar
1 t. coarse kosher sea salt
1 c. (2 sticks), unsalted butter, COLD and cut into tablespoons
1 1/2 c. buttermilk plus 2 T. to brush the top
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter; add carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender and transparent, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over top; whisk to combine; cook for 1 minute; slowly pour in the chicken broth/stock, whisking vigorously to thicken without clumps forming. Add half and half and seasonings; whisk to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook for 15 minutes or until the filling is nice and thick. It has to be thick enough to hold up the weight of the biscuits.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cornstarch, sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Add the COLD, cubed butter. With a pastry blender, cut the butter until pea-size clumps form. Pour in 1 1/2 c. buttermilk; mix until dough becomes moist and no loose pockets of flour remain. Roll out and cut 12 biscuits or divide the dough into 12 pieces and form 12 "rustic" biscuits by hand; set aside.
Add the chicken, peas, and corn. Transfer filling to a 9x13 inch baking dish; top with biscuits. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the reserved buttermilk.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve.
8 servings.