This family favorite easy, creamy chicken and biscuits casserole with tender homemade biscuits takes a couple of shortcuts without compromising on flavor. It's totally doable on a weeknight!
Is it still chilly where you are? It doesn't quite feel like spring yet here, but I'm starting to crave lighter, fresher meals more and more. Believe it or not, chicken and biscuits might sound like a heavy dish, but honestly I could eat this any time of year.
The homemade biscuits are light and tender and the chicken filling is creamy and delicious, but lightened up significantly by using evaporated milk instead of heavy cream. The overall dish doesn't taste heavy to me at all.
Also, I used the traditional peas and carrots, but you could totally sub in some spring veg like spinach and asparagus. I plan to try that next time myself.
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What's the Difference between Chicken and Biscuits and Chicken and Dumplings?
Before we get into the details, in case you, like me, were wondering what the difference is between chicken and dumplings and chicken and biscuits, here's what I've gathered.
Chicken and dumplings are made by boiling chicken to make a broth, and then adding lumps of biscuit dough. The pot is then covered to steam and cook the dumplings.
Chicken and dumplings always sounded like the ultimate comfort food to me, in theory. But after checking out a few recipes, I was afraid maybe this cooking method would make the dumplings heavy and gummy.
But chicken and biscuits, which basically sounded like an easier version of chicken pot pie, with tender, flaky golden biscuits floating on top of a creamy filling, sounded perfect. Turns out it is! Here's how I make it.
How to Make a Chicken and Biscuits Casserole
Make the Filling
- Start by shredding a whole rotisserie chicken into bite-size pieces.
- In a large pan, cook some onions in butter until translucent but not browned. Stir in some flour and cook for a minute to make a roux.
- Slowly pour in some chicken broth, stirring constantly to keep it smooth.
- Pour in the evaporated milk, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and frozen vegetables.
- Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish
Make the biscuits
Making biscuits is easy, but for even more tips and detailed instructions check out my bacon and cheddar biscuit post on Coco and Ash.
7. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt mixture, and cut in the cold butter.
8. Stir in buttermilk, form a ball, and pat the dough into a rough square.
9. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, and repeat the patting into a square and folding 2 more times.
10. Roll out dough ¾ inch thick and cut out 12 biscuits with a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter. You can re-roll the scraps to make more biscuits.
11. Place the biscuits on top of the chicken filling.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree oven, until biscuits are golden and cooked through, and filling is bubbling.
Enjoy! xx
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Chicken and Biscuits Casserole
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
Biscuits
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk or 1 cup and 3 tablespoons milk stirred with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
- In a large saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for one minute. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, while continuing to whisk, to avoid clumping. Season with salt and pepper.
- Slowly pour in the evaporated milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Bring to a low simmer, letting the mixture thicken until it coats the back of a spoon (a couple of minutes)
- Stir in the shredded chicken and frozen vegetables. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Spread the filling evenly in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Biscuits
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
- Cut the cold butter into ¼ inch cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using your fingers, squish the butter cubes into the flour until a coarse mixture forms.
- Add the buttermilk and stir until you can form the dough into a ball. Do not over-mix.
- On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a rough square, about ½ inch thick. Fold the square into thirds, like a letter. Repeat the patting into a square and folding 2 more times. This will create the flaky layers in your biscuits.
- Pat the dough into another ½ inch square and cut out 12 rounds, using a 2.5 inch biscuit cutter. You can re-roll the scraps to make more biscuits. Place the biscuits evenly across the top of the filling.
- Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Kim
My family and I love this! It is easy. I use a cookie scoop and do the biscuits as drop biscuits Instead of rolling and cutting them out. This makes it even easier!! Heats up great for leftovers
Ann
Awesome!! I love the drop biscuit idea!!
April
Great post! I wholeheartedly disagree with your opinion of traditional dumplings being gummy and heavy simply because they’re steamed. If they come out that way it’s because they weren’t done and the recipe had too little leavening. My chicken and dumplings are feather light and so much better than biscuits, which I’ve also made.
Also, if you pour cold liquid into your roux, you don’t have to whisk like crazy to avoid lumps. Just give it a thorough whisk and let it come to a boil. You only need to be concerned about lumps of you’re adding hot liquids to the roux. People over complicate a simple method. Just remember: hot roux, cold liquid, no lumps. Try the steamed dumplings. They’re magical!
Ann
Thank you so much April! Awesome tips. Will definitely give chicken and dumplings a try! I usually add my stock cold from the fridge, but am pretty lump-averse so I like to play it safe 😉