Chicken & Wild Rice Pot Pie
Creamy chicken and wild rice filling under tender, golden buttermilk biscuits.
Yield: 6 servings
FILLING
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 Tbsp butter, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 package (about 8-9 oz) fully cooked wild rice blend
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 Tbsp very cold butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, plus more as needed
• 1 Tbsp melted butter, for finishing
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the Chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F. Season the whole chicken thighs with about half of the salt and the black pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the thighs in batches on both sides without cooking them completely through. Transfer to a cutting board, then cut into bite-size cubes. Reserve the chicken and its juices for the filling.
2. Cook the Vegetables: Add remaining 3 Tbsp butter to the skillet. Add onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook 6-8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and the mushrooms have released their moisture and started to brown. Stir in garlic, thyme and sage; cook 30 seconds.
3. Build the Cream Sauce: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth, then add heavy cream and Dijon. Return chicken and accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
4. Finish the Filling: Break up the fully cooked rice in its pouch, then fold it directly into the hot filling along with frozen peas and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove skillet from heat.
5. Make the Biscuits: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces remaining. Stir in buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat together, fold the dough over itself 2-3 times, then pat to about 3/4-inch thick. Cut 6 biscuits.
6. Assemble & Bake: Arrange biscuits over the hot filling, leaving a little space between them. Bake 18-22 minutes, until the biscuits are deeply golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
7. Finish: Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter. Let the pot pie stand 5-10 minutes before serving.
CHEF JEFF TIPS
• Use a pouch of fully cooked wild rice blend—there is no need to microwave it first. It heats through in the filling and during baking.
• Brown the mushrooms well before adding the flour. That extra color gives the filling deeper savory flavor.
• Keep the chicken slightly underdone during the initial browning; it finishes cooking in the sauce and oven.
• Handle the biscuit dough as little as possible. Cold butter and a light touch make tender, flaky biscuits.
• If the filling becomes very thick before the biscuits go on, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth. It should be creamy because it will continue to thicken in the oven.
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