045 / 100 · Chicken and Turkey, Gently Done

Chicken and Leek Biscuit Pie

6 portions with 6 biscuit tops Active 30 min Total 1 hr 20 min

This chicken pie uses individual biscuit tops instead of a full pastry lid. The spaces between them let steam escape, and each serving gets both a golden top and a soft underside that has soaked up a little sauce. Leeks bring a mild onion flavor, while carrot adds sweetness and color. The filling is cooked on the stove before baking, making the oven stage mainly about finishing the biscuits and bringing everything together. Keep the filling hot when you add the topping so the biscuits begin cooking promptly from below.

Jump to the ingredients

Six golden drop biscuits over creamy chicken, leek, and carrot filling in an ivory casserole.

Clean leeks before slicing

Soil often hides between a leek’s layers. Split the white and pale-green parts lengthwise, fan them open under running water, and check near the root end. Dry them before slicing so they soften in butter instead of sitting in a puddle. The dark green tops are too fibrous for this quick filling; save them for an unseasoned stock if you wish.

Handle the topping lightly

Cold butter and a short mixing time give these drop biscuits a tender crumb. There is no rolling or cutting: a spoon divides the dough directly over the filling. Leave a little sauce visible around each mound, and do not flatten them. Let the finished pie stand briefly before serving. The sauce thickens slightly as it settles, making it easier to scoop a biscuit and its share of chicken into each bowl.

A practical way to serve

Set the baking dish on a heatproof trivet and let the brief rest finish before scooping. Start around a biscuit rather than through its center, using the edge of the spoon to collect chicken and vegetables underneath. The biscuit tops will be crispest on the day of baking. For leftovers, lift the biscuits and filling together into shallow containers so there is no large hot mass left cooling in the baking dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, for filling
  • 2 medium leeks (about 12 oz / 340 g), white and pale-green parts cleaned and sliced
  • 2 medium carrots (about 6 oz / 170 g), cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g), for filling
  • 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, explicitly without chili or pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, for filling
  • 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 g), for biscuits
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, for biscuits
  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk, for biscuits

Set out

Large deep skillet, 9-by-13-inch baking dish, Mixing bowl, Pastry blender or fork, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Milk, wheat. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Melt the filling butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the leeks are soft.
  2. Sprinkle over the filling flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock and filling milk until smooth. Add the diced chicken and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the largest chicken pieces reach 165°F (74°C).
  3. While the filling simmers, combine the biscuit flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold biscuit butter until the mixture has pea-sized pieces. Stir in the biscuit milk just until a soft, uneven dough forms.
  4. Transfer the hot filling to the baking dish. Spoon the dough into six equal mounds across the surface, leaving gaps between them.
  5. Bake for 22–27 minutes, until the biscuits are golden, no wet dough remains in their centers, and the filling bubbles. If the tops brown early, cover loosely with foil.
  6. Rest for 5 minutes before serving one biscuit and a generous scoop of filling per person.

A useful detail

Use a wide baking dish so the biscuit mounds have space to rise separately. A deep, narrow dish can leave their undersides doughy.

Make it your own

  • Add 1/2 cup frozen peas to the filling after the chicken reaches its safe temperature.
  • Use 1 tablespoon chopped parsley in place of the thyme.

Keep it well

Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Reheat filling and biscuit centers to 165°F (74°C); cover loosely to limit drying.