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Chicken Potpie with Cornbread Biscuits

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Ingredients
  

For the Filling:

  • 1-½ to 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 4 large celery stalks, trimmed and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1-½ cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 3 tbsp. dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp. fresh chives or parsley, minced
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water, for egg wash

For the Biscuits:

  • 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and diced
  • ¾ cup buttermilk, shaken

Instructions
 

To prepare the chicken:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them on the prepared sheet pan.
  • Rub all over with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  • Place in the pre-heated oven and roast until just cooked through; 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts; remove from the oven (do not turn off the oven) and set aside until cool enough to handle; then discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-size pieces.

To prepare the biscuits:

  • While the chicken roasts, using a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; whisk until well combined.
  • Add the butter; working quickly, cut the butter into the flour using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until it forms crumbles about the size of peas.
  • Switch to a fork; stir constantly while adding the buttermilk in a slow, steady stream; mix just until a wet, sticky dough forms; do not overmix.
  • Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap; pat it into a mound; then wrap and chill it in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

To prepare the filling:

  • In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
  • Add the carrots, celery, onion and rosemary, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender; 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, or until no white clumps of flour are visible.
  • Add the chicken stock, milk, 1-½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Turn the heat to low and simmer; stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until very thick; 7 to 10 minutes; remove from heat.
  • Add the sherry, chives and chicken; stir until well combined.
  • Unwrap the chilled biscuit dough and place it on a well-floured surface.
  • Working quickly (you want the biscuits to be as cold as possible when they go into the oven), lightly press the dough with your hands into a rectangle about ¾-inch thick.
  • Fold the dough in half and press once more to a ¾-inch-thick rectangle.
  • Cut out biscuits with a 2½- to 3-inch-round cutter and arrange them on top of the filling.
  • Brush the tops of the biscuits with the egg wash.
  • Position the skillet on a sheet pan to catch any drips; place in the pre-heated oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until biscuits are puffed and golden.
  • Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes to let the filling thicken slightly, then serve.

Notes

The biscuit dough may be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
If making the biscuit dough more than an hour in advance, follow the directions for kneading the dough and cutting out the biscuits before chilling.