Amish-Style Homemade Chicken and Biscuits

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings, each with 1 large biscuit and chicken stew
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes, including 10 minutes of resting

Quick Ingredients

• Chicken and vegetables: 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (450 g), 1 cup diced onion (150 g), 1 cup diced carrots (130 g), 1 cup diced celery (100 g), and 2 minced garlic cloves.
• Creamy gravy: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup whole milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream.
• Seasonings: 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided, 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Biscuits: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, and 1 cup cold buttermilk.
• For finishing: 1 tablespoon additional buttermilk for brushing the biscuit tops.

Do This

• 1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set a 9-by-13-inch, 3-quart baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• 2. Mix the biscuit dry ingredients, cut in the cold butter, and gently stir in 1 cup buttermilk. Refrigerate while making the filling.
• 3. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 7 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds, then flour for 1 minute.
• 4. Gradually stir in broth, milk, and cream. Add thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and 2 tablespoons parsley, then heat for 1 minute.
• 5. Pour the hot filling into the baking dish. Add 6 equal mounds of biscuit dough and brush with 1 tablespoon buttermilk.
• 6. Bake for 30 minutes, checking at 25 minutes. The biscuits should be golden and cooked through, and the filling should reach 165°F (74°C). Rest for 10 minutes and garnish with the remaining parsley.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comfort food at its best: Tender chicken, sweet carrots, and creamy herb gravy make every spoonful satisfying.
• Biscuits with two wonderful textures: The tops turn lightly crisp and golden while the bottoms soak up the savory sauce.
• No rolling or cutting required: Simple drop biscuits keep this homemade dinner approachable.
• A practical use for cooked chicken: Leftover roast chicken or a rotisserie chicken makes the filling easy to put together.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 small bunch fresh parsley.
• Protein: 450 g cooked boneless, skinless chicken, enough for 3 cups shredded.
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, whole milk, heavy cream, and cultured buttermilk.
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, low-sodium chicken broth, baking powder, baking soda, dried thyme, fine salt, and black pepper.

Full Ingredients

For the Chicken Stew

• 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (150 g) finely diced yellow onion
• 1 cup (130 g) carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup (100 g) celery, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves (6 g), minced
• 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups (450 g) cooked shredded chicken, with skin and bones removed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Homemade Drop Biscuits

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold cultured buttermilk

For Finishing

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) buttermilk, for brushing
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven and prepare the ingredients

Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Place a 9-by-13-inch, 3-quart baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling gravy. Use a dish rated for this oven temperature, and keep it at room temperature before adding the hot filling.

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces so they soften quickly. Shred the cooked chicken into bite-size strands, removing any skin, bones, or cartilage. Measure the remaining ingredients before starting the stovetop filling.

Step 2: Make the biscuit dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the cold cubed butter. Work it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk and fold gently with a fork or flexible spatula just until no large patches of dry flour remain. The dough should be thick, sticky, and shaggy, not smooth. Do not knead it or add extra flour. Refrigerate the bowl while you prepare the stew.

Step 3: Soften the vegetables and cook the flour

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. They will finish cooking in the oven.

Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the 1/3 cup flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, coating the vegetables and cooking away the raw flour taste. Keep the heat moderate so the flour does not brown.

Step 4: Build the creamy chicken filling

Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring well after each addition to loosen the flour mixture and prevent lumps. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. The gravy should coat the back of a spoon but still flow easily; it will thicken further in the oven. Stir in the shredded chicken and 2 tablespoons parsley, then cook for 1 minute to begin warming the chicken. Remove from the heat.

Step 5: Add the biscuit topping

Immediately transfer the hot chicken filling to the baking dish and spread it evenly. Divide the chilled biscuit dough into 6 equal portions, approximately 95 g each, and drop them over the filling in two rows of three.

Leave about 1 inch between the dough mounds wherever possible so heat can circulate and gravy can bubble around them. Keep the biscuits tall and rounded rather than flattening them. Gently brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk.

Step 6: Bake until golden and bubbling

Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes, checking the biscuit tops at 25 minutes. The filling should bubble around the edges, and the biscuits should have lightly crisp, golden-brown tops.

Check that the center of the filling reaches 165°F (74°C). A biscuit should reach approximately 200–205°F (93–96°C) in its center, with no wet dough inside. Insert the thermometer from the side into the biscuit itself, not into the gravy. If the tops brown before the centers are done, loosely cover with foil. If needed, continue baking in 5-minute increments until cooked through.

Step 7: Rest, garnish, and serve

Let the dish rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. This gives the gravy time to settle and makes it easier to spoon generous portions without the filling running everywhere.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve each person one biscuit with one-sixth of the chicken stew, spooning a little extra gravy around the biscuit while leaving its golden top uncovered.

Pro Tips

• Keep the filling hot: Assemble and bake immediately after making the gravy. Hot filling helps cook the biscuit undersides instead of leaving them gummy.
• Keep the biscuit butter cold: Small pieces of cold butter help create a tender, fluffy crumb. Refrigerating the dough while making the stew is worth the extra step.
• Measure flour carefully: Weigh it if possible. Packing flour into a measuring cup can make both the biscuits and gravy too heavy.
• Use the right dish: A deep, narrow casserole can leave the biscuit centers underbaked. The specified 9-by-13-inch dish gives the topping enough room.
• Adjust for your chicken: Rotisserie chicken can be salty. If using it, start with 1/2 teaspoon salt in the filling, taste, and add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon only if needed.

Variations

• Chicken and peas: Stir 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas into the filling with the chicken. No thawing is necessary.
• Cheddar biscuits: Toss 3/4 cup (85 g) shredded sharp cheddar with the biscuit flour mixture before adding the buttermilk.
• Turkey and biscuits: Replace the chicken with 3 cups (450 g) cooked shredded turkey. This is an especially good way to use leftover roast turkey.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Store for up to 4 days. For the best biscuit texture, keep the biscuits separate from the filling when practical.

Reheat: Place a refrigerated portion in an oven-safe dish, cover loosely with foil, and heat at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until the filling reaches 165°F (74°C). Uncover for the final 5 minutes to refresh the biscuit top. Stir 1 tablespoon broth into the filling per serving if it has become too thick.

Make ahead: Prepare the filling up to 2 days in advance, cool promptly, and refrigerate. Reheat it in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until it reaches 165°F (74°C) before adding fresh biscuit dough and baking. The biscuit dry ingredients and butter can be mixed up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; add the buttermilk shortly before assembly.

Freeze: For the best results, freeze the cooked filling without the biscuits for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat thoroughly, and top with freshly mixed biscuit dough before baking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 615 kcal | Carbs: 47g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Sodium: 1060mg | Cholesterol: 145mg

Nutrition is an estimate for one-sixth of the recipe, including one biscuit, calculated with cooked chicken breast and low-sodium broth. Values vary with the chicken and brands used.