Chicken Stew with Herbed Biscuits

A comfort meal at its best. Savoury chicken stew with fluffy herbed biscuits is a winter meal must. The original recipe belongs to no other than The Barefoot Contessa! Click here for the original.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, bone-in & skin on

3 cups of potatoes (russets; peeled, & cubed)

2 large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, chopped into half moons

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3/4 cup of peas, frozen

4 cups of chicken stock

3 tbsp of butter, divided

1 tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of flour

1/4 cup of cream (I used coffee cream, 18%MF)

1 tsp of dried basil

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

Black pepper

For the biscuits:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tbsp of baking powder

1 tsp each of salt and sugar

1/2 cup of cold butter, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup of cream (coffee cream)

1 tsp of dried basil

1 egg

Splash of cream

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375F. Begin by roasting your chicken breasts. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes. Take out of the oven, cover with tin foil and set aside. Once cooked, let cool before peeling off the skins, and then shred all the chicken and reserve until use. Click here for more directions for The Perfect Roasted Chicken.

Step 2: Place your peeled & cubed potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, cook for 8 minutes, then add the carrots. Boil for another 5 minutes then add the peas and continue to cook for another few minutes. Drain and place everything in a large, rectangular casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken too.

Step 3: While your veggies are boiling, cook your onion. In a large pot over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Let it heat up then add your onions, season with salt and pepper. Let the onions sauté for 5-8 minutes, until soft and tender. Place with the rest of the veggies and chicken.

Step 4: At the same time, make your sauce. Place your chicken stock in a large pot and let it get hot. In another pot, over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add the flour to the butter when the butter is getting bubbly. Whisk the butter and flour together, cook and mix for 1-2 minutes. When the flour and butter look nice golden in colour and smooth in consistency, add a few ladles full of hot chicken stock to the butter/flour mixture. Whisk together, allowing the stock to thicken. Add some more stock, whisking constantly, letting it thicken, until you've added all the stock. Season with black pepper and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. (Same concept as if you're making a béchamel sauce).

Step 5: Pour the sauce over everything and mix together. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes.

Step 6: While the stew cooks, make the biscuits. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix on low, and then add the cold cubed butter, mixing until the mixture looks like the size of peas. Add the basil and cream, mix altogether and then turn the dough onto a well floured surface. Pat the dough all over with flour. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick. Take your biscuit cutter and cut out your biscuits (I only used 6 of the biscuits for this recipe..cooked the rest on a separate baking sheet).

Step 7: Crack an egg in a bowl and add a splash of cream. Whisk together and brush the top of the biscuits. Bake the stew with biscuits for 25 minutes, until nice golden in colour. ENJOY!