HOUSTON – If you’re at home with an extra time to put into a delicious family meal, why not get inspired by one of the most beloved chefs in America and prepare the perfect comfort dish.
Chef Emeril Lagasse shared one of his recipes, that takes a bit of effort to complete, but it’s guaranteed to satisfy everyone who tries it.
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It’s a chicken pot pie with a biscuit top, a recipe he loves so much that he wants Houstonians to cook it while being quarantined with family.
“Comfort food is real. When you have to simmer all these flavors together, it’s an act of love and that gets translated directly to the dish when you eat it. The thickened sauce is almost like a gravy and you can top that up with the biscuits fresh out of the oven. Also heat up the leftovers and serve over rice with some fresh herbs the next day,” said Lagasse, who also shared some tricks to freeze or preserve the recipe.
“Biscuit dough can be doubled and frozen to keep for these breakfast biscuit sandwiches. And the recipe calls for the same cut of chicken so if you have extra in your freezer this is the perfect one-two punch,” he said.
Lagasse, who owns restaurants all over the country, also told us how he is handling social distancing.
“Everyone is doing their part and staying home to help flatten this curve. Cooking is a big part of everyday routines to feed the family and those in need in the area including first responders and neighbors,” said the celebrity chef and cookbook author.
Just like most of us, Lagasse’s routine has changed now that his restaurants are closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“A lot of hours every day are spent working with the restaurant executive teams to handle the fallout from shutting down operations. It’s also important to take time every day to do things that make you happy – In the Lagasse household that involves a lot of cooking, fishing, exercise, and enjoying time with pets is on the docket too!” said Lagasse.
To see the complete recipe, read below.
Chicken pot pie with a biscuit top
(Yield: 6 servings)
Ingredients:
Chicken pot pie
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted
• 1-pound button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
• 1 1/2 cups small-diced onion
• 3/4 cup small-diced carrot
• 3/4 cup small-diced celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup all- purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 1 recipe Tarragon Biscuits (see below)
Tarragon Biscuits
• 1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Directions:
Chicken pot pie
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and the olive oil. Place half the chicken in the pan and sear, stirring occasionally, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside in a separate bowl while you cook the remaining chicken. Place that cooked chicken in the bowl as well.
• Add the unmelted butter to the pan and, when melted, add the mushrooms and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are well caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, browned chicken, potatoes, and thyme.
• Preheat the oven to 475°F.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes. Gently stir in the peas and then remove the pan from the heat. Place the biscuits on top of the chicken and gravy, with 8 biscuits around the edge of the pan and the remaining 4 biscuits in the center. Be sure the biscuits do not touch. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and flaky, 14 to 15 minutes. Allow the pot pie to cool briefly before serving.
Tarragon biscuits
(Yield: 12 Biscuits, 6 servings)
• Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.
• Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the cold butter into the flour until the pieces of butter are pea sized. Add the tarragon and buttermilk and, with your hands or a rubber spatula, stir just until the milk and flour come together to form a dough.
• Sprinkle some of the extra all-purpose flour on a work surface and place the dough on top of the flour. Use your hands to press the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick disk about 9 inches in diameter. Using a 2-inch round cutter dusted with flour, cut out 12 dough rounds. Be sure to press straight down when cutting the dough—a twisting motion will prevent the dough from rising.
• Place the biscuits on top of the pot pie and bake as directed.
Cooking tips
• Make sure you have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for this – it will distribute heat evenly and ensure a well-executed “one skillet meal”.
• When cooking the mushrooms – they will release a lot of liquid. Make sure you cook them until this liquid is evaporated, ensuring a good and flavorful caramelized mushroom.
• Cold butter is essential for biscuit dough. It will ensure a good flaky pastry. If you’re butter isn’t completely chilled, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Don’t have a round cutter? Use a glass! Just make sure to dust it with flour so it won’t stick.
• When freezing leftover dough, use plastic wrap and wrap tightly.
Recipe provided by Emeril Lagasse.