Southern Style Chicken Stew and Biscuits

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens! 

In all the time I lived in Tennessee I never did have Chicken and Biscuits.  I have been wanting to make it for a long time.  Chicken pot pie was one of the very first dishes I learned to make in high school home economics.  This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 chicken boullion cubes
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• rind of 1/4 of a preserved lemon

For the biscuits:

• 2 cups stoneground all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast  for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, preserved lemon and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, dried tarragon and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and duck fat.  Work with your finger tips to break the butter into pea sized pieces.  A variety of sizes is ideal to create a tender and flaky biscuit.  Whisk one egg until foamy and add to the milk and quickly mix into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon.  Drop these biscuits on top of the stew by using two tablespoons.

Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.  Biscuits can be frozen unbaked until needed.  Drop onto parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.  When frozen package and wrap tightly.