Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crumb Topping

Super delicious!  

Ingredients:  

For the filling:

1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 5 pieces)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
  2large carrots, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
2 ribs celery, chopped
Salt and pepper
10 oz. baby bella or button mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. tomato paste
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
¾ cup frozen peas

For the topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil. Season with salt and black pepper then drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Shred into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

To make the biscuit topping, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.  Toss the butter with the dry ingredients and work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Stir in the Parmesan and then the heavy cream, stirring just until a shaggy dough forms.  Crumble the dough into bite-sized pieces onto a lined baking sheet. Bake 10-13 minutes, until light golden.

To make the filling, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.  Stir in the onion, carrots and celery.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. When the vegetables are just tender, transfer to the bowl with the shredded chicken.  Return the pot to the heat.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.  Add the mushrooms, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium-high, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are somewhat browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to the bowl with the chicken and the vegetables.  Return the pot to the heat.

Melt the butter over medium heat.  When it is fully melted, whisk in the flour so that no clumps remain.  Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice.  Stir in the chicken-vegetable mixture as well as the frozen peas.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

Transfer the filling mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Scatter the crumble topping over the filling.  Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown, at least 13-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook