Chicken and Biscuits
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Chicken and biscuits—also known as chicken a la king—is a comfort food classic that packs tender bites of lean chicken, carrots, onion, and peas into a velvety sauce that’s easy to make from scratch in one pan. Serve over biscuits for the coziest meal on a cool evening.
My husband still raves about the chicken and biscuits of his youth, and it’s among the meals he regularly made for his older kiddos before he and I met. Although I didn’t grow up eating this, either at home or in the school cafeteria, as I’ve learned is common, my deep love of turkey and dumpling soup and chicken dumpling stew piqued my own curiosity. Thus, I set out to make a chicken and biscuits that would blend all these worlds.
I craved a version made quickly from scratch with no fuss and no canned soup. I start with whole chicken breasts; you can make it even faster by using rotisserie chicken. Regardless, the result is juicy bites of chicken, tender vegetables, and a smooth, not-too-heavy sauce, all served atop buttermilk biscuits for a satisfying one-and-done meal.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Biscuits Recipe
- Made from scratch with no canned ingredients
- Veggies mixed right into the velvety cream sauce
- Quick and easy—done in about 30 minutes
- Cozy comfort—truly like a hug in a bowl after a long day
- Pure nostalgia if you grew up eating chicken and biscuits at home or in school!
Ingredient Notes
Swap out the Biscuits
If you’re more into the chicken than the biscuits, serve the same mixture over egg noodles, rice, puff pastry squares, or even lightly-toasted croissants.
How To Make Chicken and Biscuits
This is an overview with select step-by-step photos. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Season the chicken. A little salt & pepper is all you need here.
Start the biscuits. Get these going so you’re not waiting on them at the end.
Pan-fry the chicken. Do this in a large skillet so that you can use all the brown bits rendered by the chicken to flavor the pan sauce. Fully cook the chicken, then set aside on a plate.
Sauté then season the veggies.
Make it saucy. Add broth or stock followed by the chicken, now cut into bite-sized pieces, peas, and cream.
Don’t Skip the Seasoning Check!
Be sure to sample the finished sauce and season to taste! If you find a meal bland—especially one that already incorporates dried herbs and aromatics such as garlic and onion—you probably just need to add salt a pinch at a time until it suits your tastebuds. When added properly in moderation, salt brings all other flavors to life.
Simmer and serve. Let the mixture simmer at this point until it is as thick as you like, then be sure to turn the heat all the way down to low until ready to serve.
Plate. Slice open your baked biscuits and arrange open-faced on plates, then generously spoon the creamed chicken and vegetable mixture on top. A sprinkle of fresh herbs is a nice pop of color, if you like.
What To Serve with Chicken and Biscuits
To be clear, I have no personal problem serving this as a full meal—it has protein, veggies, and carbohydrate, after all!
This said, green beans, roasted asparagus, or a light butter lettuce salad all round out plates nicely with a few more colors and fresh ingredients.
More Cozy Chicken Casseroles
- Biscuit Crumble-Topped Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
- Baked Chicken Legs and Rice
Chicken and Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt & black pepper
- 6-8 biscuits homemade or store-bought
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter divided
- 4 medium carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 medium celery ribs chopped
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 and ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup heavy cream
- fresh parsley or other herbs optional garnish
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast lengthwise through the middle, so you have four thinner cutlets. Season each side of the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt & black pepper
- Heat the oven and prepare biscuits according to your favorite recipe or package directions.6-8 biscuits
- While the biscuits bake, set a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of the butter.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter
- When the butter melts, add the chicken breasts. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and continue to cook until each piece reaches 165°F inside. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter in the same skillet. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the veggies begin to soften. Meanwhile, shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.4 medium carrots, 2 medium celery ribs, 1 large yellow onion
- Stir the garlic, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of black pepper into the veggie mixture. Cook for 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant, then pour in the chicken broth.2-3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 and ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- Bring the liquid to a simmer, then stir in the chicken, any juices from the plate, the peas, and the cream. Let the mixture bubble until it is smooth and thickened as much as you like, then reduce heat to low. Sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.½ cup heavy cream, 1 cup frozen peas
- To serve, split open warm biscuits and arrange open-faced on a plate. Top biscuits generously with the chicken and veggie mixture and spoonfuls of sauce. Garnish as desired with fresh parsley or other herbs.fresh parsley or other herbs
Notes
- Rotisserie Chicken: If using pre-cooked rotisserie or other chicken, cut or pull it apart into bite-sized pieces, then add directly to the pan sauce in step 7 along with the peas and the cream. Start the recipe directly with sautéing the vegetables in 1 Tbsp butter + 1 Tbsp olive oil.
- Storage: Leftovers keep very well for 4-5 days. Store in any airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm in the microwave or over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. The cream sauce will be thick when cold, but loosen up as it warms. If needed, stir in chicken broth or water to help thin it out.
So cozy and so delicious! I could eat this every week, no kidding, and hope you love it as much as I do!