Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quick Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup milk
1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper
1 cup diced onion; 1 cup diced carrots; 3/4 cup diced celery; 2 cloves garlic
1 cup frozen peas
Drop biscuits: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 6 tbsp butter, 1 cup buttermilk (or use 1 can refrigerated biscuits, 16.3 oz/8-count)

Do This

1) Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2) Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in butter until softened; add garlic.
3) Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in broth and milk; simmer until thick.
4) Add chicken, peas, thyme, salt, and pepper; pour into baking dish.
5) Mix drop-biscuit dough (or open canned biscuits) and top the filling.
6) Bake 28–35 minutes until biscuits are golden and filling bubbles at the edges.
7) Rest 10 minutes, then serve (the gravy thickens as it cools slightly).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Cozy, classic chicken pot pie flavors without making a pie crust.
Thyme-and-black-pepper gravy turns silky and rich, soaking slightly into the biscuits underneath.
Flexible: use rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or canned biscuits when you need dinner fast.
One-bake casserole that feels special but is very doable on a weeknight.

Grocery List

Produce: yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, (optional) fresh parsley
Dairy: unsalted butter, milk, buttermilk (or milk + lemon juice), (optional) heavy cream
Meat: cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
Frozen: frozen peas
Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, chicken broth, dried thyme, kosher salt, black pepper
Optional shortcut: 1 can refrigerated biscuits (16.3 oz/8-count)

Full Ingredients

Chicken and Vegetable Filling

4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the baking dish
1 cup (150 g) diced yellow onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup (130 g) diced carrots (about 2 medium)
3/4 cup (90 g) diced celery (about 2 ribs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup (32 g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups (about 420 g) cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 cup (140 g) frozen peas (no need to thaw)
Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for stirring in or garnish)

Buttery Drop Biscuit Topping (Homemade)

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (84 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup (240 ml) cold buttermilk
Optional: 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing biscuits after baking

Shortcut Biscuit Option

1 can refrigerated biscuits (16.3 oz/8-count)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the oven and baking dish

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (or a 3-quart casserole dish) with 1 teaspoon butter.

Tip: If your dish is deep, place it on a rimmed baking sheet before baking to catch any bubbly drips.

Step 2: Sauté the vegetables until tender

In a large skillet or wide pot over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks translucent and the vegetables are starting to soften, about 8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 3: Make the thyme–black pepper gravy

Sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly until the flour coats everything and starts to smell lightly toasted, about 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then whisk in the milk. Add the dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, and cook until thickened to a gravy consistency, about 4 to 6 minutes. The gravy should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still easy to stir.

Step 4: Add chicken and peas, then assemble the casserole

Stir the cooked chicken and frozen peas into the gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning (more salt and pepper if needed). If using, stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.

Pour the hot filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Step 5: Make the drop-biscuit dough (or prep canned biscuits)

Homemade drop biscuits: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and work it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until you have pea-size pieces and the mixture looks crumbly.

Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Avoid overmixing; that keeps the biscuits tender.

Canned biscuits: Open the can. If the biscuits are very thick, you can split each biscuit in half horizontally for more pieces and a more even bake over the casserole.

Step 6: Top the filling and bake until golden and bubbly

Homemade drop biscuits: Drop the dough in 8 to 10 mounds evenly over the surface of the filling (about 1/3 cup dough per biscuit). Leave small gaps so steam can escape and the tops brown well.

Canned biscuits: Arrange the biscuits evenly over the filling, leaving a little space between them.

Bake at 375°F until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the biscuits are cooked through and deeply golden on top, about:

Drop biscuits: 30 to 35 minutes
Canned biscuits: 28 to 32 minutes

If the biscuits brown too quickly, loosely tent the dish with foil for the last 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 7: Rest briefly, finish, and serve

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the gravy thicken slightly so it scoops neatly.

If you like, brush the biscuit tops with 1 tablespoon melted butter right after baking. Sprinkle with a pinch of black pepper or chopped parsley for a simple, fresh finish.

Pro Tips

Thickness control: If your gravy thickens too much before baking, whisk in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup broth or milk. If it seems thin, simmer an extra 2 to 3 minutes before adding the chicken.
Even biscuit doneness: Keep biscuit mounds/biscuits evenly sized and spaced. Crowding traps steam and can leave biscuit centers underbaked.
Rotisserie chicken shortcut: Use 3 cups pulled rotisserie chicken to save time (both white and dark meat work well).
Boost the flavor: Swap 1/2 cup of the broth for 1/2 cup dry white wine, or add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard to the gravy.
Don’t overmix biscuit dough: Stir just until combined. Overmixing makes biscuits tougher and less fluffy.

Variations

Turkey pot pie biscuit casserole: Replace chicken with 3 cups cooked turkey (perfect for leftovers).
Extra-veg version: Add 1 cup frozen corn or 1 cup sliced mushrooms (sauté mushrooms with the onions and celery).
Herb swap: Replace dried thyme with 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate: Cool leftovers, then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or rewarm the whole dish (covered with foil) at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovering for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the biscuit tops.

Make-ahead option: Prepare the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Rewarm the filling on the stove (or microwave) until hot, then pour into the baking dish and top with freshly mixed drop-biscuit dough (or canned biscuits) right before baking. This prevents soggy biscuits.

Freezing: For best texture, freeze the filling (without biscuits) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat until hot, then add biscuit topping and bake as directed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, based on 8 servings and homemade drop biscuits: 480 calories, 24 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 980 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 6 g sugar.

Chicken Pot Pie Biscuit Casserole With Creamy Thyme Gravy