Chicken Stew with Cornmeal Biscuits Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

For Biscuit Topping:

• ▢ 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2/3 cup cornmeal
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk (see note)

For Chicken Stew:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound skinless , boneless chicken breast halves – cubed (see note)
• ▢ 1/2 cup diced celery (about 1 large stalk)
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 cup milk (2% or whole, skim doesn’t work well in this recipe)
• ▢ 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, green beans)

For the biscuits:

• Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.

• Cut in butter using a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers, until it resembles coarse crumbs.

• Stir in cheese and buttermilk until just combined. Place bowl of biscuit dough in fridge while you make the rest of the stew.

For the stew:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.

• In a large oven-safe dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.

• Add onions and celery to hot pan (add a small amount of olive oil if needed) and cook, stirring, until translucent and softened.

• Add butter and flour and cook until butter is melted. Stir in milk and broth slowly while stirring, and continue to cook until simmering and thickened, about 8 minutes.

• Add in parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, celery seed, frozen vegetables, and chicken, and cook until mixture begins to simmer again.

• Drop biscuit dough onto stew using a spoon or your hands in about 1/3 cup portions.

• Transfer to oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until bubbling around edges and biscuits are golden brown.

If you don't have buttermilk, you can mix 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice + enough milk to make 1 cup – let sit for 5 minutes, and you're ready to go!

If your pan is big enough, this recipe will accommodate another 1/2 pound of chicken.

If you don't have a large enough oven-safe pan, you can prep the chicken stew and then pour it into a 9×13 baking dish before topping with biscuit dough and baking.

For less sodium, use no salt added chicken broth or stock.