One-Pot Creamy Chicken Stew with Baking Powder Biscuits
If you’re craving something cozy, comforting, and kid-approved, this simple chicken stew with baking powder biscuits is the kind of dinner that just hits the spot.
It’s creamy (without being heavy), loaded with tender chicken and veggies, and topped with the fluffiest homemade biscuits—my mom’s beloved recipe that I’ve been making since I first moved out on my own!
The best part? The biscuits bake right on top of the stew, which means the bottoms become soft and doughy (like a dumpling!) while the tops stay crisp and golden. It’s the best of both worlds…and exactly the kind of simple stovetop meal I love making on chilly evenings when everyone is hungry right now.
This one has been a staple in our house for years, and once you try it, you’ll see why.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Stew
There are so many reasons this recipe ends up on repeat in our home, especially when the weather turns cold:
- It’s a true comfort meal that still feels balanced and nourishing.
- The stew simmers away in one pot while you prep the biscuits.
- The flavours are mild and kid-friendly, but still elevated enough for adults.
- Chicken and high-fibre veggies make it a filling, satisfying dinner.
- My mom’s baking powder biscuits come together in minutes and taste incredible.
- It uses pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
This is the kind of meal that makes your whole house smell amazing, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Chicken Stew
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Olive oil
- Onion, carrots, and garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
- Half and half cream (or milk — see notes!)
- Frozen peas
These simple ingredients come together to create a creamy, flavourful base that tastes like it simmered all afternoon…even though you’ll have it on the table in around an hour.
For the Baking Powder Biscuits (My Mom’s Famous Recipe!)
These biscuits deserve their own spotlight. They’re fluffy, tender, and absolutely foolproof.
You’ll need:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Cold butter
- Cold milk or buttermilk
My mom always stressed two things: keep the butter cold, and don’t overwork the dough. If you follow those rules, you get the perfect biscuit every time.
How to Make This Cozy Chicken Stew (Step-by-Step)
While you’ll find the full recipe card below, here’s a quick overview of how everything comes together:
1. Brown the chicken.
Season, chop, and brown the chicken pieces in an oven-safe pot. Set aside.
2. Sauté the veggies.
Cook the onions, carrots, and garlic until softened. Deglaze with broth to lift all those delicious browned bits from the bottom.
3. Add herbs + flour.
Sprinkle in the flour and dried herbs, stirring until fragrant.
4. Simmer the stew.
Add the remaining broth and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the carrots are tender.
5. Make the biscuits while the stew simmers.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, cut in cold butter, gently stir in milk, shape into rounds, and chill. (Chilling is key for extra-fluffy biscuits!)
6. Finish the stew.
Temper the cream with a bit of hot broth to prevent curdling, then stir it into the pot along with the thawed peas.
7. Bake the biscuits right on top.
Place the biscuit rounds over the stew, leaving a bit of space between each one. Bake until golden and fluffy. Once the biscuits are done, dinner is ready.
Tips for the Fluffiest Biscuits
Because biscuits can be finicky, here are my go-to tricks:
- Keep both the butter and milk very cold.
- Don’t overmix the dough. A shaggy dough = tender biscuits.
- Lightly knead—just a few times—to bring the dough together.
- Chill the cut biscuits before baking.
- Expect (and enjoy!) the doughy, dumpling-like bottoms.
Easy Variations and Swaps
Make this recipe work for your weeknight:
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time (add it in Step 6).
- Swap in turkey, especially post-holidays.
- Add diced potatoes or parsnips for extra heartiness.
- Use a frozen carrot and pea mix instead of chopping fresh.
- Make gluten-free biscuits using a 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Stir fresh herbs into the finished stew for brightness.
How to Thicken the Stew
If your stew is thinner than you’d like, you have a few options:
- Flour slurry: Flour + water
- Cornstarch slurry: Cornstarch + water
- Arrowroot: Sprinkle directly into hot stew
Each method works well; choose whichever you have on hand.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
This stew is perfect for leftovers or meal prep:
- Store the stew in the fridge for 3 days.
- Store biscuits separately to keep them from getting soggy.
- Freeze the stew (without biscuits) for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
How to Serve
This dinner is cozy on its own, but you can pair it with:
- A simple green salad
- Steamed green beans
- Fresh fruit for kids
- A sprinkle of fresh parsley
It’s the kind of wholesome, comforting meal that feels extra special, even on a regular weeknight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It may look slightly curdled, but it doesn’t affect flavour or texture.
Definitely. Just stir it in at the end to warm through.
They get a soft, dumpling-like bottom and a fluffy, crisp top. It’s dreamy.
Yes — chill or freeze unbaked biscuits and pop them on the stew when ready.
More Cozy Weeknight Dinners
- One-Pot Greek Pasta Bake
- One-Pot Southwestern Chicken and Quinoa Skillet
- Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup
One-Pot Creamy Chicken Stew with Baking Powder Biscuits
Ingredients
For the stew:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 5 cups chicken broth divided
- 1 large yellow or white onion cut into wedges (about 1 cup)
- 3 medium carrots chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup half and half cream to use milk, see the notes
- 1 1/4 cups frozen peas thawed
For the biscuits:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup cold butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup cold milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- To a large and oven safe pot or dish, add the oil and set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and chop it into bite-sized pieces, adding them to the pot as you go. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned but not cooked through. Set the peas on the counter to thaw.
- Meanwhile, prepare the onions, carrots and garlic.
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pot and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, until the onions are softening, lowering the heat if needed. When ready, deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup/125 mL of the broth (add the broth and use a spatula to scrape cooked bits from the bottom of the pot, this adds so much flavour!). Now, add the chicken back into the pot and sprinkle the oregano, thyme, rosemary and flour over the ingredients. Stir, cooking for 2 minutes or so, until fragrant.
- Whisk in the remaining broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, with the lid ajar, until the carrots are fork tender. Different pots need different temperatures, so simply adjust the temperature during cooking as needed to maintain a rapid simmer.
- Make the biscuits. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the cold butter into cubes, and cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingers, until the butter pieces are pea-sized. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Don’t overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough! The dough will be a little sticky but this resolves when you knead it. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly knead a few times into a shaggy dough. Pat into a square about an inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter or glass to cut into rounds. Pop the biscuits into the fridge or freezer until it’s time to add them to the stew (this ensures the fluffiest result!). Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
- When the stew is finished simmering, (if it is too thin, see the notes for tips to thicken) add the cream to a mug, and stir in about 3/4 cup/280 mL of the stew broth into the cream, just a few spoonfuls at a time (this will prevent the cream from curdling in the stew). Stir the tempered cream mixture and the thawed peas (frozen peas can cool the stew so the biscuits don’t bake as well) into the pot.
- Arrange the biscuits on top of the stew, leaving space between each, and transfer the pot to the oven. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the biscuits are fluffy and firm to the touch. They will be deliciously doughy on the bottoms, like dumplings, the best of both worlds! Serve warm.
Notes
- Save time and effort by using 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken instead of raw, adding to the stew in step 6. You can also use a frozen carrots and peas mix; simply prepare the recipe as written, thawing and adding the carrots and peas in step 6.
- To use milk instead of cream, follow the same measurements and steps as for cream. Note that milk can often curdle in a stew, this doesn’t change the taste or texture, it is strictly appearance.
- Three ways to thicken a thin broth:
- Flour method: To a mug, add a tablespoon or two of flour and stir in 1/2 cup/125 ml water, until the flour is dissolved. Stir the mixture into the stew and let simmer, stirring, until thickened. Repeat if needed.
- Cornstarch method: To a mug, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch and stir in a few tablespoons of water until dissolved. Stir the mixture into the stew and simmer, stirring, until thickened. Repeat if needed.
- Arrowroot starch method: sprinkle a teaspoon or two of arrowroot starch over the stew and stir it in, simmer until thickened. Repeat if needed.
Sarah Remmer, RD, is a registered dietitian and mom of three, specializing in family and pediatric nutrition. She’s the founder of Centred Nutrition Collective and has nearly 20 years of experience helping families feel confident about feeding their kids.
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