Chicken Mushroom Cobbler with Gruyere Herb Biscuits

The holiday season at our house means family movie nights. For those occasions, it’s nice to have a casual, make-ahead dinner that requires little more than to pop it in the oven and wait for the timer.   Chicken Mushroom Cobbler with Gruyere Herb Biscuits could also be an addition to the holiday buffet.  It’s a simple, comforting take on winter fare.

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.”   – Thomas Keller

I love this quote because Keller reminds me that I am the soul of my kitchen. It’s what I bring to my cuisine that makes it unique. What I put into to it, my choice of ingredients and how I execute technique makes all the difference.  But more than that, it’s the care and attention I pour into a dish, a curry or a cake that can truly be tasted in the end.

This is a recipe with soul.

Inspired by French and Southern cuisine, it combines some of my favorite deep, woodsy, winter flavours in an easy to make casserole. Part Chicken Forestière and part Chicken with Dumplings; Chicken Mushroom Cobbler with Gruyere Herb Biscuits made a big impression at our house.

The chef in my life even declared he would eat it if it contained turkey!  (Not being a turkey fan I consider this an endorsement of sorts.)  I agree, terrific recipe for turkey leftovers, the remains of a chicken dinner or those two lonely looking chicken breasts in the freezer.

Everybody has a favorite holiday movie and Elf is the pick from the six-year-old in the house, who adores Buddy.  We’ll watch it many times over the coming month, and secretly, I don’t mind.  Buddy taught all the words of Baby It’s Cold Outside to that same six-year-old, who sings along every single time.

There’s a little of Buddy The Elf in everyone. In fact, the very best of me is Buddy. Excitable. Naive.  Joyful.  Dancing on the table. Great lover of maple syrup. Perhaps better table manners are needed. Perhaps…

Wishing you and yours the very best of the season, stay tuned for more holiday deliciousness on Food Gypsy.  Here’s our take on Dinner and a Holiday Movie.

“SANTAAAAAA!!!!! I know him, I KNOW HIM!” – Buddy The Elf

Chicken Mushroom Cobbler with Gruyere Herb Biscuits

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• Author: Corinna Horton
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
• Yield: 6 - 8 servings 1x

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Description

Chicken Mushroom Cobbler with Gruyere Herb Biscuits, a delicious, casual, make-ahead dinner that requires little more of you than to pop it in the oven and wait for the timer. Perfect for a fast family meal, date night or dinner, and a movie.

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Ingredients

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• 3 cups mushrooms of your choice, sliced
• 2 cups mini potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts, skin on OR 2 cups cooked chicken/turkey, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 leek, washed, halved then chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups chicken stock, cold
• 1/4 cup light cooking cream (15% milk fat)
• *Gruyere Herb Biscuits*
• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup gruyere cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons light cooking cream (15% milk fat)

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Instructions

1. For Cobbler:
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray 8 cup casserole dish or 8 inch cast iron pan well with non-stick spray. In a large saute pan, saute mushrooms in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown, remove from pan and reserve in casserole dish.
3. While mushrooms are on, cook mini-potatoes until just tender. Cool immediately in cold water, drain well and reserve with mushrooms.
4. If you’re not working with pre-cooked chicken, sear chicken breasts, starting skin side down in the same skillet as you cooked your mushrooms in, adding more oil if needed. Create good, solid colour, cooking about 5 minutes per side over medium heat, then finish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until internal temperature reads 160°F (71°C) at minimum. (Gypsy Tip: You’re cooking the chicken one more time so it’s safe to finish it, at this stage, under 165°F (75°C) and this way it will retain it’s moisture.) Rest chicken until cool (about ten minutes) then cut into chunky cubes and reserve in casserole dish with the rest and mix to combine evenly.
5. Add oil if needed, now sweat onions and leeks over medium heat until transparent. You’re still using that same pan, by now you should have good colour on the bottom. Once onions are cooked, but not browning, add butter and melt, stirring occasionally. Then add flour, stirring to combine and coat. This is a basic roux, and it needs a few minutes, say three or so, to cook the flour before adding your chicken stock to deglaze. Be sure to scrape all that lovely suc and mushroom goodness of the pan to flavour your sauce, then add cream and herbs. Reduce for about eight to ten minutes at a low simmer to thicken.
6. Taste, season and when thickened to your liking, pour sauce over cobbler base and mix. At this stage you can cool and fridge the base until needed, even a couple of days. Then pick up with the biscuits and finish when you’re ready.
7. For Biscuits:
8. Pre-heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Add dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt & herbs in your the food processor. Pulse twice to combine.
9. Cut cold butter into cubes no bigger than an inch or so square. Add half your butter to your dry mix and pulse three to four times, then repeat with remaining butter until you have a coarse dry meal, with pieces about the size of a small pea. (this can easily be done well ahead and stored in the fridge until needed.) Gypsy Food Hack: If you lack the fancy food processor, use a bowl, freeze the butter and grate it in. Same result, less dishes.
10. Turn dry base into a large bowl, add milk and gruyere and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dry dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured, clean counter-top and knead for about 90 seconds to form a smooth dough.
11. At this point you can style your casserole as you like, rolling and cutting, ripping and dropping, or forming a lid over the base with a continuous sheet of biscuit dough on top of the chicken mushroom casserole base, leaving a 1/2 inch gap around the edge. Brush biscuit top with cream and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 – 45 minutes or until golden brown, bubbling and gooey.

Notes

Make ahead tip: Prep your chicken, mushroom base ahead of time even a couple days before. Then just pick up the recipe with the biscuits and finish when you’re ready.

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Main
• Method: Stewing
• Cuisine: American