Ingredients
One 4- to 4½-pound chicken
1 recipe (uncooked) Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits with herb variation
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth (use the reserved Liquid from poaching the chicken)
One 10-ounce box frozen green peas or 2 cups cooked fresh green peas
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the chicken in a large pot and add just enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced in the thickest part.
3. Prepare the biscuits as the recipe directs, but do not bake them. Set aside.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Reserve 5 cups of the cooking liquid and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, until light brown.
6. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes long, until light brown. Slowly whisk in the broth and bring to a low boil, whisking constantly.
7. Add the peas and sage. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until thick and creamy.
8. Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Pull the meat off the bones in large chunks and stir the chicken into the vegetable mixture. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
9. Top with the uncooked biscuits. Brush the biscuits with the egg wash and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the chicken mixture is bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.
