Table of Contents
Here is a short video explaining the process, scroll down for detailed ingredients and step by step recipe method. Thanks for coming and do not forget to check other recipes on our homepage.
Ingredients With Exact Amount
For the Chicken and Vegetable Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken works great
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Half a teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
- 1 box Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix, 11.36 ounces, including the seasoning packet
- Half a cup buttermilk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for brushing after baking
Why Buttermilk Makes a Difference in the Biscuits
Although the box instructions usually call for regular milk, swapping it out for buttermilk gives the biscuit topping a noticeably softer, fluffier texture with a slight tang that pairs beautifully with the sharp cheddar. The acidity in buttermilk also reacts with the leavening agents in the mix, helping the biscuits rise a little taller and bake up more tender. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes.
Step by Step Recipe Method
Sauté the Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set out a large oven-safe skillet or a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for about five to seven minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another thirty seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
Build the Creamy Sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir continuously for about a minute, allowing it to coat everything and cook off its raw taste. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming, then add the milk in the same way. Continue cooking and whisking for three to five minutes until the sauce thickens into a smooth, creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Add the Chicken and Peas
Stir the shredded chicken and frozen peas directly into the thickened sauce, along with the dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Let everything simmer together for about three minutes so the chicken warms through and the flavors have a chance to meld. Taste the filling at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed, since this is your last chance before the biscuit topping goes on.
Transfer to the Baking Dish
If you cooked your filling directly in an oven-safe skillet, you can leave it right there for baking. Otherwise, carefully pour the entire filling mixture into your prepared 9 by 13 inch baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer with a spatula so the biscuit topping will bake evenly across the top.
Prepare the Biscuit Topping
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix with the buttermilk, stirring just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese until it’s evenly distributed throughout the dough. Be careful not to overmix at this stage, since overworking biscuit dough can make the final texture dense and tough instead of light and fluffy.
Top and Bake
Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop, drop rounded mounds of the biscuit dough evenly over the surface of the filling, leaving small gaps between each mound so the filling can bubble up around the edges. Transfer the dish to your preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the biscuits turn a deep golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.
Finish with Garlic Butter and Serve
While the pot pie bakes, melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter and stir in the garlic herb seasoning packet that comes with the biscuit mix. As soon as the pot pie comes out of the oven, brush this garlic butter generously over the hot biscuit topping so it soaks in immediately. Let the dish rest for about ten minutes before serving, which allows the filling to set slightly so it won’t run all over the plate.
Variations in the Recipe
Using Homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits
If you want to take this recipe up a notch, you can swap the boxed mix for a homemade cheddar bay biscuit dough made from scratch with flour, baking powder, cold butter, buttermilk, and shredded cheddar. This version takes a little more effort but delivers an even richer, more buttery flavor throughout the topping. Simply spoon the homemade dough over the filling the same way you would with the boxed version before baking.
Swapping the Protein
This recipe works wonderfully with turkey instead of chicken, making it a fantastic way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers without any waste. You can also try it with cooked, flaked salmon for a nod to Red Lobster’s seafood roots, adjusting the seasoning slightly with a touch of lemon juice to brighten the flavor.
Adding More Vegetables
Feel free to bulk up the filling with sliced mushrooms, diced potatoes, corn kernels, or chopped green beans depending on what you have on hand or what your family enjoys. These additions not only stretch the recipe further but also add extra texture and color to every bite. Just be sure to dice any extra vegetables small enough that they cook through in the same amount of time as the rest of the filling.
Making It Spicy
For those who like a little heat, stir a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce into the creamy filling before it goes into the baking dish. You can also mix a small amount of finely diced jalapeño into the biscuit topping itself for pockets of spice throughout the crust.
Mistakes to Avoid
Overmixing the Biscuit Dough
Stirring the biscuit dough too much is one of the quickest ways to end up with a dense, tough topping instead of a light and fluffy one. Mix just until the ingredients come together into a soft dough, and stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of the mix, since a little lumpiness is actually a good sign here.
Skipping the Rest Time Before Serving
Cutting into the pot pie the moment it comes out of the oven often results in a runny, soupy filling that doesn’t hold its shape on the plate. Giving the dish a full ten minutes to rest allows the sauce to thicken slightly and settle, making it much easier to serve neat portions.
Not Thickening the Sauce Enough
If you rush through the roux and broth step, your filling can turn out thin and watery instead of rich and creamy. Take the extra few minutes to whisk continuously while the sauce simmers, watching for it to visibly coat the back of a spoon before moving on to the next step.
Using Cold Filling Under the Biscuits
Pouring cold filling into the baking dish before adding the biscuit topping can prevent the biscuits from baking through evenly, sometimes leaving the bottoms slightly underdone by the time the tops turn golden. Make sure your filling is still hot or at least warm when you add the biscuit dough on top, so both components finish cooking at the same pace.
Conclusion & FAQs Section
This Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie brings together everything comforting about a classic pot pie with the unmistakable, crave-worthy flavor of Red Lobster’s famous biscuits. It’s a dish that looks impressive on the table but comes together with simple, approachable steps that even a beginner cook can follow with confidence. Once you try that garlic butter brushed over golden cheesy biscuits sitting on top of a rich, creamy filling, this recipe is bound to become a regular on your dinner rotation.
Can I make this pot pie ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the filling up to two days in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator, then simply add the fresh biscuit topping and bake it whenever you’re ready to serve. This makes it a great option for meal prepping busy weeknights or getting a head start before guests arrive.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
This dish freezes well once it’s completely cooled, stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it in the oven, since the biscuit topping tends to lose its texture in the microwave.
What if I can’t find Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix?
Any biscuit mix will work in this recipe if you can’t find the Red Lobster version at your store, though the flavor won’t be quite as garlicky and cheesy without the seasoning packet. You can boost a plain biscuit mix by stirring in extra shredded cheddar, a bit of garlic powder, and some chopped parsley to get close to that same signature taste.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftover pot pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat individual portions in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, which helps the biscuit topping stay crisp instead of turning soggy the way it can in the microwave.