Creamy Chicken and Biscuits

I don't know how I did it, but somehow in my menu planning, I ended up putting two recipes with biscuits, one right after the other.  Not a big deal though because we are a biscuit loving family.

Today's recipe is very similar to a chicken pot pie and equally tasty, and of course simple and easy, which is what this blog is about.

I used to think that I should be making different dishes, some exotic things, gourmet or something so that I could get more traffic on the blog.  Other food blogs get a lot of comments and traffic while mine has always just plodded along slow but steady.  You know that whole thing of wanting to get in the IT crowd etc?

But I quickly realized that is not who I am and not what I want my blog to be.  This blog is an online collection of my favorite foods, childhood recipes, dishes that honor my heritage etc.  And so, it will continue to just put forth very easy hearty homemade recipes, those that will help you get dinner on the table quickly without any weird ingredients, using just things from your pantry.

THAT is what this blog is about.  So with that in mind, here is today's meal and I do hope you enjoy it.

Cook's note:  Again, I didn't make the biscuits, I used refrigerated biscuits instead.

Creamy Chicken and Biscuits

Source:  Taste and Tell

Chicken Gravy
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 (2 oz) jar pimientos, drained
1 lb cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Biscuits
1 cup flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
flour, for rolling
1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside.
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add in the onion, carrot and celery and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften. Remove from skillet to a bowl.

In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, pimientos and chicken. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. Stir in the buttermilk. The mixture will be very sticky. Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, make 9 balls out of the mixture, dropping each into the flour and coating the outside.

When the chicken gravy is done cooking, remove it from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450F. Drop the biscuits on top. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.

Return to the oven and cook until the biscuits are cooked through, 15-20 minutes.