Description
This hearty Chicken Cobbler with Mushrooms is a comforting dish featuring tender poached chicken and sautéed mushrooms in a creamy sauce, topped with fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits baked to golden perfection. Perfect for family dinners, this recipe combines wholesome ingredients for a satisfying meal bursting with rich flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base and Chicken
- 4 medium carrots, peeled
- 3 large celery stalks, halved
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 4 bay leaves
- 10 whole peppercorns
- Handful of fresh parsley
- 1 whole chicken (~4½ lbs)
- 12 cups (3 qts) water
Filling
- 6 tbsp (3 oz) butter
- 6 cups button mushrooms, sliced
- â…” cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Biscuit Topping
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Poach Chicken: In a large pot, combine the whole chicken with carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, fresh parsley, and 12 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine sieve to remove the vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns, and reserve this flavorful broth for the filling.
- Prepare Filling: Shred the poached chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the sliced mushrooms until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Stir in ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in 6 cups of the reserved chicken broth to avoid lumps. Add the whole milk and heavy cream, then simmer the mixture until it thickens into a creamy sauce. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the shredded chicken to combine everything evenly.
- Make Biscuits: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped fresh parsley. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the cold cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the buttermilk and stir just until the dough comes together; do not overmix to keep the biscuits tender.
- Assemble Cobbler: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and pour the chicken and mushroom filling evenly into it. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough mounded on top of the filling, covering as much as possible. Brush the biscuits generously with the beaten egg wash for a beautiful golden finish during baking.
- Bake: Place the assembled cobbler in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through. Let the cobbler rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure not to overmix the biscuit dough to ensure soft, fluffy biscuits.
- Use fresh mushrooms for the best flavor; cremini or baby bella mushrooms work well as alternatives.
- Leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken can be used in a pinch but fresh poaching enhances flavor.
- The broth can be made in advance and refrigerated for better taste development.
- For a richer biscuit topping, you can substitute part of buttermilk with sour cream.
