chicken potpie with green apples and cheddar biscuits

I was pretty tired when I got home, so I knew a one-dish dinner was the way to go. Now to eat dinner, help with the kids with homework and watch the newest episode of “The Walking Dead.”

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

CHICKEN POTPIE WITH GREEN APPLES AND CHEDDAR BISCUITS

CHICKEN

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 12-ounce can evaporated milk
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 large leeks, dark green leaves removed, washed thoroughly, light green and white parts chopped
• 2 large Granny Smith apples, quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 large rotisserie chicken, shredded (5-6 cups)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 cup cream sherry
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper

BISCUITS

• 2 cups bleached flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen solid
• 1 cup cold buttermilk, plus a few more teaspoons if necessary

To make the chicken filling, adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave chicken broth and evaporated milk in a microwave-safe bowl until steamy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and apples and cook, stirring, until just tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer leeks and apples, along with chicken, to a large bowl. Set aside.

Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat in the empty skillet. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour and sage and cook until golden, about 1 minute.

Whisk in hot milk mixture and simmer, stirring, until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Turn off heat, stir in sherry and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir sauce, along with parsley into chicken mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish or divide between 2 smaller baking dishes.

To make the biscuit topping, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cheddar with a fork in a medium bowl. Using a box grated, coarsely grate frozen butter into dry ingredients. Mix quickly with fingertips to evenly blend.

Mix buttermilk into dry ingredients with a fork until dough just comes together. Pinch dough with fingers into small, rough rounds and place over filling. Bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve.

Source: Perfect One-Dish Dinners: All You Need for Easy Get-Togethers by Pam Anderson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Sept. 20, 2010)