This is an oldie and a goodie.  The biscuit topping puffs up and provides you with a whole meal in a wonderful form.  Yes, if you don’t want to make your own biscuit dough you can use good old bisquick.

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 3 to 3-1/2 lbs whole chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• Butter or olive oil for pan-frying
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 cups Chicken Soup Stock (or canned chicken broth)
• 4 tablespoons each butter and flour cooked together to form a roux
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced and lightly sautéed in butter or olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 batch Harriet’s Southern Biscuit dough

Directions

1. Place the chicken in a 2-quart saucepan and add enough water to barely cover.  Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for ½ hour.  Allow the chicken to cool in the liquid.  Take the chicken from the pot, reserving the liquid, and remove the skin and bones.  Cut the meat into ½-inch cubes, cover, and set aside.  You can do this the day before if you wish.
2. Place the bones in the cooking liquid and add the dry herbs.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.  This will provide you with the cooking broth.
3. Heat a frying pan and add a bit of butter or oil.  Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots until they just begin to brown.
4. Place the vegetables in a saucepan, along with the parsley, and add 2 cups of chicken stock.  Prepare the roux* and bring the vegetables and stock to a simmer.  Thicken the roux.  Blend the sauce with the chicken meat and sautéed mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper and place in a deep baking dish.  A 2-quart soufflé dish should do nicely.  Top the mixture with the hard-boiled egg slices.
5. Roll out enough biscuit dough to make a lid for the pie that is ¼-inch thick, unbaked.
6. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes, or until the top is high and lightly browned.

*Roux: A blend of oil or butter and flour used to thicken sauces and gravies. The fat and flour are mixed together in equal amounts over heat.  If a white roux is desired, the melting and blending are done over low heat for a few minutes. If a brown roux is desired, the flour is cooked in the fat until it is lightly browned.