Savory Einkorn Chicken & Herb Pot Pie

Ancient grains do not have to live only in the bread basket. Einkorn’s tender gluten and nutty flavor are exactly what a biscuit topping wants, making this an easy way to put fresh-milled flour into a proper supper.

Ingredients

Chicken filling

• 45 g butter
• 140 g diced onion
• 120 g diced carrots
• 100 g diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 40 g all-purpose flour
• 480 g chicken stock
• 180 g whole milk or half-and-half
• 450 g cooked chicken, bite-size pieces
• 120 g frozen peas
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried sage
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 7 g fine salt, plus more to taste

Einkorn herb biscuit topping

• 240 g fresh-milled einkorn flour
• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 12 g baking powder
• 4 g fine salt
• 2 g dried thyme
• 1 g garlic powder
• 85 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 190 g cold buttermilk, plus 10–20 g only if needed
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives, optional

Method

1. Heat oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Melt 45 g butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. Cook onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat 7–9 minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic for 30 seconds.
3. Sprinkle in 40 g flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, then milk. Simmer 3–5 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon.
4. Stir in chicken, peas, thyme, sage, pepper, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
5. For the biscuits, whisk fresh-milled einkorn, AP flour, baking powder, salt, thyme, and garlic powder. Cut in cold butter until pieces range from pea-size to small flakes.
6. Add 190 g buttermilk and herbs. Fold gently just until a shaggy dough forms. Add a splash of reserved buttermilk only if dry flour remains.
7. Pat dough about ¾ inch thick and cut 7–8 biscuits, or simply portion rustic scoops over the filling. Arrange with a little space between pieces.
8. Bake 30–35 minutes until the filling bubbles and biscuit tops are deep golden.
9. Rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles.

Variations & storage

Turkey works beautifully in place of chicken. Mushrooms can replace part of the meat, and green beans or corn can join the peas. If using salted stock, reduce the listed salt and season at the end.

Learn more about einkorn

For more on why einkorn dough behaves differently, see What Is Einkorn Flour? and How to Substitute Einkorn Flour.