• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

She Paused 4 Thought

Food, Fun and Travel

  • Home
  • Recipes by Category
    • Listed Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Fruit & Veggies
    • Healthy
    • Main Dishes
    • Meat
      • Chicken
      • Fish & Seafood
        • Shrimp
    • Super Easy
    • Party Food
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • Holiday
    • Ethnic
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegetarian
    • Good Information
      • Product Review
      • Food Photography
    • Snacks
    • Simply FUN!
    • Cooking School
    • Recipes
  • About
  • Travel
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits | Hero Dinners

May 2, 2019 by Cathy Arkle 14 Comments

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits from HERO DINNERS is delicious one-pan cooking at its best.

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuit Toppings | She Paused 4 Thought

There are friends, and then there are best friends. Cookbooks are kind of like that. I have made friends with many cookbooks over the years and there is something I love about each one of them. But, then, there is that one. The one that you can always go to and trust. HERO DINNERS: Complete One-Pan Meals That Save the Day is that one for me.

Co-Authors Marge Perry and David Bonom are recipe developers for top magazines and major food companies. Together they have worked on 71 cookbooks. HERO DINNERS is their first joint project. Even though their job is to cook all day, they are the first to admit that, despite their love of cooking the last thing they want at the end of a long day is to wash a sink full of dishes.

So with that concept in mind, HERO DINNERS was born. And thanks to Marge and David the book will endow you with heroic superpowers, enabling you to transform everyday ingredients into delicious, well-balanced meals using just one sheet pan or skillet.

This beautifully shot book will inspire you to get back in your kitchen and cook delectable meals without any fuss and mess from dirty pots and pans. Only a super hero can do that!

Hero Dinner at Melissas Produce

I recently met Marge and David at a Melissa’s Produce meet and greet luncheon. This couple couldn’t be more adorably married, exuding all the charm that goes with harmony and fun times together. We sampled several of their recipes and were all entertained and informed by their cooking demo.

I couldn’t wait to start cooking from this book when I got home and here are a few recipes I have tried so far.

peruvian chicken prep work from Hero Dinner Cookbook

Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde, Purple Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

London Broil with Dijon-Balsamic Vinaigrette | Hero Dinners Cookbook

London Broil with Dijon-Balsamic Vinaigrette & Rosemary Roast Potatoes & Zucchini

Fig, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Galette | Hero Dinners Cookbook

Fig, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese Galette

You will need two pans for this cookbook — an 11″ x 17″ cookie sheet and a 12″ skillet.

Marge and David’s recommendations:

  • Anolon Professional Hard Anodized Nonstick Covered Deep 12″ Skillet – ON SALE right now at Macys
  • Anolon Advanced Bakeware 11″ x 17″ Cookie Sheet Amazon currently has the best price

Run out and get these for yourself, then think HERO DINNERS and equipment for wedding, hostess, birthday…anytime gifts.

Today’s Recipe: Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuit Topping

I made Ancho Chicken Pot Pie for Sunday brunch. It is cooked entirely in one skillet on the stovetop, then finished in the oven. I got the prep dishes done and put away before the pot pie was out of the oven.

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuit Toppings prepwork

Ancho chile powder gives this dish an earthy, toasted, almost sweet flavor and just a touch of heat. Made entirely from dried and roasted Poblano peppers, Ancho powder is very different from “chili powder.” Regular chili powder is actually a blend of spices, including chiles but also paprika, cumin, garlic and onion powders, sugar, salt, and sometimes wheat flour.

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuit Toppings

HERO DINNERS calls this dish a pot pie because it is topped with biscuits, but you could also think of it as a fragrant and hearty chili. In fact, you can make the filling on its own, freeze it, and later top it with these amazing flaky, nutty cornmeal biscuits. The biscuits can be made on their own as well: follow the recipe below and bake them on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray at 400°F until they’re golden, 14 to 16 minutes. They go with just about any meal.

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuit Toppings
Print

Ancho Chicken Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

Fragrant and hearty, this one pan Ancho Chicken Pot Pie is easy to make and impressive to serve right out of the pan.

Author Marge Perry & David Bonom

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon salt divided
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil divided
  • 1 medium onion cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small green bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces (about¼ cup)
  • 1 small red bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces (about¼ cup)
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup unsalted chicken broth

CORNMEAL BISCUITS

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal fine to medium grind
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons ½ stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate, add the remaining chicken to the skillet, and repeat.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers, garlic, and remaining¼ teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chili powder, ancho powder, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes and broth, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Remove from the heat.
  4. Make the biscuits: Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and stir until the mixture is just moistened, taking care not to overwork the batter. Drop 8 dollops (a scant¼ cup each) of batter over the chicken mixture.
  5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes. Let Stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

NEAT TRICK Coat the ¼-cup measure you use to ladle the biscuit batter onto the pot pie with cooking spray. The batter will slide right out of the cup. 

“We use simple condiments or seasoning to take the meal to the next level. Whether it is a sauce, spice rub, or myriad other robustly flavorful ingredients, we think of these as the fairy dust that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary – with very little additional work, of course.” – Marge Perry & David Bonom

I say YES to acquiring the superpowers to transform simple ingredients into delicious meals.

…and then, she paused for thought.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of HERO DINNERS cookbook to review. All opinions are my own.
Yum

Filed Under: Breakfast / Brunch, Chicken, Main Dishes, Meat, Party Food, Product Review, Recipes Tagged With: Ancho Chicken Pot Pie, Hero Dinners, InMelissasKitchen, Melissa's Produce, One pan cooking

Previous Post: « Pasta with Cauliflower, Pine Nuts and Currants | Coming Home to Sicily
Next Post: My Favorite Historical Sites of Tunisia | Travel Tuesday »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hal

    May 2, 2019 at 6:32 pm

    Good recipe! Any idea regarding how many calories does this dish have in a serving?

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 6, 2019 at 10:10 am

      Thanks Hal. I don’t know the calorie count on this recipe as it isn’t provided in the book. Sorry about that.

      Reply
  2. cookingontheweekends

    May 2, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    Cathy, this recipe looks so flavorful, comforting and delicious! I was sorry to miss this event at Melissa’s. I’m a huge fan of sheetpan/skillet dinners, and theirs all sound divine.

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 3, 2019 at 10:03 am

      Thanks Valentina. You were missed. I am loving this cookbook and can’t say enough good things about it.

      Reply
  3. Angie@angiesrecipes (@angiesrecipess)

    May 2, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    How very delicious and moreish with the biscuit topping!

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 6, 2019 at 10:09 am

      It really is! Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Karen (Back Road Journal)

    May 3, 2019 at 6:06 am

    This is definitely one step above your average chicken pot pie. 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 3, 2019 at 10:02 am

      It really is. And it is easy to make… bonus points for that.

      Reply
  5. Nanette La Salle

    May 3, 2019 at 7:05 am

    Mmmmmmmmmmmm, looks good!

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 3, 2019 at 10:01 am

      Every recipe I have tried was delicious!

      Reply
  6. sippitysup

    May 13, 2019 at 9:53 am

    If this May Gray keeps up I’ll have to brighten my plate with something like this! GREG

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      May 13, 2019 at 12:21 pm

      I hear you. June gloom has come early this year. Colorful food always helps.

      Reply
  7. chef mimi

    May 15, 2019 at 1:45 pm

    What a great idea for a cookbook. I love this recipe. There are certainly sweet cobblers out there, if you will, so why not a deliciously spicy savory one?!! Can’t wait to make it.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Make Polenta - an Easy Italian Recipe - Christina's Cucina says:
    March 29, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    […] Ancho Chile Pot Pie with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits […]

    Reply

I would love to hear from you! Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Who is She?

Welcome to She Paused 4 Thought! I’m Cathy - a farm girl from Iowa living in Los Angeles. Let’s cook, laugh, travel & have fun together. Read More…

Subscribe and Connect

Get new posts via email.

Recent Posts

  • Barbara Hansen’s Lemon Bread
  • Rosemary – Onion Mac and Cheese
  • Hatch Pecan Brownies
  • Raspberry Crumble Bars
  • Passover Celery Root Salad
  • Kiwano Melon, Smoked Trout and Avocado Salad

Categories

Follow Me On:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Other Favorites

RASPBERRY CRUMBLE BARS

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Cathy Arkle