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

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!

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 with Aji Verde, Purple Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

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

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.

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.

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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.