One-Skillet Turkey Pot Pie With Biscuits
This turkey pot pie skips the fuss of a pie crust and tops a creamy vegetable-filled filling with tender, golden buttermilk biscuits. The whole dish comes together in one cast-iron skillet, so you get big comfort with very few dishes.
It’s the kind of dinner that makes leftover turkey feel like a planned treat. The filling is rich without being heavy, and the biscuit topping bakes right on top while you ignore the sink.
Why This Turkey Pot Pie Works
The biscuit topping is stirred together in one bowl in about two minutes, no rolling or cutting required. Soft, craggy spoonfuls puff up in the oven and soak up some of the sauce beneath them.
Because it all starts and finishes in the same skillet, the bottom edges of the filling get a little caramelized. The sauce stays silky and coats the shredded turkey and peas beautifully, never gluey.
For a weeknight comfort meal that actually comes together as fast as promised, this one has stayed in my rotation for years. The biscuit dough forgives a light hand and rewards you with a crisp top and fluffy middle.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter: for sautéing the vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour: thickens the sauce without lumps
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth: use low-sodium so you can control the salt
- 1 cup whole milk: half heavy cream for a richer filling works, too
- 2 cups cooked shredded turkey: leftover roast turkey or rotisserie chicken both work
- 1 cup frozen peas: no need to thaw
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves: or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the biscuit topping:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces: cold butter makes flaky layers
- 3/4 cup buttermilk: or 3/4 cup whole milk mixed with 1 tsp white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes
- 1 tbsp melted butter or extra buttermilk: for brushing the tops before baking
Variations / Substitutions
- Chicken instead of turkey: Shredded rotisserie chicken works the same way and shaves off even more prep time.
- Herb swap: Fresh rosemary or sage can stand in for thyme, or use a mix. Chop them fine so they distribute well.
- Dairy-free: Use a plant-based butter, oat milk for the filling, and a vegan buttermilk (soy milk + vinegar). The biscuits will be slightly less tender but still good.
- Gluten-free: Replace both the filling flour and biscuit flour with a measure-for-measure gluten-free blend. Check that your baking powder is gluten-free.
For a version with a traditional pastry crust, you might like the Chicken Pot Pie recipe on the site.
How to Make One-Skillet Turkey Pot Pie With Biscuits
Step 1: Cook the Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, 2 carrots, and 2 celery stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to soften. Stir in the 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then sprinkle the 1/3 cup flour over the mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the 1 1/2 cups broth and 1 cup milk while whisking. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat, then stir in the 2 cups shredded turkey, 1 cup frozen peas, the thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. The filling will be creamy and looser than you might expect. It thickens a little more in the oven, so don’t over-reduce it now or the finished dish can feel dry.
Step 2: Mix the Biscuit Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Drop in the 6 tbsp cold butter pieces and cut them into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter chunks still visible. Pour in the 3/4 cup buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together. The dough will look lumpy and a little wet, and a few streaks of flour are fine.
Resist the urge to knead or smooth the dough. Overworking the dough activates too much gluten, which makes the biscuits dense instead of tender. The dough should hold together loosely when you squeeze a small handful. Set the bowl aside while the oven finishes preheating.
Step 3: Drop and Bake the Biscuits
Use a large spoon to drop heaping spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the top of the turkey filling. Space them out a little, leaving a few small gaps for steam to escape. Brush the tops of the dough with the 1 tbsp melted butter or a little extra buttermilk to help them brown. Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the biscuits are deeply golden on top and the filling is bubbling thickly around the edges.
If you notice the biscuits browning too fast halfway through, tent the skillet loosely with foil. The biscuits will rise and split a bit at the sides as they cook, and you’ll see the sauce simmering underneath. A peek through the oven door around the 15-minute mark lets you judge the color without losing much heat.
Step 4: Scoop and Serve
Pull the skillet from the oven and let it rest on a heatproof surface for 5 minutes. The filling will settle slightly and cool just enough to scoop without spilling. Using a large serving spoon, dig straight into the skillet and portion the pot pie into wide bowls, making sure each serving gets a biscuit and plenty of the creamy turkey and vegetables beneath it.
A crack of black pepper on top is all you need, though a few extra thyme leaves look nice if you have them. Serve the pot pie hot while the biscuits are still soft inside and the edges carry a little crispness from the skillet.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- If you have dark turkey meat from leftovers, use that. It stays especially moist in the filling.
- For quicker vegetable prep, pulse the onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor a few times until chopped. Just don’t turn them to mush.
- The biscuit dough can sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes while you make the filling, but don’t make it far ahead or the baking powder will lose its punch.
- Avoid over-thickening the sauce on the stovetop. It will reduce further in the oven, so aim for a creamy, spoon-coating consistency that still flows.
- No oven-safe skillet? Transfer the finished filling to a buttered 9×13 baking dish, top with the biscuit dough, and bake as directed. The dish may take a couple minutes longer.
Storing Leftover Pot Pie
- Refrigerate: Cover the cooled skillet or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm larger amounts in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. The biscuits will soften a bit but still taste wonderful.
What to Serve With Turkey Pot Pie
A simple green salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette gives a sharp, fresh contrast to the creamy filling. If you want another vegetable on the table, steamed green beans or a quick side of roasted Brussels sprouts both work without competing. Because the pot pie already carries plenty of vegetables, one crisp side is usually all you need to round out the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned biscuit dough instead of homemade?
Yes. One can of refrigerated biscuit dough (about 8 biscuits) can replace the homemade topping. Bake until the biscuits are cooked through and golden, adding a few minutes if needed. The texture will be softer and less craggy, but still tasty.
How far ahead can I make this dish?
The filling can be made a day in advance and refrigerated right in the skillet. Reheat it gently on the stove until simmering, then add the fresh biscuit dough and bake. The biscuit dough does not keep well once mixed, so stir it together just before topping the pie.
Can I freeze turkey pot pie with biscuits?
Yes. Assemble the unbaked pot pie (filling topped with raw biscuit dough) in a freezer-safe baking dish or well-wrapped cast-iron skillet. Freeze solid, then bake straight from frozen, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time. Cover with foil if the biscuits brown too quickly.
Do I need a cast-iron skillet?
No, any 10-inch oven-safe skillet works, including stainless steel. If your skillet has a plastic or wooden handle that can’t go in the oven, wrap the handle tightly in several layers of aluminum foil or transfer the filling to a baking dish before topping with biscuits and baking.
Turkey Pot Pie With Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Melt butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, then flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in broth and milk, simmer until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in turkey, peas, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized pieces remain. Pour in buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms.
- Drop spoonfuls of the dough over the filling. Brush tops with melted butter or buttermilk. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbling.
- Let the skillet rest 5 minutes, then scoop generous portions into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
