Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie Recipe: Easy Steps

The cheddar bay biscuit chicken pot pie recipe works best with 3 cups cooked chicken, 2 cups mixed vegetables, 3 cups creamy sauce, and one 11.36 oz box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix to cover a 9×13-inch baking dish, baked at 425°F for 14-17 minutes until the biscuits are golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.

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Exact Measurements for Filling and Biscuits

Getting the filling-to-biscuit ratio right is what prevents a soggy top or a dry interior. The filling should be thick enough to support the biscuits without soaking them, and the biscuits need space to expand.

Filling Ingredients (for a 9×13-inch dish, serves 6-8)

• Cooked chicken: 3 cups, diced or shredded (about 1 lb or 2 large chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken works well)
• Unsalted butter: 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup)
• Yellow onion: 1 medium, diced (about 1 cup)
• Carrots: 3/4 cup, diced small (about 2 medium carrots)
• Celery: 3/4 cup, sliced (about 2 stalks)
• Frozen peas: 3/4 cup
• Frozen corn or green beans: 3/4 cup
• Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
• All-purpose flour: 1/3 cup (43g)
• Chicken broth: 2 cups (480ml), low sodium
• Heavy cream or half-and-half: 1 cup (240ml) – heavy cream gives a thicker, richer sauce
• Salt: 3/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste
• Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried thyme: 1/2 teaspoon
• Poultry seasoning or dried parsley: 1/2 teaspoon

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping

• Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix: 1 box (11.36 oz) – includes biscuit mix and garlic herb seasoning packet
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: 1 cup (113g), freshly shredded
• Cold water: 3/4 cup (180ml)
• Unsalted butter: 1/3 cup (5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon or 76g), melted, divided

If you are making biscuits from scratch instead of a mix, use 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 4 tablespoons cold cubed butter, 1 cup shredded cheddar, and 3/4 cup cold buttermilk.

Filling-to-Biscuit Ratio by Pan Size

Do not stretch one box of mix over a larger pan or double the filling under the same number of biscuits. The ratio determines whether the biscuits steam or bake. Use this table to scale correctly:

For the standard 9×13-inch dish, you want about 50-55% filling to 45-50% biscuit coverage by surface area. Leave 1/2 inch between biscuit scoops so steam escapes and the tops brown instead of merging into a doughy sheet.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cook the Creamy Filling (10-12 minutes)

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 5-6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 90 seconds to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in 2 cups chicken broth, then 1 cup heavy cream. Add thyme, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3-4 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. It should be noticeably thick – thinner than soup, thicker than gravy. If it is too thin, the biscuits will sink. Fold in the 3 cups chicken, peas, and corn. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

2. Assemble in the Baking Dish

Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease the baking dish. Pour the filling in and spread evenly. The filling should come to about 3/4 up the sides of the dish, not to the rim. If it looks shallow, you measured correctly – the biscuits will add height. Do not add the biscuit dough while the filling is at a rolling boil.

3. Mix the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Dough (2 minutes)

In a medium bowl, combine the biscuit mix, the garlic herb seasoning packet, and 1 cup shredded cheddar. Add 3/4 cup cold water and stir just until combined. Do not overmix – lumps are expected. Overmixing makes tough biscuits. The dough will be thick and sticky, like drop-biscuit dough.

4. Top and Bake

Use a 2-tablespoon scoop or two spoons to drop mounds of dough evenly over the filling. You should get 9-12 mounds for a 9×13 dish. Leave gaps for venting. Bake uncovered at 425°F for 14-17 minutes until the biscuit tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center biscuit comes out clean without wet dough. The filling should be bubbling at the edges. If the tops brown too fast before the centers are done, loosely tent with foil for the last 3 minutes.

5. Add the Garlic Butter Finish

Melt remaining 1/3 cup butter and stir in the second seasoning packet if your mix includes it, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon dried parsley. Brush generously over the hot biscuits immediately after removing from the oven. This is essential for the classic Cheddar Bay flavor and shine. Rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.

Baking Times and Temperature Adjustments

Temperature matters more than time with this recipe because the filling is already cooked. You are only baking the biscuits and reheating the sauce.

• 425°F is the ideal temperature for the boxed mix. Lower than 400°F will not brown the cheese properly and allows more liquid to soak into the dough.
• Convection or air-fryer oven: Reduce to 400°F and check 2-3 minutes early.
• Glass baking dish: Reduce to 400°F and add 2-3 minutes, as glass retains more heat and can over-brown the bottom.
• Make-ahead cold filling: If you refrigerated the assembled but unbaked pie, add 8-10 minutes to bake time and cover with foil for the first 10 minutes to avoid raw biscuit bottoms on cold filling.
• Internal doneness cue: Biscuit internal temperature should reach 200-205°F. Filling should be at least 165°F and actively bubbling.

Common Mistakes That Cause Soggy Biscuits

• Sauce too thin: If you use only broth without cream or flour, the liquid boils up into the biscuits. The 1/3 cup flour to 3 cups liquid ratio is the minimum for a stable sauce.
• Too much filling: Filling above the rim will overflow and steam the biscuits from below. Fill only 3/4 full.
• Spreading biscuit dough instead of scooping: Spreading seals the surface and traps steam. Scooped mounds create channels for steam to escape.
• Using pre-shredded cheese with heavy anti-caking starch: It does not melt as smoothly. Freshly shredded sharp cheddar gives better pull and flavor.
• Skipping the rest time: Cutting immediately will cause the sauce to run. Ten minutes allows the starch to set.

Mix vs. Homemade Biscuit Topping Comparison

If you prefer not to use the boxed mix, here is how the options compare on practical details:

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions at 350°F for 12-15 minutes covered with foil, then 3 minutes uncovered to re-crisp the biscuit. Microwaving will soften the biscuit – use the oven if texture matters.

To freeze, freeze the filling and biscuit dough separately. The assembled baked pie does not freeze as well because the biscuits become gummy upon thawing. Freeze filling in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw overnight, reheat filling until warm, transfer to dish, then add fresh biscuit dough and bake as directed. If freezing unbaked assembled ramekins, add 10-12 minutes to bake time from frozen and bake at 400°F covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered.

Variations Without Changing the Ratio

• Extra creamy: Replace 1/2 cup chicken broth with 1/2 cup cream cheese softened into the sauce.
• Lighter sauce: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and increase flour to 6 tablespoons.
• Vegetable swap: Keep total vegetables at 2 to 2.25 cups. Mushrooms should be pre-sautéed to release water before adding.
• Spicy: Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the sauce and 1/4 teaspoon to the biscuit dough.

Maintain the 3 cups chicken to 3 cups sauce to 2 cups vegetables base. Changing that balance significantly alters the bake time and biscuit outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned cream of chicken soup instead of making the sauce? Yes, but reduce broth to 1 cup and omit the flour and cream. Use two 10.5 oz cans plus 1 cup broth and 1/2 cup milk. The sauce will be saltier, so reduce added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.

Why are my biscuits raw on the bottom? The filling was too thin or too hot when you added the dough, or the biscuits were too large. Keep scoops to 2 tablespoons, ensure sauce is thick, and bake on the center rack.

Can I make this ahead? Prepare the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Make the biscuit dough just before baking and do not add it until the oven is preheated. Assembling hours ahead causes the dough to absorb liquid.