Creamy skillet chicken with biscuits gets healthful upgrade

Like many beloved dishes, chicken and vegetables in a creamy gravy served with biscuits probably originated to reinvent and stretch leftovers, a way to meet the needs of the day. But far from feeling second string, the combo is so tasty and satisfying it has become a comfort-food staple in its own right.

For my take on the classic meal, I tapped the same adaptive spirit to capture its crave-able essence in a way that incorporates two more qualities I need and want from my meals these days: healthfulness and ease of prep.

The biscuits, fluffy and tender inside and golden-crisp outside, are made mostly with healthy oil, with just a little butter added for flakiness. They are also whole-grain, made with one of the softer wholegrain flour varieties widely available now — whole-wheat pastry flour or white wholewheat flour — that provide the benefits of the unrefined grain without sacrificing tenderness.

Besides being better for you, these biscuits are also easier to prepare. Made in the “drop” style, they don’t have to be rolled out or cut — just dollop the batter onto a parchmentlined sheet pan and bake. This recipe makes twice the biscuits needed for the meal, so you’ll have extra for breakfast the next morning.

The chicken mixture comes together quickly in a skillet. A cast-iron skillet makes for an ideal cooking vessel — and looks rustic placed on the table for family-style serving. ( Just remember to use a trivet and wrap the handle in a towel.)

Start by browning chunks of chicken breast, then cooking a pile of vegetables and herbs. First, onions, carrots and celery, then green beans, thyme and garlic, which then simmer together in a light, creamy sauce made with low-fat milk, flour and broth until everything is tender and the sauce is luxuriously thick.

True to its roots, this dish is adaptable to just about any combination of vegetables you have on hand, such as asparagus, peas, potato, leeks, broccoli, you name it.

The finished dish, bountiful with vegetables and fresh, fragrant herbs, spooned onto plates with the homey biscuits served on top or alongside, makes for a meal that’s so alluring and satisfying, it’s easy to forget its humble beginnings.