Smothered Chicken

What Does Smothered Mean?

Smothering is a popular technique in Southern and soul food cooking. You brown your chicken on the stovetop, deglaze the pan with broth, season it, and simmer until it’s tender and the gravy thickens. Turkey, beef, and pork also enjoy this treatment.

Smothered Chicken Ingredients

Chicken

• Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs are my favorite because they’re so flavorful. But you can substitute them with chicken breasts. Just have to adjust your cooking time to keep them from getting dry.
• Flour – The perfect ingredient to dredge the chicken and thicken the gravy.
• Seasonings –Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and garlic powder will have your tastebuds dancing!
• Vegetable Oil – You want to sear the chicken before making the gravy. Peanut oil, lard, and refined coconut oil can take the heat if you don’t want to use vegetable oil.

Gravy

• Chicken Broth – Chicken broth gives an extra depth of flavor, but you can substitute beef or vegetable broth.
• Cream – Heavy cream makes decadently smooth gravy, but you can use half-and-half for a lower-calorie dish.
• Garlic and Onion – Talk about phenomenal flavor, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
• Butter – Any gravy needs fat to be rich and creamy. And butter adds so much more flavor than the others.
• Thyme – This minty, savory herb adds the perfect touch.
• Chicken Bouillon – Intensify the flavor without adding more liquid for a thick gravy.

How to Make Smothered Chicken

1. Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs are my favorite because they’re so flavorful. But you can substitute them with chicken breasts. Just have to adjust your cooking time to keep them from getting dry.
2. Flour – The perfect ingredient to dredge the chicken and thicken the gravy.
3. Seasonings –Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and garlic powder will have your tastebuds dancing!
4. Vegetable Oil – You want to sear the chicken before making the gravy. Peanut oil, lard, and refined coconut oil can take the heat if you don’t want to use vegetable oil.

The Gravy

5. Saute the Veggies – Add butter, onion, garlic, and thyme in the same skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.
6. The Roux – Sprinkle your reserved seasoned flour over the onions and continue stirring with a wooden spoon for another two minutes to remove the raw flour taste and form a paste (roux).
7. Make the Gravy – Slowly pour the chicken broth, followed by the heavy cream, while continuously whisking to ensure no lumps form. Cook for a couple more minutes until it comes to a simmer. Then have a taste test and adjust the seasonings as needed.
8. Put it all Together – Return the partially cooked chicken to the pan, cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer. Stir occasionally, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 30-45 minutes, depending on big your chicken thighs are. 
9. Serve – Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Recipe Tips

• Always pat the chicken dry before dredging it in the flour mixture to remove excess moisture. That will give the chicken that super crispy, golden skin!
• If you’re making smothered chicken breasts, use a meat tenderizer to create texture on the surface of the chicken. It will help coat the chicken in the breading and give it that fried chicken look and taste!
• If you like a darker gravy, cook the flour a tad longer over low heat. Or, if you prefer lighter gravy, cook it for less time over high heat, whisking continuously.
• You can add about 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk to achieve the desired consistency if it’s too thick.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Smothered chicken is best served hot and fresh from the pan! But if I need to save time, I season and bread the chicken the day before and store it in the fridge overnight. Then I take it out when I’m ready to start cooking.

You can store leftovers (if any 😉) in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days or in the freezer for three months.

What to Serve With Smothered Chicken

For a real Southern feast, I love serving it with sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and Southern cornbread. Or I’ll kick things up a notch and serve Jiffy jalapeno cheddar cornbread.

Mashed potatoes are also a great accompaniment. There’s nothing better than a fluffy pile of garlic roasted mashed potatoes smothered in gravy with green beans and bacon.

More Incredible Chicken Recipes

• Cajun Stuffed Chicken
• Southern Fried Chicken
• Southern Chicken Salad
• Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Conclusion

Smothered chicken is a purely satisfying soul food perfect for any occasion. Would you like more awesome recipes? Please sign up for our newsletter.