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smothered chicken with gravy in a skillet garnished with parsley.
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4.75 from 31 votes

Smothered Chicken

This delicious Southern-style Smothered Chicken is comfort food at its finest. Pan seared chicken thighs smothered in a gravy made from scratch. The ideal dinner, best served over a bed of mashed potatoes or cooked rice!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and gravy, smothered chicken
Servings: 6
Calories: 414kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder mild
  • 6 large chicken thighs bone-in skin-on
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Prep the oven and baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Place a rack over a baking sheet.
  • Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and chili powder.
  • Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Generously season the chicken thighs with about ¾ of the seasoning rub. Place the seasoned chicken on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Prep the dredge. Season the flour with remaining seasoning rub, salt and pepper. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour to a smaller bowl.
  • Dredge the chicken thighs. Dredge the chicken thighs through the flour mixture making sure they are fully coated. Shake off any excess flour. Place the thighs back on the rack and repeat with remaining chicken thighs.
  • Pan sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side until browned. The chicken won't be fully cooked at this point. Transfer the chicken back to the rack.
  • Cook the onion and garlic. In the same skillet add the butter, onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the red pepper flakes.
  • Sprinkle flour. Sprinkle the reserved seasoned flour over the onions and continue cooking while stirring for another 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  • Make the gravy. Start pouring chicken broth while continuously whisking and cook for a couple more minutes until the gravy comes to a simmer. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Add chicken and braise in the oven. Add the chicken back to the skillet and spoon some of the gravy over the chicken. Cover the skillet and transfer it to the oven. Cook in the oven for one hour.
  • Garnish and serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Video

Notes

  1. Always pat your chicken dry before adding spices and pan searing. Doing this will remove any excess moisture from the chicken, giving us super crispy skin when we cook it.
  2. When making gravy, always allow the flour to cook for a couple minutes before adding liquid. This will remove the raw taste of flour and also add more depth of flavor to the gravy.
  3. Continue whisking the gravy as you're adding chicken broth to smooth it out and remove any clumps.
  4. For a thicker gravy, add a bit more flour to the roux.
  5. Store the leftover chicken and gravy in an airtight container. It will store nicely in your fridge for up to 3 days!
  6. Cool the smothered chicken completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the freezer. It will last anywhere from 4 – 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1027IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg