Description
Comfort flows from Southern Smothered Chicken, delivering pure home-cooked goodness right to your plate. Tender chicken nestled in a rich, creamy gravy makes your taste buds dance with down-home Southern charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 lbs chicken drumsticks and thighs
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion
Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Mix 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp seasoning salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder in a large bowl. Coat 3-4 lbs chicken pieces thoroughly with the spice blend. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Sear chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer seared chicken to a plate. Melt 4 Tbsp butter in the same skillet. Add chopped onion and caramelize for 8-10 minutes until deep golden color develops.
- Mince 4 garlic cloves and add to skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over onions, stirring to coat completely.
- Pour 2 cups chicken stock slowly into the skillet, stirring constantly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens. Add 1 cup heavy cream and 2 thyme sprigs.
- Stir in remaining 1 tsp seasoning salt. Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer until smooth and velvety.
- Return chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the gravy. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes at 250°F until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Taste gravy and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately over rice or mashed potatoes with extra gravy spooned on top.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken overnight to develop deeper, richer flavors that will make your dish more delicious.
- Use a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for the best heat distribution and perfect golden-brown searing.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, and use skinless chicken breasts instead of dark meat.
- Gluten-free friends can replace wheat flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder when making the gravy, ensuring everyone can enjoy this Southern classic.
- Prep Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg