Smothered Chicken
This smothered chicken brings tender pan-seared pieces into a silky onion gravy enriched with bacon and warm spices. It’s cozy, quick to pull together and full of homey flavor.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Skillet Large
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless, 4 or 5 breasts
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ Cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon oil or as needed, for frying
- 1 onion medium, cut into slivers
- 1 ½ Cups chicken broth more as needed
- ½ Teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ Cup Half & Half
- 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- ½ Teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 6 to 8 Slices bacon
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnish
- fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook the Bacon
- Fry the bacon in a skillet (in batches if needed) then chop. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet.
Prepare the Chicken
- Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Combine the flour with the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, paprika, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture and coat the chicken breasts all over in the remainder.
Brown the Chicken
- Brown the chicken for 5 minutes per side in the bacon grease left in the skillet. You can also add oil if needed.
- Once the chicken is golden brown, set it aside. It doesn’t have to be cooked through at this point.
- Drain the fat from the skillet and remove any grease with paper towels.
Make the Gravy
- Melt the butter in the same skillet.
- Add the onions and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and tender. Turn the heat down if they start to burn.
- Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture on top and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Don’t let it burn.
- Add the broth a bit at a time, stirring all the time and scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the sauce.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and Half & Half and stir well.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the Chicken Back In
- Add the chicken back in, topping each piece with chopped bacon.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. You can use a meat thermometer to check it’s reached 165°F in the thickest part.
Serve and Enjoy
- Spoon some of the onions and gravy over the chicken.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley if liked.
Notes
Avoid overcrowding: Sear chicken in batches for the best golden crust.
Deglaze well: Scrape up all the browned bits when adding broth for richer flavor.
Thicken as needed: Simmer longer or add a cornstarch slurry if the sauce is too thin.
Slice chicken: For quicker cooking, cut large breasts in half horizontally.
Deglaze well: Scrape up all the browned bits when adding broth for richer flavor.
Thicken as needed: Simmer longer or add a cornstarch slurry if the sauce is too thin.
Slice chicken: For quicker cooking, cut large breasts in half horizontally.
Nutrition
Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 1065mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1121IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3mg
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