Smothered Chicken


Seems like the last couple posts have been all about sweets lately. I can't help it desserts are my weakness. So to make up for all that sugar how about a yummy main dish instead. The other night we had Smothered Chicken for dinner. I found this recipe over at Deep South Dish. It had been awhile since I had smothered chicken and Mary's recipe for chicken and gravy was almost similar to the way I remembered it.

If your not familiar with this particular dish let me explain. Smothered Chicken is an old fashioned serving of pure comfort food. Chicken pieces usually thighs or legs are dredged in seasoned flour, pan fried and then smothered and baked in a homemade gravy.

Now keep in mind that this recipe is not low calorie by any means, but indulging in an old fashioned classic every once in awhile isn't a crime.

Eat a meal like this every day and that would definitely become a problem. My theory is everything is OK if you eat it in moderation. I usually try and save a dish like this for a Sunday Supper or when we have company.

This dish is especially best for guests who need a bit of spoiling or who would love a great home cooked meal. Don't forget to make a big batch of homemade buttermilk biscuits on the side to slather up all that yummy gravy.

Here are a few step by step photos on how to make smothered chicken. Start off by seasoning the chicken pieces with seasoning salt and set aside. Mix the flour and Cajun/creole seasoning together. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture shaking off any excess. 

Fry the chicken pieces in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides. Set chicken pieces on a rack until all the pieces are browned. Add onion and green pepper to the pan drippings and fry until tender. Add the flour and incorporate really well.

Cook the vegetable mixture for about 5 minutes then add the water one cup at a time, blending and mixing as you add each up of water. Keep adding water until you have the gravy at the consistency that you want. Stir in the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil mixing well.  


Add pepper to taste and a splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional). Remove the dutch oven from the heat and add the chicken pieces back into the gravy turning to coat each piece.


Cover and bake for one hour. Check occasionally to turn the chicken and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.

Ummm this is what it looks like after an hour of cooking. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and buttermilk biscuits on the side.

Comfort food at it's best.





Smothered Chicken

Ingredients:
6 to 8 - chicken legs, thighs or a combination of both 
1 - teaspoon of Lawrys seasoning salt
1-1/2 - cups of all purpose flour
1 -tablespoon of Cajun/Creole seasoning, or to taste (I used Emerile Essence)
1- 1 1/2 - cups of chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
3/4 - cup of flour
4 - 6 - cups of water
2 - tablespoons of chicken base/bouillon
pepper to taste
splash of Worcestershire sauce
canola or vegetable oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the canola oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken lightly with seasoned salt. 

Whisk the Creole/Cajun seasoning or emerile seasoning into the flour and dredge the chicken into the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. 

Add the oil to the pan (up to about one inch in the pan) and fry the chicken pieces until lightly browned on all sides, set aside on a rack to drain.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the hot oil and drippings and saute until tender, but not over-browned. 

Stir in the flour, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Begin adding the water, one cup at a time, blending each cup in before adding the next. 

Stop when gravy reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the chicken base and bring to a boil. Add pepper to taste and a splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional). 

Remove pot from the heat and add the chicken pieces back to the pot. Turn each piece to coat all sides. 

Transfer covered pot to the oven and bake at 350 for one hour, gently stirring every once in a while to prevent sticking as well as to turn the pieces. 

Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Adapted from: Deep South Dish



25 comments

Kirby said…
This looks like yummy confort food right here! Love smothered chicken, can't wait to try this one!
Rachelle S said…
This sounds really good, perfect for our dreary day here in So Ca.
Unknown said…
Wow! This looks great - I love some good Southern comfort food! Thanks for posting.
Siggy said…
Oh my YUM! That looks so stinking good...and cozy...a warm food hug! I am thinking once we get moved, that may be a nice first meal to break in a new kitchen! By the way, LOVE (and slightly envious) your Le Cruset!!!
Rhondi said…
I bought a whole cut-up chicken to make chicken cacciatore tomorrow night, but your scrumptious pictures changed my menu. I'm definitely cooking this smothered chicken, with dark and white meat to please my entire family. And I'm going to make the buttermilk biscuits too. Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia said…
Love all of your recipes, we have added your enchiladas to our family's rotation.

http://homegrownjones.blogspot.com/2010/10/weekly-menu-plan-and-shopping-list.html
Michele said…
Wow, my mouth is watering. Looks great!

For some reason, I couldn't get the linky to work, but I wanted to share these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple butter muffins I made the other day.

http://sweetluvininthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/whole-wheat-pumpkin-apple-butter.html
Your Smothered chicken looks so good! I need to give this a try. Thanks for hosting, I appreciate it. I am offering the best chocolate chip cookies I have EVER made.
This chicken looks so good! This is the kind of dish to enjoy on a Sunday with lots of family around to help you eat it. Yummy!
Tina Butler said…
Michele I added your recipe in the link for you. Those muffins look so good. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Tina. I'm your latest follower. I am in love with this recipe. Comfort food in one pot. I will have to make this one and drown my potatoes and biscuits with that beautiful gravy.
Thanks.
Leslie said…
Can you come over and cook this for me tonight for dinner????
Jane said…
Wow! That looks so GOOD! :)
Now that's a plate full of comfort isn't it? ;) Thanks for the shout out - hope you have a wonderful week Tina!
Tina Butler said…
Hi Mary, have a wondeful week. The chicken was wonderful.
lucy said…
very good recipe, j like this chicken's recipe
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the info
Anonymous said…
Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!
Kitchen said…
OMG. My mom used to make chicken this way. I have to give it a try. Its also a meal tray. Just add a more paste. Delicious.
Anonymous said…
I made this for my dad in November when he was visiting from out of state. I hadn't seen him in 3 years! I was feeding 17 people for dinner. Everyone absolutely loved this meal. It looked just like your picture. I had leftover gravy so each family wanted to take some home. Thanks for the great recipes.
T. Pierce said…
I am from Louisiana..but now live in Michigan. Thank you, Tina, for this recipe. I still like to cook with the southern flair in Yankee land!
www.sweetteaandarocking chair.blogspot.com
Anonymous said…
I have made this recipe twice and both times it was awesome! i'm not a bell pepper fan so i omitted them. My family loves it!
Anonymous said…
Does it need to be cooked in a dutch oven? It looks so good but I dont own a dutch oven.
Anonymous said…
With the exception of the green pepper and a couple of minor changes, this is like Chicken Fricassee with a kick. I make my fricassee with a shake of cayenne pepper at the end (when adding the milk to the gravy) to give it some pizazz, and this recipe seems to be wanting to do the same thing to the traditionally "bland" fricassee. I also put in some onion powder, along with thyme, to the broth while cooking to give it extra flavor, as well as a spoon of Better Than Boullion chicken flavor to the water to give the final gravy more flavor (otherwise, it's too white and bland). The Lawry's and Worcestershire are also different, but I suspect that gives it some minor flavor changes to this as well. The most major difference is the not adding some milk to the pot juices after chicken is done, to add creaminess to the gravy. But I see there's a lot of flour going on here in this recipe, as well as using the boullion (as I used the chicken paste) to give the gravy the flavor it needs. Good twist on a fricassee classic!
Anonymous said…
Girrrl please. We eatin' it again this mornin'. Making the biscuits right now with some new gravy, jam, eggs... This recipe is IT for smothered fried chicken. And it's fun to make.
You are in the top three of my fav cooks' blogs now. And Laaaaaaaawd ... that's sayin' somethin'.

Happy Labor Day, Sweetheart.

Andrea, Palm Springs, CA