Smothered Chicken Recipe
This Smothered Chicken Recipe is well-seasoned, seared, and braised in a delicious caramelized onion gravy for an incredibly flavorful dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic granules
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion granules
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground celery seed
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 3 ½ to 4 pound roasting chicken cut into breasts with the wing bone attached, and the thigh and drum connected
- 6 strips of regular cut bacon, julienne
- 2 peeled and thickly sliced large yellow onions
- 5 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons of finely minced fresh thyme
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the salt, pepper, garlic granules, onion granules, paprika, and ground celery in a small bowl. Set aside 1 ½ teaspoons of it.
- Next, pat the chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel. Place the chicken on a platter or sheet tray and coat it in the oil. Then generously season and rub in the spice blend on all sides. Briefly set it to the side.
- In a large rondeau over low to medium heat, add the bacon and cook while frequently stirring until it becomes crispy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Scoop the crispy bacon lardons out using a slotted spoon and set them to the side in a bowl.
- Turn the heat up to medium, add in the seasoned chicken skin side down, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until browned. Some of the seasoning will naturally fall off. Be sure to control the heat up or down as to crisp up the chicken skin, but not burn the spices.
- Flip the chicken over and cook it for 4 to 6 minutes, then set it to the side.
- Add the onions and cook over low to medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes or until tender and browned.
- Stir in the garlic and cook it just until fragrant, which takes about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Next, deglaze with wine and cook it over medium heat until only 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid remaining.
- Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and bring it to a low boil, which will activate the roux and thicken the gravy.
- Stir in the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of the spice blend, then add the chicken back in. Cook it over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked throughout.
- To finish the gravy, set the chicken to the side and add the heavy cream and fresh thyme to the sauce. Adjust any seasonings with salt and pepper, and add back in the bacon.
- Try serving the smothered chicken over mashed potatoes or rice with green beans.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make this dish up to 1 hour ahead if you keep it covered over low heat.
How to Store: Cover and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge for one day before reheating it.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of smothered chicken and sauce to a medium-sized pot over low heat and cook until hot. If the sauce breaks and needs to be rethickened, remove the chicken and set it to the side. In a small bowl, combine 1 to 2 tablespoons of corn or potato starch with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry, and whisk it into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, and it should thicken nicely. Add the chicken back in and turn the heat back down to low.
You can substitute the ground celery with celery seed 1 to 1. Be sure to grind it down using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
I used a 6-quart rondeau pot.
If you’re using dry thyme instead of fresh, add it to the sauce as soon as you pour in the stock. Dry herbs need to be reconstituted for more flavor.
Substitute the wine with ½ cup of water.T
Two teaspoons of Dijon mustard or two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce are additional ingredients to add to the sauce when finishing.
Nutrition
Calories: 1269kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 76gFat: 90gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 40gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 366mgSodium: 2575mgPotassium: 1255mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3675IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 7mg