This smothered chicken recipe is one of those dinners I could make with my eyes half closed. You know the kind. The ones you've made so many times you don't even need the recipe anymore.
When I'm craving something comforting but my brain is officially done for the day, this is what I make. It's a one-pan dinner, it's simple, and it uses pantry staples that I almost always have on hand. This is definitely a winner winner, chicken dinner that you need to add to your rotation.
Picture this: tender chicken thighs simmering in a rich, creamy gravy (that might just be the best part of the whole thing.) It thickens up right in the skillet while everything cooks together--no extra fuss, no extra steps.
And not spooning that delicious gravy over a pile of hot, fluffy white rice to sop up every last drop? Well, that would almost be a sin. Trust me on this one: this chicken recipe is one your family will beg you to make all the time.
While I have your attention: if comfort food's your thing (like it is for me), you're going to love some of my all-time cozy recipes: loaded baked potato soup, Hawaiian loco moco, sun dried tomato chicken pasta, and my stone ground grits recipe, just to name a few.
Ready to make those chicken thighs with onion gravy? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- all-purpose flour
- salted butter
- vegetable oil
- yellow onion
- garlic cloves
- poultry seasoning
- paprika
- chicken broth
- whole milk
- fresh parsley
- hot cooked rice
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess flour. Set the flour to the side and reserve.
- Then, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove the browned chicken from the pan, reserving the pan drippings in the skillet.
- Next, add the onion to the drippings in the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir together 3 tablespoons of the leftover flour, the poultry seasoning, paprika, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoned flour mixture over the onions.
- Finally, add the broth and milk and stir until the flour dissolves. Nestle the chicken in the liquid and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is done. Spoon the chicken and gravy over rice and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Hint: Don't rush the browning step. The browner the chicken gets, the deeper flavor you'll get in the gravy.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:
- Bone-in chicken thighs - Boneless skinless chicken thighs will work too instead of bone-in thighs, but you'll need to reduce the cooking time. Or, try bone-in chicken breasts, also watching the cooking time so they don't dry out.
- Whole milk - If you don't have whole milk, you can use half-and-half for richer gravy. Low-fat 2% milk is also an option if that's what you've got. For a non-dairy option I recommend unsweetened plain almond milk. The gravy will be thinner and less rich, but it'll be dairy-free.
- Salted Butter - If all you have is unsalted butter, you can use that and add a little extra salt to the gravy. Or, if you want to use leftover bacon grease instead of butter, I wouldn't be mad at that.
- Chicken broth - Substitute chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- Poultry seasoning - If you don't have poultry seasoning, swap with dried thyme and dried sage. Or use Cajun seasoning for a little kick.
- White rice - Instead of rice, serve this over my Boursin mashed potatoes.
Variations
Check out these additional ways to change up this recipe:
- Cajun-Style Smothered Chicken - Craving some Louisiana Cajun flavor? Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning and sliced bell peppers for a twist.
- Mushroom Smothered Chicken - Add 1 (8-ounce) package of sliced mushrooms with the onions for a more robust gravy.
- Extra veggies - Stir in some greens to the gravy to make this an all-in-one veggie-packed dinner. Spinach, collards, or kale are all great options.
- Smothered Pork Chops - Use bone-in pork chops instead of chicken thighs.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this Southern smothered chicken recipe:
- large skillet with lid
- metal tongs
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- medium bowl
- instant-read thermometer
Storage
To refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of milk or broth to loosen the gravy.
To freeze: Cool the chicken and gravy completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat, adding liquid as needed to restore the gravy's texture.
Tasty Tip
After you add the flour mixture to the onions, let it cook for about 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flavor. Then, gradually add the liquid to the pan and stir at the same time to prevent any lumps.
Frequently asked questions
Yep! It won't take as long to cook so keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chicken.
Use plant-based butter and unsweetened non-dairy milk for the homemade gravy. The gravy may be slightly thinner, so you may need to add a slurry (mixture of equal parts flour and liquid).
That's a great question! It helps create a golden crust on the chicken and also thickens the gravy later.
Absolutely. Instead of dredging the chicken in all-purpose flour, use a gluten-free flour like rice flour. Or skip the dredging part completely and make a cornstarch slurry instead: Mix together 2 parts cold liquid to 1 part cornstarch and whisk into the broth at the end of cooking.
For the best results (and to avoid lumps), whisk together equal parts flour to cold water to create a slurry. I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon each flour and water. Be sure that the water is cold--warm or hot water will make the mixture lumpy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this smothered chicken:
🍽Get the recipe
The Best Southern Smothered Chicken Thighs with Rice
Equipment
- large skillet with lid
- metal tongs
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- medium bowl
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1¾ cups chicken broth 1 (14.5-oz. can)
- 1 cup whole milk
- Fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
- Hot cooked white rice
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the flour in a medium bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour on both sides, shaking off the excess. Set the bowl of flour to the side.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, reserving the drippings.
- Add the onion to the drippings and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Stir together 3 tablespoons of the leftover flour, the poultry seasoning, paprika, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the onions and garlic and stir. Gradually add the broth and milk, stirring until the flour dissolves in the liquid.
- Nestle the chicken in the liquid and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until an instant read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165°F.
- Sprinkle the chicken the parsley, if desired, and serve over the rice along with the pan gravy.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe:
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs.
- Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Nita says
This is such a delicious, comfort food dinner. Was perfect for a cold evening!
Erin says
This reminds me so much of a recipe my mom made all the time when I was a kid. Total comfort food.
Eric says
Easy and delicious is always my favorite combination. Great recipe. Love the gravy.
Ana says
Love that it is a one pot meal and easy to make it turned out rich and creamy , the gravy was comforting and delicious with rice!