This southern smothered chicken Recipe is comfort food at its best. It features crisp bacon, lightly breaded chicken breasts, and lusciously creamy seasoned gravy from common pantry spices. The family is always delighted to see this recipe cooking in the skillet when they come home from work and school.
Smothered chicken is a classic Southern comfort dish of tender chicken smothered in a rich and flavorful gravy. This hearty dish is sure to warm your heart and soul. It is one of our favorite chicken dishes and pairs well with many sides, but I love to serve it with instant pot mashed potatoes, southern green beans, and homemade biscuits.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Bacon: smoked is best because it adds flavor
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts. If your chicken breasts are oversized, cut them in half or use chicken cutlets. Pound them with a meat mallet if they are too thick on one end.
- Seasonings: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. Make it Louisiana-style smothered chicken by substituting one tablespoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning for all the spices.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, cut the salt back a pinch or two.
- Milk: whole or 2%
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Fresh herbs: parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
How to make Smothered Chicken
First, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crispy. Chop the bacon up and set it aside. Be sure to reserve the bacon grease. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, ginger, and cinnamon.
Set aside about 1/4 cup of the seasoned flour mixture. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Dredge the chicken in the remaining flour mixture, shaking off the excess flour. Melt a little butter in the skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides. Plate the chicken.
If the skillet does not have at least 4 tablespoons of fat, add enough butter to make up the difference. Whisk in the flour mixture you set aside. Continue whisking and cooking over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Scrape those delicious brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Slowly stir in the milk and chicken broth, alternating between the two while whisking constantly. Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes to warm the chicken and finish cooking it. Finally, sprinkle with crispy chopped bacon and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.
Preparation Tips
- Use the bacon grease to brown the chicken. It adds extra flavor and a crispy texture that can’t be beaten.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken is done when it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If the gravy gets too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken broth.
- Remember to scrape the skillet to get those magical browned bacon and flour bits that add flavor to your gravy.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve it over rice, egg noodles, twice-baked potato casserole, or garlic mashed potatoes. Try creamed peas and pearl onions, Southern green beans, or glazed carrots for a vegetable side dish. For dessert, enjoy fried apples or blackberry cobbler.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on low in a skillet or the microwave at reduced power.
More Chicken Recipes
Southern Smothered Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncooked bacon
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Chop the bacon up and set it aside. Reserve the bacon grease.
- Whisk together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside 1/4 cup of the flour mixture.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Dredge the chicken in the remaining flour mixture shaking off the excess. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until it is golden brown on both sides. Plate the chicken.
- Melt enough butter in the skillet to have 4 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. Turn heat to medium-low. Whisk in the flour that you set aside. Continue whisking and cooking for about 3 minutes, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Slowly add the milk and chicken broth alternating between the two while whisking constantly. Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes to warm the chicken and finish cooking it. Sprinkle with the chopped bacon and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.
Notes
- Use the bacon grease to brown the chicken. It adds extra flavor and a crispy texture that can’t be beaten.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken is done when it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If the gravy gets too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken broth.
- Remember to scrape the skillet to get those magical browned bacon and flour bits that add flavor to your gravy.
Nutrition
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Laurie Ann
This wa absolutely delicious! We loved it. Even my picky son had seconds. I served it over jasmine rice but next time I am going for mashed potatoes.
Janice W
This is such an easy yet flavorful recipe! Thank you for sharing it – smothered chicken, mashed potatos, and green beans are the perfect meal.
Lindsey
The sauce was creamy and rich. This dish will be on repeat at our house. We love a good chicken recipe.
Beth Pierce
We do too!
Jenny
Chicken is such a staple in our house, this sounds like a really lovely way to enjoy it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jenny! Enjoy!
Patricia Chase
The dish I made was delicious
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Patricia! So glad that you liked it!
Triston
I made this chicken for dinner last night and it was incredible! Exactly the comfort food I was craving!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Triston! So glad that you enjoyed it!
gunjan
I recently started exploring chicken recipes and I came across this one. This recipe was spot on and its our new favorite now. Thank you!
Cassie
How creamy and delicious is this chicken recipe. I served it with mashed potatoes and your sauteed green beans. What a delicious meal. Thanks a lot for sharing 🙂
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Cassie!
Charlene R
Easy and delicious recipe, so yummy with mashed potatoes and your Southern green bean recipe. Thanks for sharing! This one is a keeper!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Charlene!
Justine H
I love this chicken recipe. It’s so creamy and full of flavor – super easy to make, too!
Tyesha
I made this recipe tonight for dinner. It was delicious. I incorporated my own personal spin on it. I made this recipe with chicken wings and 3 sprigs of thyme. I added a 1/2 cup on white cooking wine and allowed the chicken to cook double the time.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Tyesha.
Jill
This was a simple, delicious meal that my whole family enjoyed. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jill! So glad that you liked it.