Southern Smothered Chicken

This easy one-skillet Smothered Chicken is comfort food at its best with crisp bacon and creamy seasoned gravy. Enjoy it over mashed potatoes, with collard greens and creamed peas.

Course main meal chicken

Cuisine Southern

Keyword how do you make smothered chicken, how to make smothered chicken, smothered chicken recipe, what is smothered chicken

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 451kcal

Author Beth Pierce

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