If you're looking for a weeknight dinner recipe that's delicious and easy to clean up, meet smothered chicken. This one-pan chicken dish is made with chicken thighs that are smothered with a rich, creamy sauce. I love it served over pasta but it's also great on its own. Here's how to make smothered chicken, including the secret to the most delicious pan gravy.
What Is Smothered Chicken?
Smothered chicken is a cast iron skillet recipe that starts on the stovetop and is finished in the oven. Juicy chicken thighs are coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried until crisp before being smothered with a creamy, garlicky sauce. It's a family favorite that comes together in under an hour.
Smothered Chicken Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this smothered chicken recipe at home.
- Chicken Thighs: To serve four, you'll need a 2-pound package of chicken thighs. Choosing bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs ensures the finished dish is flavorful and juicy.
- Seasonings: There are several herbs and spices that flavor this chicken and the sauce. You'll need creole seasoning, fresh thyme, salt, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley.
- Flour: Coating the chicken thighs in flour helps them crisp and the flour also thickens the sauce.
- Flavor Boosters: Cooking garlic and onion in butter provides a flavorful base for the broth and cream mixture. It helps make the pan gravy extra flavorful and delicious.
- Broth: Our Test Kitchen recommends using low-sodium chicken broth to help control the saltiness of the finished dish.
- Cream: Just a 1/2 cup of cream adds richness to the finished dish.
How to Make Smothered Chicken
Our recipe for smothered chicken goes from stovetop to oven, so you'll need a pan that's oven-safe.
- Prep the Chicken: Season the chicken and coat it with flour. Pan fry it until crisp and remove it from the pan.
- Cook the Sauce: In the same pan, cook the garlic, onions, and thyme in butter. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Bake: Return the chicken to the pan with the sauce and bake until tender.
How to Serve Smothered Chicken
Serve the smothered chicken thighs warm from the oven with mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or your favorite starchy side. Round out the meal with roasted vegetables or a fresh green salad.
Ingredients
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1 1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (4 totals)
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1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon creole seasoning, divided
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1/2 cup all purpose flour
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
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1 tablespoon butter
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 cup sliced onion (about 1 small)
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1 teaspoon fresh thyme
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1 1/3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350ºF.
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Pat chicken thighs dry. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon of creole seasoning. In a small bowl combine remaining 1 tablespoon creole seasoning and flour. Set aside 2 tablespoons of flour mixture. (This will be used for thickening the sauce.) Dip chicken thighs into the remaining flour mixture until fully coated. Place thighs on a sheet pan or plate, repeat with remaining thighs.
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In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook chicken thighs, skin side down until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and cook 5 minutes more. (Chicken will not be done at this point.) Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
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Add butter, onions, garlic and thyme to skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally until onion is translucent. Add the reserved flour mixture to the skillet stirring for 30 seconds or until the flour mixture is golden brown. Whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream, until incorporated. Stir in smoked paprika and salt.
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Add chicken to sauce in skillet. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes until chicken is 175ºF internal temperature. Top with parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 827 | Calories |
| 59g | Fat |
| 21g | Carbs |
| 58g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 4 | |
| Calories 827.4 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 58.9g | 76% |
| Saturated Fat 19.2g | 96% |
| Cholesterol 331.5mg | 111% |
| Sodium 1558.5mg | 68% |
| Total Carbohydrate 20.6g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.7g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 3.9g | |
| Protein 57.9g | 116% |
| Vitamin D 1.2mcg | 6% |
| Vitamin C 7.2mg | 8% |
| Calcium 77.5mg | 6% |
| Iron 3.8mg | 21% |
| Potassium 822.9mg | 18% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 1g | |
| Vitamin D 50.5IU | |
| Alanine 2.7g | |
| Arginine 3.3g | |
| Ash 6.4g | |
| Aspartic acid 4.5g | |
| Caffeine 0mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 2.5mcg | |
| Choline, total 227.1mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.3mg | |
| Cystine 0.6g | |
| Energy 3463.8kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 1.1mcg | |
| Folate, total 53.4mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 8g | |
| Glycine 2.1g | |
| Histidine 1.4g | |
| Isoleucine 2.2g | |
| Leucine 3.9g | |
| Lysine 4.2g | |
| Methionine 1.3g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 68.3mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.4mg | |
| Niacin 15.1mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 524.1mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 2.9mg | |
| Phenylalanine 1.9g | |
| Phytosterols 45.5mg | |
| Proline 2.1g | |
| Retinol 182.9mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 77.5mcg | |
| Serine 2g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 2.2g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 2.7mg | |
| Tryptophan 0.5g | |
| Tyrosine 1.8g | |
| Valine 2.3g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 1112.7IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 208mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 1mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 1mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 60.2mcg | |
| Water 291.9g | |
| Zinc, Zn 4.6mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.