Smothered chicken is an easy weeknight skillet dinner featuring juicy, tender chicken smothered in an irresistibly savory onion gravy. This comforting chicken and gravy recipe tastes like it’s been cooking all day, but only takes 30 minutes to make!
Why You’ll Love This Smothered Chicken Recipe
These smothered chicken breasts are so juicy, and the creamy, velvety brown gravy is loaded with garlic and onions. Here’s why you’re going to love this recipe:
- Quick and easy. Smothered chicken is surprisingly easy to make, just sear the chicken and make your gravy with the pan drippings. It’s a straightforward recipe that only takes about 30 minutes!
- Flavorful: Smothered chicken breasts are tender and juicy like they have been cooking for hours. And there’s so much flavor packed into this savory onion gravy, everyone will be going back for seconds!
- Comforting: What could be better than hot and juicy chicken smothered in a thick and rich gravy served over mashed potatoes or rice? This is the ultimate comfort food dinner to make on a cold night!
What You’ll Need
Aside from the chicken breasts, you hopefully already have the other pantry staples on hand. For full ingredient amounts, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken Breasts: We used boneless, skinless breasts, but boneless chicken thighs also work!
- Butter and Oil: We recommend an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Onion: A sweet yellow onion is perfect for this gravy. White onion will work in a pinch.
- All-Purpose flour
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Chicken Broth: If you’re using a low-sodium broth you’ll have to add a little more salt.
- Worcestershire Sauce: The secret ingredient to give the gravy an intensely savory and deep flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Half and half can be used, but will create a less creamy gravy.
How to Make Smothered Chicken
This comforting smothered chicken is surprisingly easy to make. For full detailed directions see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season: Dry chicken breasts with a paper towel. Mix the spices with most of the flour and coat the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour mixture.
- Sear: Sear the chicken in a large skillet with oil for 4 minutes on each side. Set aside.
- Sauté: Melt the butter and scrape up any browned pieces. Add the onions and cook until tender.
- Gravy: Sprinkle flour over the onions, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to create a roux. Slowly add the broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce while stirring. Simmer until thick.
- Chicken: Put the chicken in the gravy and simmer for 10 minutes, then serve!
Tips & Variations
These tricks and variations will help guarantee success with this hearty smothered chicken with onion gravy:
- Golden Brown: The best way to get good flavor from the chicken is to brown it well. Make sure the chicken breasts are turning a nice golden brown when you sear the chicken.
- Smooth Gravy: When you add the chicken broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce, do so slowly while stirring the gravy constantly. This will keep lumps from forming!
- Mushrooms: Earthy mushrooms are a great addition to this dish. Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet after the onions are tender, and cook until softened. Then continue with the recipe.
- Scrape The Pan: Don’t be timid when scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. There’s so much flavor there, and you want to get it all off the pan so it can season the gravy.
What to Serve with Smothered Chicken Breasts
This classic southern dish goes well with just about everything! We highly recommend some homemade garlic bread to soak up the extra gravy. Here are a few more of our favorites.
- Rice or Mashed Potatoes: A side of our favorite mashed potatoes or garlic parmesan rice is the perfect pairing for this chicken and gravy.
- Vegetables: Some skillet fried corn, roasted green beans or roasted broccoli would all be great options.
- Salad: A fresh green side salad or even a crisp cucumber salad would give this dinner a light touch.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
This pan fried chicken and gravy makes for great leftovers. Here’s what you need to know.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Reheat smothered chicken breasts on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 30-second increments. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water or broth.
- Freezer: Let the chicken cool completely, then place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
- Chicken and Gravy
- Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Smothered Chicken
Smothered chicken features juicy, tender chicken breasts in a rich, hearty onion gravy. It's the perfect comfort meal that only takes 30 minute to make!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow sweet onion, sliced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to dry all of the chicken breasts, then set them aside.
- In a medium-sized, shallow bowl, add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons of flour, then add the rest to the bowl. Stir until the ingredients are mixed. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, then set aside.
- Add oil to a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip each piece of chicken and cook for 4 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate. Cover with foil or a lid to keep the meat warm.
- Melt the butter in the skillet, and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned chicken bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and sauté while stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Sprinkle the reserved 3 tablespoons of flour over the onions, and stir until the flour turns light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep stirring while slowly adding the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the gravy to a soft boil while constantly stirring. Boil until the gravy thickens, about 3 minutes.
- Taste the gravy and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
- Turn the heat to low, and put the chicken back in the gravy. Simmer for 10 minutes, or longer if you have the time (the longer it simmers, the more tender it will be). Serve while warm with mashed potatoes, rice, or vegetables.
Notes
Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Reheat smothered chicken breasts on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 30-second increments. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water or broth.
Freeze: Let the chicken cool completely, then place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
Golden Brown: The best way to get good flavor from the chicken is to brown it well. Make sure the chicken breasts are turning a nice golden brown when you sear the chicken.
Smooth Gravy: When you add the chicken broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce, do so slowly while stirring the gravy constantly. This will keep lumps from forming!
Mushrooms: Earthy mushrooms are a great addition to this dish. Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet after the onions are tender, and cook until softened. Then continue with the recipe.
Scrape The Pan: Don’t be timid when scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. There’s so much flavor there, and you want to get it all off the pan so it can season the gravy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 520kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 179mg, Sodium: 1393mg, Potassium: 1046mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 471IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 2mg
