Go Back Email Link
A close up of some meatballs in sauce

Grandma's Smothered Chicken

Print Recipe
My grandma was an Alabama Church Mother - born and bred! She could smother chicken, steak, pork chops...you name it. I especially loved smothered chicken. There's something about the tender chicken falling off the bone in that smooth and creamy gravy. Lawd 'ha mercy! I can taste it again. In fact, when I made this, it felt like she was sitting right in front of me. Felt like a summer afternoon having dinner before church. As the hymn says, "...Precious memories, how they linger..."
Servings 5 people

Ingredients

  • 8 pieces chicken (bone in) Recommend legs and thighs
  • 1 cup + 3 Tbsp flour
  • 2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp Salt
  • 1 Tbsp black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • olive oil

Instructions

  • Coat the bottom of an oven safe skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil heat on medium high.
  • Combine 1 cup of flour with garlic powder, salt and pepper whisk together.
  • Coat chicken pieces in the flour mixture and placed in hot skillet, skin side down. Sear chicken for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until skin begins to turn golden brown. Do not cook chicken all the way done.
  • Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet with the juices from the chicken and the remaining olive oil, add chopped onions and garlic and sauté until soft.
  • Once garlic and onions have softened, add remaining 3 tablespoons of the flour and allow flour to absorb the oil in the bottom of the skillet.
  • Once the flower has absorbed the oil slowly add the chicken broth stirring constantly while you add it to the skillet. The broth should begin to thicken as it starts to boil ever so slightly. Add the milk and stir to combine all sauce gravy will begin to thicken
  • Add chicken back to the skillet, skin side up and placed in 400° oven for 30 to 40 minutes until done. Spoon some of the gravy on top of the chicken pieces to allow the flavor to cook in to the chicken skin
  • Serve with rice or mashed potatoes enjoy.

Video