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Smothered Chicken

Smothered chicken with fork-tender, golden chicken thighs and a rich dark onion-and-mushroom gravy made in a cast iron skillet. Onion gravy chicken style: caramelized onions, mushrooms, and a creamy simmered sauce that pools around the edges.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 Salt to taste
  • 0.5 cracked black pepper to taste
oil and vegetables
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
gravy
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and cracked black pepper to taste.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden; flip and sear 4 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the onion and mushroom gravy
  1. Add onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until deeply caramelized.
  2. Stir in mushrooms and garlic, then cook for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute.
  4. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
Simmer and finish
  1. Stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme until the gravy looks smooth and dark.
  2. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the chicken skin-side down undisturbed while it sears for that deep golden crust before flipping. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; rewarm gently on the stovetop until hot. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based gravy can break after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a slightly thinner gravy.