One dish that embodies the heart and soul of Southern cooking is none other than Southern Style Smothered Chicken.
When it comes to soulful and comforting cuisine, few styles of cooking can rival the down-home goodness of Southern cuisine. One dish that embodies the heart and soul of Southern cooking is none other than Southern Style Smothered Chicken. Bursting with flavor, this smothered chicken is a true Southern delicacy that will transport your taste buds straight to your grandmothers kitchen. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the history, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions for making this mouthwatering dish right in your own kitchen.
The History of Smothered Chicken
Smothered chicken dishes have been a staple of Southern cuisine for generations. This cooking method involves slow-cooking chicken in a rich, flavorful gravy until the meat becomes tender and succulent. It’s a technique that has its roots in West African, French, and Creole culinary traditions, which were brought to the Southern United States by enslaved Africans. Smothered chicken dishes became a mainstay of Southern kitchens, and they continue to be a beloved comfort food today.
Ingredients
1 lb of dark meat chicken pieces (about 6-8pieces)
To season chicken
Drizzle of olive oil
2 tsp of poultry seasoning
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp of creole seasoning
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1 tbsp of garlic paste
For baking wings
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
For gravy
4 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of flour
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of milk or heavy cream
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of garlic paste
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1/2 tsp of herb de provence
1/2 a chicken boullion cube *optional
1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees
2. Chop and place veggies in a single layer in large baking dish
3. Season chicken pieces in a separate bowl, then and add them on top of veggies in a single layer
4. Cover with foil and bake for one hour at 325 degrees
5. While chicken wings bake, make gravy
6. In a skillet, melt butter and add flour and whisk for 2 minutes to cook off raw flour taste
7. Slowly pour chicken broth while mixing
8. Season gravy then add heavy cream and bay leaf
9. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt
10. Adjust accordingly
11. Gravy is done when it’s velvety smooth and semi thick
12. After one hour, remove foil from baking dish and cook chicken uncovered at 375 degrees for one more hour
13. After that hour, remove chicken from the oven and pour sauce all over and mix well
14. Reassemble chicken into a single layer and bake for another hour uncovered
15. Chicken is done when skin has a nice golden brown char and sauce has thickened and veggies have softened into the sauce
Southern Smothered Chicken
One dish that embodies the heart and soul of Southern cooking is none other than Southern Style Smothered Chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 lb of dark meat chicken pieces (about 6-8pieces)
To season chicken
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 2 tsp of poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp of creole seasoning
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp of turmeric
- 1 tbsp of garlic paste
For baking wings
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
For gravy
- 4 tbsp of butter
- 2 tbsp of flour
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 cup of milk or heavy cream
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp of garlic paste
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp of herb de provence
- 1/2 a chicken boullion cube *optional
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees
2. Chop and place veggies in a single layer in large baking dish
3. Season chicken pieces in a separate bowl, then and add them on top of veggies in a single layer
4. Cover with foil and bake for one hour at 325 degrees
5. While chicken wings bake, make gravy
6. In a skillet, melt butter and add flour and whisk for 2 minutes to cook off raw flour taste
7. Slowly pour chicken broth while mixing
8. Season gravy then add heavy cream and bay leaf
9. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt
10. Adjust accordingly
11. Gravy is done when it’s velvety smooth and semi thick
12. After one hour, remove foil from baking dish and cook chicken uncovered at 375 degrees for one more hour
13. After that hour, remove chicken from the oven and pour sauce all over and mix well
14. Reassemble chicken into a single layer and bake for another hour uncovered
15. Chicken is done when skin has a nice golden brown char and sauce has thickened and veggies have softened into the sauce
Notes
To speed up the cook time if you're in a hurry, simply increase the temperature of the oven to 400-425 and cook for an hour and half or until chicken is pulling away from the bone, then smother in gravy and broil on high for 1-2 minutes
Southern Style Smothered Chicken is a testament to the rich and diverse culinary heritage of the American South. With their crispy exterior and tender, flavorful interior bathed in a luscious gravy, this chicken dish is the ultimate comfort food. So, gather your ingredients, put on some feel good tunes, and get cooking!
P.S. Even more recipes here.
