One Pan Smothered Chicken

One Pan Smothered Chicken features seared chicken and gravy that’s so easy to make in just 30 minutes! Tender, juicy chicken is smothered in a rich and creamy gravy with lots of bacon and makes for a seriously mouthwatering main course.

One Pan Smothered Chicken

I have to say that my love of smothered chicken started at a pretty young age. Scratch that, my love of GRAVY started at a young age because I grew up on comfort food! Chicken with gravy was a must for us served up with mashed potatoes or even just white bread to sop up the goodness. We all know how much I adore chicken thighs too and serving them in a delicious bacon gravy, it doesn’t get better! The best part? It’s made all in one pan so the cleanup takes no time at all. Serve over your favorite starch, throw in some bread, and something green like these roasted green beans and you’ve got an amazing comfort meal.

Go gaga over more gravy recipes like the Best Sausage Gravy to pour over biscuits in the morning or this classic Brown Gravy Recipe to add to meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and so much more!

Are these smothered chicken thighs fried?

Basically, yes! This recipe consists of bone in, skin on chicken thighs that are dredged in flour, then fried in butter. However, they won’t finish cooking all the way through while frying. They will be seared until golden brown on both sides, then will finish cooking as they simmer in the gravy. Remember when cooking any type of chicken, it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe for eating!

How To Make One Pan Smothered Chicken

• Cook the bacon. In a large skillet, cook your diced bacon over medium high heat until cooked to your desired crispiness. Set it on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess grease and set aside. 
• Create the chicken coating. While the bacon is sizzling away, combine the flour, garlic and onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Stir to mix. 
• Coat the chicken. Pat dry the chicken thighs to remove excess moisture. Dredge the chicken on each side into the flour mixture. Shake off excess and set any remaining flour mixture aside. 
• Butter the pan and cook the chicken. Once the bacon is done cooking and removed from the pan, add half of the butter to the pan and let it melt. Add the coated chicken and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until nice and golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 
• Make the gravy. Add the rest of the butter to the pan and let it melt again. Sprinkle in one cup of the leftover flour mixture and whisk for about a minute until the butter and flour are combined. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk until the gravy is smooth. 
• Return the seared chicken and bacon to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve. Serve the chicken and gravy over Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes or rice and enjoy!

Storing One Pan Smothered Chicken

Store leftover chicken thighs and gravy in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to store the gravy in a separate container since it makes so much, then I can use it for other dishes! 

Ingredients Notes for One Pan Smothered Chicken

• Bacon –  You can use any type of bacon you like! Thick, thin, applewood smoked, maple, whatever you have or prefer. No matter what you go with you’ll want the bacon to be diced into small chunks. 
• Chicken – Bone in and skin on makes these chicken thighs so crispy and juicy!
• Butter – Salted or unsalted will work here.
• Chicken broth – You could use vegetable broth but I find the chicken adds more flavor.
• Milk – Whole, 2%, or a non dairy substitute (just keep in mind this might make the gravy slightly more runny and you may want to add less, or add more flour as non dairy options tend to be thinner in consistency). 
• Seasoning blend – You can customize your blend but I think the flavors of the Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic and onion combine really well with the bacon flavoring. 

Enjoy!

~Nichole

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4.96 from 94 votes

One Pan Smothered Chicken

By Nichole

One Pan Smothered Chicken features seared chicken and gravy that’s so easy to make in just 30 minutes! Tender, juicy chicken is smothered in a rich and creamy gravy with lots of bacon and makes for a seriously mouthwatering main course.

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 40 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 Slices Bacon, Diced
• ▢ 2 Pounds Chicken Thighs, Bone in and skin on
• ▢ 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ▢ 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Paprika
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
• ▢ 1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• ▢ 1 Stick Butter, Divided
• ▢ 3 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
• ▢ 1 Cup Milk

Instructions 

• Cook the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
• While the bacon is cooking, mix together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl or dish.
• Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and dredge the chicken on each side into the seasoned flour until coated. Shake off any excess flour and set the flour mixture aside for later.
• Once the bacon is removed from the pan, add half of the butter to the pan and allow to melt.
• When the butter is melted, add the flour coated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining butter to the pan and allow it to melt.
• Sprinkle one cup of the remaining seasoned flour to the pan and whisk for 1 minute until the butter and flour are well combined.
• Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk until gravy is smooth.
• Return the cooked chicken and bacon to the pan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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