Smothered chicken is a 30-minute, one-pan meal made with tender, seasoned chicken breasts and caramelized onions simmered in a homemade gravy served with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta!
Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to thin them and season with salt and pepper.
2 chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
In a large skillet or cast iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until melted and then add the chicken filets.
2 tablespoon butter
Cook the chicken for 4 minutes then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it's just barely cooked through. Be careful not to overcooking as it will become more tough. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate.
Add the olive oil to the same skillet and add the sliced onions. Sauté the onion for 5-7 minutes or until golden the start to caramelize.
2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion
Then, add in the minced garlic and stir to fragrant.
2 garlic cloves
Next, add the chicken broth, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and thyme and stir to combine well and bring to a boil.
1 cup chicken broth, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Thicken the sauce:
Add the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Then, stir it into the sauce. This prevents lumps and creates a smooth sauce.
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Reduce the heat and add the cooked chicken breast back to the skillet.
Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and for the chicken to be fully cooked until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
Serve over mashed potato, egg noodles, rice or pasta. Spoon the sauce over the chicken
Garnish with fresh herbs, such as chopped fresh parsley or chives.
Notes
VariationsAdd 4 strips of cooked and crumbled bacon to the sauce.Add a cup of baby spinachUse boneless, skinless chicken thighs if desired.Swap the cream for whole milk, low fat milk or non-dairy milk. Make it spicy by adding 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ½ teaspoon or more red pepper flakes. Slice the chicken into even thickness so it will cook evenly.Pound the chicken for extra tenderness. You can place it between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or in a plastic baggie and pound with a meat mallet.Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Reheat in the microwave on 60% power level just until heated through to avoid overcooking the chicken.