Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Total time: 55 mins | Servings: 4 PEOPLE
This recipe has been one of my fave and go-to, especially on busy days. It’s made with tender, juicy fried chicken breasts smothered in a crazy luscious gravy with crispy bacon! A restaurant-quality meal that is ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
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1/2 c. Vegetable oil, for frying
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 strips thick-cut bacon
Chicken Dredge:
¼ c. breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
¾ tsp black pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
Gravy:
2.5 c. chicken broth
4 tbsp Flour
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce, can sub Worcestershire sauce
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon better than bouillon
1/3 c. half and half, (half milk, half cream)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp dried sage
¼ tsp dried rosemary
2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional
How to make Smothered Chicken
Step 1: To a large plate, add the chicken dredge ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside. Before starting, measure out the gravy ingredients.
Step 2: On medium-low heat, fry the bacon on each side until crispy. When done, remove the cooked bacon from the pan and pour the grease into a heat-safe bowl, reserving about 2 to 4 tbsp of clear bacon drippings. Lastly, wipe the pan clean.
Step 3: In half lengthwise, slice the chicken breasts to make 2 thinner slices. Over the slices of chicken, put saran wrap over and pound the meat using a meat tenderizer to about 3/4 inch thickness.
Step 4: Before coating the chicken liberally in the flour mixture, make sure to wipe them dry. Coat every nook and cranny.
Step 5: To the same pan where you cooked the bacon, add the reserved bacon drippings and enough vegetable oil to cover the chicken in half. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken 2 at a time and sear for approximately 5 minutes on each side until golden. When done, transfer the seared chicken to a late and seat aside. As needed, slightly decrease the heat and adjust it back up throughout cooking.
Step 6: Drain the oil from the pot and remove any black spots using a paper towel, making sure to leave the brown remnants as this gives a nice flavour to the gravy.
Step 7: To make the Roux: On medium heat, melt the butter. Scrape the bottom of the pan using a silicone spatula. Now, gradually sprinkle in the flour, whisking until it forms a paste.
Step 8: In small increments, add the liquid to the roux, whisking nonstop. Then, gradually add in the beef bouillon along with the soy sauce and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil before decreasing it to a simmer. If desired, add a couple of drops of kitchen bouquet for a darker colour.
Step 9: To the pan, return the chicken along with the juices from the plate. Top the chicken with chopped-up bacon. Now, partially cover the pan and continue to cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes over low heat until the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165 degrees.
Step 10: Remove from the heat when done and serve garnished with parsley. Enjoy the Smothered Chicken with mashed potatoes.
Notes:
You can control the gravy consistency by gradually adding in small increments the chicken broth/half and a half to the roux. This will assure a nice and thick gravy consistency.
If you prefer thicker gravy, allow the gravy to simmer, uncovered.
Or add a splash of half-and-half, milk, or broth for a thinner gravy.
Tips:
To make sure the breading stays on, ensure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken.
Pounding the chicken will create texture on the surface as it gives the breading something to cling on. Also, make sure to get the breading into every nook and cranny.
Feel free to use chicken thighs or pork chops in place of chicken breasts.
I suggest using unsalted butter and/or reduced-sodium broth to control the sodium. You can always adjust how you want it by adding salt.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 666kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1687mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 456IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 5 strips thick-cut bacon
- Chicken Dredge:
- ¼ c. breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- Gravy:
- 2.5 c. chicken broth
- 4 tbsp Flour
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce, can sub Worcestershire sauce
- 1 beef bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon better than bouillon
- 1/3 c. half and half, (half milk, half cream)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp dried sage
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- 2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional
Instructions
Step 1: To a large plate, add the chicken dredge ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside. Before starting, measure out the gravy ingredients.
Step 2: On medium-low heat, fry the bacon on each side until crispy. When done, remove the cooked bacon from the pan and pour the grease into a heat-safe bowl, reserving about 2 to 4 tbsp of clear bacon drippings. Lastly, wipe the pan clean.
Step 3: In half lengthwise, slice the chicken breasts to make 2 thinner slices. Over the slices of chicken, put saran wrap over and pound the meat using a meat tenderizer to about 3/4 inch thickness.
Step 4: Before coating the chicken liberally in the flour mixture, make sure to wipe them dry. Coat every nook and cranny.
Step 5: To the same pan where you cooked the bacon, add the reserved bacon drippings and enough vegetable oil to cover the chicken in half. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken 2 at a time and sear for approximately 5 minutes on each side until golden. When done, transfer the seared chicken to a late and seat aside. As needed, slightly decrease the heat and adjust it back up throughout cooking.
Step 6: Drain the oil from the pot and remove any black spots using a paper towel, making sure to leave the brown remnants as this gives a nice flavour to the gravy.
Step 7: To make the Roux: On medium heat, melt the butter. Scrape the bottom of the pan using a silicone spatula. Now, gradually sprinkle in the flour, whisking until it forms a paste.
Step 8: In small increments, add the liquid to the roux, whisking nonstop. Then, gradually add in the beef bouillon along with the soy sauce and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil before decreasing it to a simmer. If desired, add a couple of drops of kitchen bouquet for a darker colour.
Step 9: To the pan, return the chicken along with the juices from the plate. Top the chicken with chopped-up bacon. Now, partially cover the pan and continue to cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes over low heat until the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165 degrees.
Step 10: Remove from the heat when done and serve garnished with parsley. Enjoy the Smothered Chicken with mashed potatoes.
Notes
To make sure the breading stays on, ensure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken. Pounding the chicken will create texture on the surface as it gives the breading something to cling on. Also, make sure to get the breading into every nook and cranny. Feel free to use chicken thighs or pork chops in place of chicken breasts. I suggest using unsalted butter and/or reduced-sodium broth to control the sodium. You can always adjust how you want it by adding salt.
