Smothered Chicken and Gravy

Smothered chicken and gravy is a popular southern meal full of tender chicken, flavorful homemade pan gravy served over mashed potatoes or rice. This is a recipe that will fill your home with lovely inviting smells.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy comfort food meal for a cold night or after a day of hard work, look no further. You can pull this smothered chicken dinner together in just under 30 minutes. Or if you’re looking for a recipe you can set and forget – I’ve also included instructions for making this chicken and gravy in a slow cooker.

This smothered chicken recipe is one of those stick-to-your-rib meals that will make a man fall in love with you (all over again).

Why You’ll Love Smothered Chicken and Gravy

Easy recipe that you can make in just under 30 minutes
Perfect meal for a cold night
Crock-pot friendly, instructions are below
Your house will be full of warm, inviting smells
So much flavor it tastes like tons of time went into this recipe

Key Ingredients

You may have most of the ingredients needed already in your pantry and fridge. Here is an overview of the ingredients needed for this smothered chicken and gravy recipe. Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for a full detailed list of ingredients:

Chicken breasts – I use chicken cutlets, or pound breasts thinly for even, tender cooking.
Aromatics – garlic, onion, and celery are all used for maximum flavor
Seasonings – my favorite poultry seasoning is used for a nostalgic smell and perfectly seasoned chicken and gravy.
Butter – a half stick is needed as well as a little olive oil.
Chicken stock – you could use broth, but stock has much more flavor. Low sodium is always my preference so I can control the amount of salt in my dishes.
Sour Cream – just a 1/3 cup is used to add some creaminess to the gravy.
Potatoes or Rice for serving.

How to Make Smothered Chicken and Gravy

Step 1: Season and Cook Chicken
Season up the chicken well on all sides with the poultry seasoning, adding olive oil first so the seasonings adhere. I set this aside for 10 minutes while I cut up the onion and celery and mince my garlic. 

Cook the chicken in the skillet, flipping only once and adding butter once it’s flipped. Set the cooked chicken aside under tended foil. 

Step 2: Make the Gravy
In the same pan, add the remaining butter along with the onion, garlic, and celery. Add in seasonings and flour and cooking for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring to a low boil and shred the chicken as it comes to temp. Add in the shredded chicken, turn heat to low and cover. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

Step 3: Finish and Serve
Finish off the gravy by adding sour cream and stirring until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve over buttery mashed potatoes or buttery rice.

Tools I Love

My Favorite Poultry Seasonings (Chicken Fried Steak)

15″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Disposable Cutting Boards

Looking for More Comfort Foods?

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

I hope you enjoyed this recipe for smothered chicken and gravy! Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback! If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!

Smothered Chicken and Gravy

5 from 6 votes

By Mallory Austin

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Served over buttery mashed potatoes or rice, this smothered chicken and gravy is super tender and so full of flavors. This is a meal that will warm your heart. Easily prepare this chicken and gravy on the stove or set it and forget it in a slow cooker.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ▢ 2 lbs. chicken cutlets or breasts (breasts pounded thin for even cooking)
• ▢ 1/2 stick butter 4 tbsp
• ▢ poultry seasoning (below) I love Savory Spice Store's chicken fried steak seasoning
• ▢ 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups chicken stock low sodium
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 1 stalk celery, diced
• ▢ 1/3 cup sour cream
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ buttery potatoes or rice for serving

Optional Poultry Seasoning

• ▢ 1/2 tsp smoked paprika regular paprika works instead
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp onion granules onion powder works instead
• ▢ 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 1/2 tsp dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1/4 tsp dried sage

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (optional)

• ▢ 4 lbs russet potatoes
• ▢ 3/4 tsp salt
• ▢ 1.5 cups half and half warmed
• ▢ 1 stick salted butter softened
• ▢ 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded mozzarella, pepper jack, etc.
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ pepper to taste about 1/2 tsp each

Instructions 

Cook the Chicken

• In a medium bowl or zip-top bag, add chicken with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few spoonfuls of poultry seasoning. Work the seasoning into the chicken, ensuring it's well coated on all sides. Set aside while prepping other ingredients.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook about 3 minutes or until underside is browned. Flip only once.
• After you flip the chicken, reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Continue cooking until internal temp reaches 165 degrees (about 8 minutes).
• Remove chicken and set aside on a plate with tented foil to rest.

Make the Gravy

• In the same pan over medium-low, add remaining butter then diced onions. Saute 1-2 minutes until they begin softening. Add in the garlic and celery and cook until garlic is fragrant, another minute.
• Sprinkle the flour over the veggies along with 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, mixing as it cooks.
• Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up the brown bits in the bottom of the pan. While the stock heats, shred the chicken using two forks. Reduce heat to low. Add the chicken into the pan, cover, and bring to a low simmering boil allowing sauce to thicken (about 8-10 minutes).
• Turn off heat, add sour cream into the pan and stir until incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

Mashed Potatoes (optional)

• Peel potatoes and cut into quarters so they are all roughly the same size. Bring water to boil n a large pot over high heat, add 3/4 tsp salt to the water. Cook potatoes until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
• Strain potatoes and add them back into the pot on the stove (off the heat). Add in the stick of softened butter along with the warm half and half, a 1/2 cup at a time.
• Mash the potatoes, working the half & half and butter into the potatoes until smooth. Add in shredded cheese and mix into the hot potatoes along with the garlic powder and seasonings. Continue to mash until smooth and cheese has melted. Taste and adjust as neeeded to your liking.

Notes

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Season up the chicken by rubbing it with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a few spoonfuls of chicken seasoning, ensuring it's fully coated on all sides.

Make a roux in the microwave by melting 4 tablespoons of butter in a heat-safe glass bowl. To the melted butter add 3 tablespoons of flour, whisk to combine and heat together for one minute. Mix well then add into the crock pot. 

Then into the slow cooker add in the garlic, onion, celery, 1 tablespoon of additional chicken seasoning, and 2 cups of chicken stock. Whisk until combined.

Add in the chicken, submerging them into the liquid. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Once it's finished cooking, shred the chicken and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

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