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Smothered Chicken

Main Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 lbs chicken pieces (e.g. legs, thighs, breasts, wings) bone in, skin on.
  • 2 tbsp seasoned all purpose flour (see below)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoned Flour Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

Vegetables

  • 1/2 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 large carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2 inch slices
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed into 1/4 cup cold water
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Prep chicken: Trim extra fat from chicken. Place seasoned flour into a bag and season chicken pieces, one at a time, by shaking in bag. Shake off excess flour and discard any remaining flour mixture after all chicken is coated.
  3. Cook chicken: In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Fry chicken on one side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken and repeat on second side. Remove chicken from pan to and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. If your pan is not large enough to fit all the chicken pieces with some space in a single layer, fry in two batches.
  4. Cook vegetables: Add the vegetables and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes. Add chicken back in to the skillet and settle vegetables under and on top of chicken.
  5. Bake: Pour broth into bottom of skillet and mix in the thyme. Cover the skillet (if not oven safe, transfer to a covered roasting pan), place in the oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes.
  6. Finish Sauce: Remove chicken to a plate and set aside while you finish the sauce. Skim grease floating on the top and discard. Place skillet on stove and bring to a boil. Pour in the cornstarch-water slurry and stir until thickened, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, stir in spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add some more chicken broth or water. Place chicken back into the skillet and spoon over sauce to coat it.
  7. Serve: To serve, transfer the entire dish to a deep platter (or serve in the skillet) and serve with rice, mashed potatoes, noodles or with crusty bread. Garnish with parsley or green onions if desired.