Go Back
–+ servings
Square overhead shot of smothered chicken on a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Print Pin

Smothered Chicken with Gravy

Tender, pan-fried chicken cutlets are smothered in a rich, creamy Southern-style gravy for a quick and cozy dinner!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword Smothered Chicken, smothered chicken breast, smothered chicken recipe, smothered chicken with gravy, southern smothered chicken recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 428kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

  • large cast iron skillet

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 1 ½ lbs. total)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Gravy:

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, at room temperature (or more to thin the gravy if desired)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme (or sub with ¾ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or thyme

Instructions

Season and Dredge the Chicken:

  • Pat the chicken cutlets dry. In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of the chicken. Dredge each cutlet lightly in flour, shaking off the excess.

Pan-Fry the Chicken:

  • In a large skillet (cast iron works well), heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through (the meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F). Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Do not clean the skillet.

Make the Gravy:

  • Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in the cream and thyme. Simmer until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Smother the Chicken:

  • Return the cutlets to the skillet, spoon the gravy over the top, and let everything simmer for 1-2 more minutes to heat through.

Serve:

  • Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, if desired. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits to soak up the gravy.

Video

Notes

  • Make it spicy with a pinch of cayenne or a splash of hot sauce.
  • Add bacon. To do so, pan-fry two strips of thick-cut bacon in the same skillet after cooking the chicken. Remove the crispy bacon to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan. Proceed to make the gravy as instructed. At the end, garnish the smothered chicken with the crispy chopped bacon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the chicken and gravy | Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 779mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 659IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg