This Southern Smothered Chicken Recipe is comfort food at its best. It features crisp bacon, lightly breaded chicken breasts, and lusciously creamy, seasoned gravy made with common pantry spices. The family always loves seeing this recipe cooking in the skillet when they come home from work and school.
Smothered chicken is a classic Southern comfort dish of tender chicken smothered in rich, flavorful gravy. This hearty dish will warm your heart and soul. It is one of our favorite chicken dishes and pairs well with many sides, but I love to serve it with instant pot mashed potatoes, southern green beans, and homemade biscuits.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Bacon: Smoked is best because it adds flavor.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If your chicken breasts are oversized, cut them in half or use chicken cutlets. Pound them with a meat mallet if one end is thicker than the other.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. For Louisiana-style smothered chicken, substitute 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning for all the spices.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, cut the salt back a pinch or two.
- Milk: Whole or 2%.
- Chicken broth: Preferably low-sodium.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
How to Make Smothered Chicken
This is a summary; for the full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Cook the bacon until brown and crispy, then chop and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside ¼ cup of the flour mixture.
- Pat the chicken dry and dredge the chicken in the flour.
- Melt a little butter with the bacon grease, add the chicken, and cook until golden brown.
- In the same skillet, whisk in the flour mixture and cook over medium-low heat.
- Slowly stir in the milk and chicken broth, alternating while whisking. Add the chicken back and simmer.
Preparation Tips
- Use the bacon grease to brown the chicken. It adds extra flavor and a crispy texture you can’t beat.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken is done when it hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If the gravy gets too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken broth.
- Remember to scrape the skillet to get those magical browned bacon and flour bits that add flavor to your gravy.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve it over rice, egg noodles, potato foil packets, or garlic mashed potatoes. Try creamed peas and pearl onions, Southern green beans, or sautéed peppers and onions. For dessert, enjoy fried apples or blackberry cobbler.
Southern Smothered Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncooked bacon
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Chop the bacon up and set it aside. Reserve the bacon grease.
- Whisk together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside ¼ cup of the flour mixture.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Dredge the chicken in the remaining flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until it is golden brown on both sides. Plate the chicken.
- Melt enough butter in the skillet to have 4 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the flour that you set aside. Continue whisking and cooking for about 3 minutes, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Slowly add the milk and chicken broth, alternating between the two while whisking constantly. Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes to warm the chicken and finish cooking it.
- Sprinkle with the chopped bacon and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on low in a skillet or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Harley
Whenever I make chicken, my son says it’s ‘too dry’ so this looks like the best thing to try! Thank you for sharing the substitutions as well – it’s very helpful
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Harley!
Lisa
I was just talking about making smothered chicken! This looks absolutely delicious and so comforting. That creamy gravy with the tender chicken is calling my name. I think I may have to put this one on the dinner menu very soon!
Beth Pierce
Thanks. Lisa! Enjoy!
Karen
The chicken turned out moist and delicious, thank you so much for the amazing recipe, love it…A must do again for sure.
K
Wow it’s so good! Thanks . Easy filling dish
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it.
Hadley
Oh wow, this was a very delicious and filling chicken recipe! Thank you for sharing your recipe – it was very easy to follow. I served it over your garlic mashed potatoes and the family loved it.
Karen
The chicken recipe was perfection and it didn’t take a lifetime cook it lol…Thank you so much for sharing this perfect recipe, I will be doing it again for sure.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karen! I am so glad that you enjoyed it.
Laurie Ann
This wa absolutely delicious! We loved it. Even my picky son had seconds. I served it over jasmine rice but next time I am going for mashed potatoes.
Janice W
This is such an easy yet flavorful recipe! Thank you for sharing it – smothered chicken, mashed potatos, and green beans are the perfect meal.
Lindsey
The sauce was creamy and rich. This dish will be on repeat at our house. We love a good chicken recipe.
Beth Pierce
We do too!
Jenny
Chicken is such a staple in our house, this sounds like a really lovely way to enjoy it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jenny! Enjoy!