V.M. Burns: This recipe was yummy, but it isn't exactly on my diet (I'm almost always on a diet). However, I just needed some comfort food and this dish had all of the comfort I could want. Bacon (I love bacon), mashed potatoes, and gravy. After this, the poodles and I took an extra lap around the block, but it was so worth it. As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I am thankful to have smothered chicken and mashed potatoes in my life.
Smothered Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 5 strips of bacon
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Lawry's season salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp beef bouillon
- 1/3 cup milk or half and half
- 1 Teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 Teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 Teaspoon ground sage
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the grease and keep 3 Tablespoons for later.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer to flatten until they are about 3/4 inch thick. Pat the chicken with a paper towel until dry.
- Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, Lawry's season salt, and pepper on a large plate. Dredge the chicken into the coating mixture.
- Add the reserved bacon grease into a skillet with the vegetable oil and heat the oil, then add the chicken and fry for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
- Drain the excess oil. Melt the butter over medium heat and use a spatula to scrape up any of the little brown bits. Sprinkle the flour gradually. Whisk continuously until it forms a paste. Add the broth and half and half gradually and in small increments, whisking constantly. If you add too much liquid at one time, then it won't thicken.
- Slowly add the bouillon, soy sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the chicken back to the pan. Chop the bacon and sprinkle it on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook over low heat for another 10-15 minutes. If you have a thermometer, you want the chicken to reach 165 degrees.
READERS: Before I moved to the South, I was Team Brown Gravy. Now, I am converting to Team White Gravy. Which are you? Brown? or White? Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a copy of MURDER ON TOUR the ninth book in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series (US Only). Please remember to include your email address if you want to be included in the giveaway.
Team White. catwoman-1@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteTeam White 1, Team Brown 0. Thank you, and good luck!
DeleteChicken and gravy sounds wonderful. I think I am on both teams, depends on the dish. White for biscuits and gravy, brown for beef or turkey. lroth#pcext.com
ReplyDeleteGood point. I wasn't a biscuits and gravy person until moving to the South either.
DeleteTeam White 2, Team Brown 1. Good luck!
Not a gravy person. cheetahthecat1982ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteThanks. I appreciate the comment.
DeleteThank you for the yummy recipe that I could almost smell cooking as I read it!
ReplyDeleteGrant you, I won't turn down either, but as a true southern gal give me the white gravy any time on anything. The only true exception is when there's roast, mashed potatoes and gravy on the table - then it's brown gravy for sure. That's probably because I grew up with my Mom making it that way.
Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of MURDER ON TOUR, which is already on my TBR list!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Aww. Thank you. I agree about brown gravy for roasts. I'll chalk this up as a win for white gravy. Thanks for the comment and good luck!
DeleteTeam White 3, Team Brown 1.
i'm on team no gravy
ReplyDeletefruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net
Thanks for the comment! Good luck!
DeleteOMG that looks wonderful. I like every kind of gravy!!
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty tasty, but then it had bacon!!!
DeleteTeam White 3, Team Brown 2.
thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I love gravy, period. lol so depending on my mood, what I have available and what it is gong with will all depend on which gravy I make. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
ReplyDeleteI love gravy, too. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteTeam White 4, Team Brown 2. Good luck!
I love both brown and white gravy, depending on what food it accompanies. It's brown gravy on beef roast, and white gravy with biscuits and chicken fried steak!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Good point. I agree.
DeleteTeam White 5, Team Brown 3. Good luck!
I’m for any kind of gravy
ReplyDeleteWskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com
Me too.
DeleteTeam White 6, Team Brown 4. Good luck!
Thanks for your yummy recipe. I don't use gravy but definitely would for this recipe and a special occasion. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteWOW! This recipe is GRRREAT!!!, as Tony the Tiger would say! I love gravy of any color, so bring it on! Recently we went to a diner, so my wife could have liver and onions :-( ...so I selected Chicken Fried Steak, which had plenty of delicious white gravy, like yours (I am sure not as tasty as yours), and that was the first time in years that I had gravy. Now I must make this dish to qualify as a gravy team member :-) Thank you for sharing your cozy mysteries AND all the delicious recipes with us eager readers/eaters luis at ole dot travel
ReplyDeleteROFL! I now have the visual of Tony the Tiger!! Thanks so much Luis. I love Chicken Fried Steak and always have white gravy on that. In the South, sausage gravy with biscuits is HUGE! Maybe I'll have to get a recipe for that, too. Anyway, will add you to both gravy teams. Thanks for the comment and good luck!
DeleteTeam White 7, Team Brown 5. Good luck!
White would be my choice and this looks delectable. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank you. Team White Gravy is in the lead!
DeleteTeam White 8, Team Brown 5. Good luck!
Vegetarian, here, who has to say - that looks soooooo good!
ReplyDeleteGravy is good on loaves, burgers, grains, etc. All in a vegetarian's life.
DeleteMolly, I agree with Libby that gravy works on veggies and biscuits. :-)
DeleteMy mother used to make southern fried chicken and then make gravy in the pan she used to cook the chicken. That made sure all the brown bits from the chicken got mixed into the gravy.
ReplyDeleteFor years I asked for her fried chicken for special dinners. It took years before I realized what I really wanted was the gravy! The chicken was just a means to an end!
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Libby, I love this story. Thanks for sharing. Good luck!
DeleteI'm on team both! It looks so good! Would love to win your book because I like this series! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, I have added you to both and you're entered for the giveaway. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteTeam White 9, Team Brown 6. Good luck!
Wow does this look good! I like both gravies but really like a good white gravy with chicken. Thank you for the chance to win. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteThank you. It did hit the spot. I will add you to team white gravy. Thanks for the comment and good luck!
DeleteTeam White 10, Team Brown 6.
Congratulations on another book! I've never had white gravy so I guess I'm Team Brown Gravy. But it looks really good. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteThank you. Before moving to the South, I only had white gravy on chicken fried steak. It's really popular hear on biscuits and gravy. If you're ever in Tennessee (or any other southern state), you'll see it on the menu. I highly recommend it. Thanks for the comment and good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteTeam White 10, Team Brown 7.
I'm team both, depending on the dish. I like a gravy or sauce on a dinner, it's a a good finishing touch. I'm definitely going to try this recipe.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
AWESOME! I hope you like it. Thanks for the comment and I'll put you on both.
DeleteTeam White 11, Team Brown 8.
I like both types, depending on the dish.
ReplyDelete.jtcgc at yahoo dot com
Agreed. Thanks for the comment and good luck!
DeleteTeam White 12, Team Brown 9.
I have tried both and I think it depends on what it is being served with. Both can be good depending on the recipe it is being used for. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. Both are great. Thanks for the comment and good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteTeam White 13, Team Brown 10.
I’m a Texan, so white gravy with chicken fried steak is a must along with biscuits and gravy. Karen Carter carter.karen@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
DeleteI love both white and brown gravy!! So this is a hard one. I choose both! Thanks so much for that chance!!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks. Team White 15. Team Brown 11. Good luck!
Delete