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Onion Smothered Chicken

Name: Onion Smothered Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts; ⅓ cup arrowroot powder (or corn starch ); ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; ½ tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp onion powder; ½ tsp paprika; 1 tbsp oil; 2 tbsp butter (or ghee); 2 onions (thinly sliced); 1 1/4 cups chicken stock; 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (or coconut aminos/soy sauce ); 1/2 cup whole milk or cream ((or unsweetened almond milk))

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This Smothered Chicken Recipe with Onion Gravy combines juicy, crisp chicken breasts with a rich, creamy onion sauce. Savory and filling it’s an easy comfort food dinner that cooks in a single skillet in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, it will become a staple in your home!

This homemade onion gravy smothered chicken is one of my all-time favorite dishes! I make it every year at the beginning of gravy weather (also known as sweater weather) when the air starts to turn a bit cold. There’s just something about the tender chicken and rich sauce that warms me up from the inside out and leaves me feeling satisfied and content. Plus, it comes together with minimal prep time and is a bit healthier than your standard breaded chicken recipe. Gluten-free, high-protein, and easy to make dairy-free and Paleo, it’s one of the best crowd-pleasing comfort foods that never disappoints. Even better, leftovers store well meaning you can cook once, and enjoy delicious, hearty meals for days!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Onion Smothered Chicken

What is Smothered Chicken?

Ingredients You Will Need to Make This Onion Smothered Chicken Recipe

How to Make Smothered Chicken with Easy Onion Gravy

Can I Make This Recipe Dairy-Free?

Can I Replace the Arrowroot Powder?

How Can I Add More Flavor?

What To Serve With This Smothered Chicken

What About Leftovers?

Onion Smothered Chicken

Why You’ll Love This Onion Smothered Chicken

With minimal prep time and a quick cooking time, this entire dish is ready to eat in about 30 minutes.
The delicious sauce which is packed full of caramelized onions is so flavorful, no judgement if you find yourself licking the plate clean.
Rich and savory, this recipe is a high-protein comfort food that will leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
With simple ingredients you likely already have on hand, this smothered chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner for everyone from professional chefs to beginner cooks.
The savory flavors pair well with a variety of side dishes for a complete, nutritious meal the whole family will enjoy!

What is Smothered Chicken?

If you’re unfamiliar, smothered chicken, also sometimes known as chicken and gravy, is a type of chicken dish that features breaded chicken that’s often cooked in a pan and served over mashed potatoes or rice. There are many variations of the dish with origins ranging from West Africa to France, and some versions even showcase Creole influence. Regardless of the exact ingredients, all smothered chicken recipes are cooked in a pan with butter and/or oil, aromatics, and some type of flour to create a thick gravy that is spooned on top of the meat. For this dish, we’re recreating a classic Southern smothered chicken recipe, featuring breaded, pan-seared chicken breast and a delicious creamy gravy. The ultimate delicious, easy dinner, it’s a true Southern comfort food!

Ingredients You Will Need to Make This Onion Smothered Chicken Recipe

Chicken: I use two large skinless boneless chicken breasts because the lean meat takes on the flavor of the breading nicely. However, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs or even pork chops if preferred. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.
Arrowroot powder: This works as a wonderful thickening agent, eliminating the need for flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. It also removes any risk of raw flour flavor.
Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika form the base of the chicken breading, adding a savory taste with just a hint of spice.
Oil: Use any oil with a high-smoke point to cook the chicken breast. I like olive oil, but avocado oil will also work.
Large Yellow Onion: Thinly sliced onions add a pungent, savory, slightly sweet taste that pairs so well with the rich gravy. I prefer the sweeter taste of yellow onions (also known as sweet onions or Vidalia onions), but you can also use white onions. Just make sure not to use red onions as they’re too tangy for this dish!
Worcestershire Sauce: This is simply added to help darken the color of the sauce and can easily be substituted for soy sauce or coconut aminos. Without this the sauce will be a much paler color.
Chicken stock: Feel free to substitute chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, or beef stock if you prefer.
Cream or whole milk: This creates the rich taste and velvety consistency we want from the sauce. However, you can use whole or 2% milk if needed. Just note that the consistency will be a bit thinner. Alternatively for a dairy free option swap the milk for unsweetened plant based milk such as almond milk or oat milk.

You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

How to Make Smothered Chicken with Easy Onion Gravy

Butterfly the chicken, by cutting it in half through the center, creating two equal-sized thin pieces. Stir the arrowroot powder and seasonings on a plate or shallow dish until well combined. Then, dredge the chicken pieces through the mixture, coating them evenly on all sides, and gently shaking off any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add the seasoned chicken breasts to the hot skillet, and cook on both sides for about 4 minutes or until it is golden brown, and set the breaded chicken aside on a plate.
Add the butter to the bottom of the pan along with the onions, and let the mixture cook over medium-low heat until the onions soften and turn golden in color. Then, add the chicken stock and ½ cup of cream to the pan of caramelized onions. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. You don’t want it to heat so much that it comes to a rapid boil!
In the meantime, whisk the remaining arrowroot powder and ¼ cup chicken stock in a small bowl. Once well combined, pour it into the pan, stirring until smooth, and leave the sauce to simmer for another 3-4 minutes or until it thickens.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan, and spoon the sauce over top. Garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy warm, scraping up any meat drippings from the pan!

Can I Make This Recipe Dairy-Free?

Yes! For a dairy-free option, simply use almond milk or your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk in place of heavy cream. Then, swap the butter with coconut oil or your favorite plant-based butter. The texture of the gray won’t be quite as thick, and the flavor of the dish won’t be quite as rich, but it will still be tasty.

Can I Replace the Arrowroot Powder?

Yes, if you don’t have arrowroot powder or can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can substitute cornstarch or all-purpose flour instead, Or, use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour if you need to keep this recipe gluten-free. Follow the directions as normal, adding an extra splash of stock as needed if your gravy seems a bit too thick for your liking.

How Can I Add More Flavor?

Thanks to the caramelised onion in the homemade onion gravy recipe, this smothered chicken is a main dish packed with savory flavor as it is! However, if you want to add extra depth of flavor, you can try adding a dash of Dijon mustard, a pinch of cayenne pepper, crispy bacon, a little butter, or Worcestershire sauce to the homemade gravy. Adjust the ingredients as needed, adding more stock as needed to thin it back out.

What To Serve With This Smothered Chicken

I love to serve this dish over creamy mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash to soak up every last bit of the sauce! It’s also great over white rice, brown rice, or egg noodles Then, I add a veggie side dish for extra nutrients. Some of my favorite options include:

What About Leftovers?

After cooling to room temperature, this caramelized onion gravy smothered chicken recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing leftover smothered chicken, because the sauce won’t thaw well! To reheat, warm individual portions covered in the microwave set to 50% for one-minute intervals until warm. Or, heat the dish in a pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add a splash of stock or water to the gravy as needed to loosen it back up.

Here are a few more chicken recipes that you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!