Sylvias Smothered Chicken Recipes

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prework: Add chicken dredge ingredients to a large plate and toss to combine. Set aside. Measure out gravy ingredients prior to beginning.
• Cook the Bacon: Fry bacon over medium-low heat until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan and pour grease into a heat-safe bowl. Reserve 2-4 Tablespoons of clear bacon drippings. Wipe any black residue from the pan if needed.
• Slice & Pound the Chicken: While the bacon cooks, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Place saran wrap over them and use a meat tenderizer to pound them to about 3/4 inches thick. This gives them a little more texture for the flour dredge to hold on to. They'll plump up more when cooked.
• Coat the Chicken: Wipe the chicken dry and coat generously in the flour mixture, get in every nook and cranny.
• Cook the Chicken: Add the reserved bacon drippings to the clean pan and enough vegetable oil to cover the chicken by half. Heat over medium-high heat. Once heated and glistening, add the chicken. Fry 2 at a time for about 5 minutes per side, until they have a nice golden sear. Set aside on a plate. Adjust heat down slightly and back up throughout cooking as needed.
• Drain the oil: Remove the oil from the pot and use a paper towel to remove any black spots from the pan, but leave any brown remnants. This is called 'fond' and will give the gravy a nice flavor.
• Make the Roux: Melt the butter over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to "clean" the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the flour gradually, whisking continuously, until a paste forms.
• Add the Broth and Half and Half: Add the liquid in small increments, whisking constantly. It will thicken up in between each splash of liquid. If you add it all at once, you'll "break" the roux and it won't be thick.
• Add remaining gravy ingredients: Slowly add the beef bouillon, soy sauce, and seasonings.
• Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add a few drops of kitchen bouquet if a darker color is desired.
• Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juice from the plate.
• Chop up the bacon and add it to the top of the chicken.
• Cover partially and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees prior to serving.
• Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes.

SYLVIA'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Trim the excess fat from the chicken pieces and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
• Season 2 cups of the flour with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of salt and pepper.
• Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour until coated on all sides.
• Shake off any excess flour.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy deep skillet (cast-iron is perfect) over medium heat until the edge of a chicken piece dipped into the oil gives off a lively sizzle. Add as many chicken pieces to the skillet 4 as will fit without touching.
• Fry until the pieces are browned on all sides, about 6 min utes.
• Adjust the heat as necessary during frying to keep a lively sizzle without over-browning.
• Remove the fried chicken to drain and repeat with the remaining pieces.
• Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of drippings from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, peppers, and celery to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and tender, about 10 minutes.
• Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet and sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the other side of the skillet. Cook the flour until golden brown, stirring constantly.
• Be careful not to let the flour burn.
• Slowly pour in the water and stir until the gravy is smooth.
• Divide the chicken between two heavy skillets with lids or place them all in a large heavy Dutch oven.
• Top with the gravy and vegetables and cover the skillets or Dutch oven tightly.
• Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary .
• Serve the chicken, spooning some of the gravy and vegetables over each piece. Pass extra gravy.

SYLVIA'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Trim the excess fat from the chicken pieces and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
• Season 2 cups of the flour with the remaining salt and pepper; dredge the chicken in the flour until coated on all sides (shake off any excess flour).
• Over medium heat, heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet (cast-iron is best) until the edge of a chicken piece dipped into the oil gives off a lively sizzle.
• Add as many chicken pieces into the skillet as you can, but make sure the pieces do not touch.
• Fry until the chicken pieces are browned on all sides, about 6 minutes; adjust the heat as necessary during frying to keep a lively sizzle without overbrowning.
• Remove the fried chicken to drain and repeat with the remaining pieces.
• When all the chicken pieces have been fried, pour off all but 4 tablespoons of drippings from the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions, peppers, and celery to the skillet.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and tender, about 10 minutes.
• Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour over the other side of the skillet; cook the flour until golden brown, stirring constantly--be careful not to let the flour burn.
• Slowly pour in the water and stir until the gravy is smooth.
• Divide the chicken between two heavy skillets with lids or place them all in a large heavy Dutch oven.
• Top with the gravy and vegetables; cover tightly.
• Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.
• Serve, spooning some of the gravy and vegetables over each piece of chicken; pass the extra gravy.