Happy Wednesday everyone!  It’s been a crazy two weeks for us with two recent deaths in the family and traveling but I still managed to cook some pretty delicious dinners.  This Smothered Chicken dinner is generously layered with sautéed chicken, baby Bella mushrooms, green onions, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and a flavorful buttery broth and then baked in the oven until cheese is melted and crispy around the edges!

What is Smothered Chicken?

Smothering meat, seafood or vegetables is a cooking technique used in both Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana. The technique involves cooking in a covered pan over low heat with a moderate amount of liquid, and can be regarded as a form of stove-top braising.

The Best Sides For Smothered Chicken:

Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Vegetables
Steamed Broccoli – I chose to use steamed broccoli to accompany this dish by steaming the broccoli for approximately 10 minutes with some salt and pepper and a pat of butter
Salad
Baked Beans
Macaroni and Cheese
Green Beans
Corn
Rice

How to make Smothered Chicken:

First step was to melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium sized cast iron skillet and cooked the mushrooms over medium heat for approximately 3 – 5 minutes.  I set aside in a small bowl in the microwave to keep warm.

After the mushrooms were done, I used the flat side of a meat mallet on four large chicken breasts for this meal by placing them in a plastic zip lock bag and flattened them out until approximately 1/4 inch thickness.  These chicken breasts fit perfectly in a large cast iron skillet which I dredged in flour and seasoned with a pinch of garlic salt and pepper and sautéed them in a pan with some olive oil and butter until cooked through.

The key here is to cover the chicken with foil or a lid and then remove once the chicken is cooked through.  This made the chicken so tender and juicy but uncovering the last few minutes allowed the chicken to get brown.  I cooked the chicken uncovered for 4-5 minutes.

 

After the chicken was cooked through with a slight brown color on the outside, I set aside and used the same pan to create my broth.  The broth (which is more like gravy) took some time because instead of using Marsala wine, I chose to create my own concoction :-). Mr. TAL tastes everything and I was given the thumbs up so I hope you like it!  Using the chicken drippings and mushroom juices, I melted butter in the same pan and added cornstarch and water (do this in a separate bowl before pouring into pan), white Zinfandel, red wine vinegar, chicken broth (I used low sodium) and Better Than Bouillon Chicken (this is more like the consistency of tomato paste) together to create a rich sauce to pour over my chicken.

Assembly:

Using a 9 x 13 baking dish (I used Pioneer Woman’s baking dish), grease the bottom and sides of the dish and add your chicken.
Layer the chicken with heaping piles of mushrooms and pour the broth over the chicken.
Add layers of remaining mushrooms, cheeses, broth and top with green onions and any leftover mushrooms.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crispy around the edges.

This chicken is incredibly flavorful, moist, butter, tangy, and cheesy!  I hope you enjoy it and comment below if you try it!  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Interested in more recipes from Two Adorable Labs, check them out here: