Louisiana-Style Smothered Chicken
Classic Beef Stew
Oven-braised smothered chicken and rice with the holy trinity and a dark roux gravy. Deep, glossy, spoon-coating comfort.
The flavor is built in layers: a 24-hour dry brine for the meat, a hard sear for fond, the holy trinity softened in the pot, then a dark roux and hot stock to form the gravy. The oven does the rest, gently braising thighs and drumsticks until they turn tender and the sauce goes rich and silky.
Watch my video to follow along step-by-step.
Smothered Chicken and Rice (Oven Braised)
Yield: 4–6 servings
Active time: 35–45 minutes
Cook time: 60–75 minutes
Dry brine: 24 hours (recommended)
Ingredients
Chicken
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
Coarse sea salt for dry brine: 0.75–1.0% of total chicken weight (including bone)
Example: for about 4 1/2–5 lb (2.0–2.3 kg) chicken, use 15–23 g coarse sea salt
Seasoning blend
Mix together:
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp black pepper (ground; cracked is fine for the chicken)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
Dusting flour
1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
The remaining seasoning blend (after seasoning the chicken)
Trinity + gravy
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
5–6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil or rendered chicken fat, plus more if needed
3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter (for the roux)
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour (for the roux)
3 cups (710 ml) unsalted chicken stock, hot if possible
1 bay leaf
3 tsp dried thyme (1 tsp reserved for gravy)
2 tsp sweet paprika
1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream, added at the end
Apple cider vinegar, to finish: start with 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml), then adjust to taste (up to about 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml))
To serve
Cooked long-grain rice (salted water)
1 bay leaf
Celery leaves, finely chopped (optional garnish)
Method
1) Dry brine (24 hours)
Weigh the chicken (total weight including bone). Sprinkle with coarse sea salt at 0.75–1.0% by weight.
Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.
2) Prep to cook
Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit 30–45 minutes to take the chill off. Keep it uncovered so the skin stays dry.
Pat the chicken dry again.
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
3) Season the chicken, then dust in seasoned flour
Mix the seasoning blend (salt-free) in a small bowl.
Season the chicken pieces evenly on all sides with about half of the seasoning blend. (Use enough to coat; do not cake it on.)
Put the flour in a shallow dish and mix in the remaining seasoning blend.
Dust the chicken lightly in the seasoned flour and shake off excess.
4) Brown the chicken (build fond)
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a thin film of oil.
Brown chicken in batches until deep golden, about 6–8 minutes per side.
Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
5) Sweat the trinity
Reduce heat to medium. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 3 tbsp (45 ml) in the pot.
Add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until soft and glossy, 8–10 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds.
6) Make a dark roux
Push vegetables to the sides to clear a space in the center of the pot.
Add 3 tbsp unsalted butter, then stir in 3 tbsp (24 g) flour.
Stir constantly until the roux reaches dark peanut butter to milk-chocolate, 6–12 minutes.
7) Build the gravy
Stir vegetables into the roux.
Add hot stock gradually, stirring and scraping the pot smooth.
Stir in bay leaf, dried thyme, sweet paprika, and Worcestershire. Bring to a gentle simmer.
8) Oven braise
Nestle chicken back into the gravy and add any juices from the plate.
Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise at 325°F (165°C) for 45–60 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
9) Finish the gravy
Remove chicken to a plate.
Simmer the gravy uncovered on the stovetop 5–10 minutes until it coats a spoon.
Turn off the heat and stir in cream.
Add apple cider vinegar in small amounts, starting with 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml). Taste and adjust.
10) Serve
Spoon rice into bowls, top with chicken, then ladle over the gravy. Garnish with finely chopped celery leaves if using.
Larder Notes
Salt discipline: dry brine salts the chicken; seasoning blend and flour are salt-free; final salt adjustment happens in the finished gravy.
Gravy thickness: the dusting flour contributes body, so keep the roux at 3 tbsp fat : 3 tbsp flour for about 3 cups (710 ml) stock.
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