I will do whatever it takes to convince you to make this for dinner tonight.
This is hands-down our favorite chicken recipe of the year — an irresistible skillet chicken with mushrooms that everyone in my house begs for. The gravy is so good you’ll want to drink it. The skin crisps up perfectly and is worth fighting over. The combination of flavors is incredible; I’m honestly annoyed with myself that I’m not making this for dinner right now.
It might not be the prettiest-looking dinner — in fact, it may be one of the ugliest things I’ve photographed — but the taste more than makes up for it.
This recipe is my take on Craig Claiborne’s smothered chicken from the New York Times. I’ve made it so many times this year I’ve lost count. It’s actually a version of chicken “under a brick”: you spatchcock the bird, flatten it, and weight it down while it cooks. You don’t need a literal brick — a heavy plate or a small baking dish with weights works great. Removing the backbone and flattening the chicken sounds intimidating, but it’s straightforward once you try it.
The best part — besides the gravy and the tender chicken — is the ultra-crispy skin. I made this constantly before our kitchen remodel and it was one of the first meals I cooked after the renovation was done. These days I make it almost weekly. I don’t cook it as much in high summer because it warms up the kitchen, and the gravy feels like comfort food more than light summer fare. Still, I’ve been making it constantly since late August because it’s that good.
I wasn’t sure about sharing it because the dish isn’t glamorous, but the flavor convinced me to post it anyway.
The chicken cooks in a cast iron skillet and the pan drippings form the base of a rich gravy that the chicken finishes cooking in. I’m not usually a huge chicken person, especially during pregnancy, but I could happily eat a plate of this with gravy and call it dinner — no sides required. That said, mashed potatoes are a killer pairing.
One of my favorite accompaniments is simple thyme-buttered mushrooms. They cook until soft and juicy and make the perfect topping or side for the chicken. They’re flavorful and pair beautifully with the gravy. This dish reminds me of an older recipe I shared years ago — caramelized chicken with mushroom sauce — which remains a reader favorite. If you loved that one, you’ll want to try this too.
For now, I’ll shout from the rooftops: make this. Consider serving it with mashed or roasted potatoes or rice for a truly satisfying meal.
Skillet Smothered Chicken with Thyme Butter Mushrooms
4
serves 4
1 hr 30 mins
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Ingredients
- 1 3 to 4 pound whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
Thyme Butter Mushrooms
- 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Note: use something heavy to press the chicken — a baking dish or plate with weights, cans, or dumbbells works well.
- Spatchcock the chicken by cutting out the backbone and flattening the bird. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium. Add the butter and, once melted, place the chicken skin-side down, tucking wings underneath. Put the weighted plate or dish on top and cook 25–30 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden.
- Remove the weights, flip the chicken so it’s skin-side up, replace the weights, and cook 15–20 minutes more.
- After this cook time, transfer the chicken to a plate. Keep the pan drippings (up to about 1/4 cup is fine). Whisk in the minced garlic and the flour to form a roux; cook until golden and fragrant. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock until the gravy thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin-side up, cover with the plate and weights, and cook another 20–30 minutes until tender.
- To serve, pull the chicken apart — it should fall apart easily — and spoon gravy over it. Top with thyme butter mushrooms. This is fantastic on its own but also amazing with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or rice.
Thyme Butter Mushrooms
- Heat a skillet over medium-low and add the butter and olive oil. Add the mushrooms and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until soft and juicy, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in thyme, season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.
Notes
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And forgive it for its lack of beauty.