Smothered Chicken Casserole
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This smothered chicken casserole is pure comfort food. Full of flavor, and done in about 45 minutes, this is a family friendly weeknight favorite.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
We are super into meat-covered-with-gravy type recipes, as evidenced in my Smothered Pork Chops (Slow Cooker) and my Hamburger Steak Recipe (Stovetop).
This smothered chicken recipe is prepped in a large skillet on the stove top, then transferred to the oven for finishing off. You can also just use an oven safe skillet if you wish and save on dishes. If you are doubling this recipe, a casserole dish is a good option.
This is a real winner with my whole family, and is a great recipe to prep ahead and bake on busy weeknights after you get home.
Some simple side dishes and you are good to go!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This has a reasonably quick prep time, and is hands off the second you put it in the oven! This leaves you time to make some sides, and call your family for dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does smothered chicken come from?
It depends who you ask. I think most cultures have some form of meat-covered-with-gravy, but it’s technically a Cajun/Creole cooking technique.
Absolutely! You could skip the sour cream at the end if you are worried about freezing a dish containing dairy (I do it though). Check the notes box for freezer instructions.
About 5 days. After that point, it becomes unsafe to eat. You are unlikely to have leftovers for long once you taste this though!
What goes with Smothered Chicken?
With most main dishes, I like to include a starch and a vegetable or two.
Mashed potatoes or Smashed Potatoes are always a good option, along with buttered noodles, cooked rice, quinoa or some farro.
Roasted broccoli will be a hit, or you could fire up the stove top and make sautéed green beans.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Kylee’s Notes
Cast iron skillets can be transferred from stove top to oven, without the need to move the chicken to a baking dish.
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
You can sub in heavy cream for the sour cream/yogurt if you prefer. We’re just looking for a creamy richness.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are okay to sub for the chicken thighs. Cut them into strips.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen after cooking. I use zip lock bags and put the food in, and press them flat. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat and enjoy!
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- French Onion Soup. This flavors the gravy. If you don’t have it on hand, check the box below for how to make your own French onion soup mix.
- Flour. All purpose flour is used to coat the chicken and forms part of the gravy.
- Olive Oil. Used to brown up the chicken. Vegetable oil can be used.
- Chicken. I use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the best flavor. Boneless skinless breasts can be used instead, as well as chicken tenderloins if that is what you have on hand. The cut of chicken doesn’t matter!
- Bacon. I use a thick cut bacon, but any bacon is good, even turkey bacon!
- Onion. Dice these up roughly.
- Water. You can use chicken broth or chicken stock to add extra flavor if you prefer.
- Thyme. I use fresh thyme, but dried can be used.
- Sour Cream. I use sour cream, yogurt or heavy cream depending on what I have at home.
How to make your own French Onion Soup Mix
This recipe uses a short cut in the form of a packaged French onion soup mix, but you can use the following instead:
1/4 cup onion flakes
2 tablespoons of beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/8 paprika
pinch of salt and pepper
Recommended Equipment/Tools
(affiliate links may be used here, which helps me earn some pennies – with no increased pricing to you)
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- Tongs
How to make this recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
JumpGet prepped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C)
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degrees F (180 degrees C)
Coat the chicken pieces
Add the soup mix and flour into a zip lock bag, add the chicken breasts and shake it to coat them. You can also add the seasoned flour to a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken that way.
Save the excess flour mix.
Brown the chicken
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over. Turn them often, but carefully because it will take off the coating if you aren’t! It will not be fully cooked, it will finish cooking in the oven.
Take the browned chicken out and put it in a casserole dish, along with any accumulated juices. Set on a plate if you are going to use your skillet to bake the chicken too.
Cook the bacon and onions
Add bacon and onions to the pan. Stir constantly (scraping the bottom of the pan to get up the yummy browned bits) until onions are soft.
Make the gravy
Blend the remaining flour mixture into a cup of water and add it along with the fresh thyme to the hot skillet with the onions and bacon.
Cook for a couple of minutes, then pour over the chicken in the casserole dish.
Bake
Cover chicken with foil, then bake for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
Remove the chicken, and stir in sour cream/yogurt,
Replace chicken in the gravy and mix to coat.
Devour
More Easy Chicken Recipes to love
- This Italian Style Mozzarella Skillet is the stuff of DREAMS. Try it!
- Pesto Stuffed Chicken (with Cream Cheese). Super easy to make, finishes in the oven for some hands-off cooking! Creamy and delicious, everyone will love this dinner!
- Balsamic Glazed Chicken. A simple homemade sauce is used to baste the chicken as it cooks. The result is tender chicken with a slightly sweet, and tangy taste.
- Chicken Divan. A classic casserole with broccoli, chicken, cheese and a crunchy topping. You will make this family favorite over and over!
- Lemon Butter Chicken. A quick & easy dinner, packed full of flavor. Great for a weeknight meal when you are staring at the fridge and pantry “what to make?
- ALL Weeknight Recipes
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Smothered Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 ounces dry French onion soup 1 envelope
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 large boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, roughly diced
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt
Instructions
Get prepped
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (180℃)
Coat the chicken
- Add 1 ounces dry French onion soup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour into a zip lock bag, add the 6 large boneless skinless chicken thighs separately, and shake it to coat them.
- Save the excess flour mix.
Cook the chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan – and add the chicken and cook until browned all over. Turn them often, but carefully because it will take off the coating if you aren't!
- Take the chicken out and put it in a casserole dish.
Cook the bacon and onions
- Add 3 slices bacon, diced and 1 large onion, roughly diced to the pan. Stir constantly over medium heat until onions are soft.
Make the gravy
- Blend the saved flour mixture into1 cup water, and add it along with th1 tablespoon fresh thyme to the pan with the onions and bacon.
- Cook for a couple of minutes, then pour over the chicken in the casserole dish.
Bake
- Cover with foil, then bake for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken, and stir in 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt.
- Replace chicken in the gravy and mix to coat.
- Devour
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
This was really good! Both my kids liked it which is rare. I used bone-in, skin on thighs so it took a little longer in the oven and I doubled the water/soup mix and bacon. YUM!!
I’m going to try your smothered chicken casserole this Sunday. It looks easy and delicious. Thx so much.
I must admit – I didn’t use chicken. We had some pork loin cuts, and when I read this I believed they would work — now I’ve saved this as one of our favorite flexible recipes. However the meat is the only thing I would change, oh- and I didn’t have fresh thyme. The bacon was diced finely and Beloved Husband didn’t notice it, but did keep talking about flavor. It was served with rice, but would be good with just fresh veggies. Definitely a keeper for our rotation menu. Thanks for sharing.
Smother Chicken Casserole. Great dish, the only problem was the onion. It does not say how to slice it in the recipe, but in the pictures it showed it diced or “rough cut”. I sliced the onion in half from top to bottom and laid the cut side on the board and cut from top to bottom. This matches the strips in the Onion Soup and made for a better bite.
Very tasty! Easy to make.