There's no single recipe for "smothered chicken." The dish means different things to different people. Some cooks use a tomato-based gravy while others add brown gravy; some add vegetables and some don't. But all cooks agree that baking smothered chicken the right way requires using the right equipment and following a proven technique. The steps below explain bake a winning smothered chicken.
Instructions
1. Select bone-in chicken pieces with skin. Boneless pieces bake too quickly and don't add enough depth of flavor. Skinless chicken dries out and tastes bland.
2. Choose a large, heavy bottomed casserole with a tight cover. Your best bet is enameled, cast iron cookware.
3. Start with seasoned, floured chicken. Make sure the chicken is well-browned. Prepare enough vegetables or sauce to smother the chicken so that it doesn't dry out during baking.
4. Place the smothered chicken in the casserole with a minimal amount of liquid. Putting too much liquid "stews" the chicken rather than baking it. Then double-wrap aluminum foil over the pot and place the cover on tightly. This lets the chicken's natural juices accumulate during baking.
5. Start and end with a moderate oven so that the smothered chicken bakes slowly. Maintain a constant temperature of 325 degrees during at least two hours. Your goal is to bake the chicken slowly until it is well done and the meat removes easily from the bone.
6. Add wine or beef during the last 30 minutes of baking. Remove the cover from the casserole to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Tags: smothered chicken, casserole with, during baking, Start with
