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Smoothered Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

Main Dishes · 65 minutes

Smoothered Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

By Frida Sofia65 min totalServes 6 servings

This is an incredibly easy, flavorful, comforting chicken dish, made with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand. It makes a generous batch, so expect leftovers, and it is one of my new favorite options when I am feeding a crowd. Shredded chicken can go a lot of different directions, but this caramelized onion version is a sure successful way of making it.

Why You'll Love This

  • Comfort food through and through
  • Great for leftovers. It reheats well and the flavor deepens overnight.
  • Feeds a crowd affordably.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

In my opinion the most flavorful cut for this dish and hold up well to the long simmer, but chicken breast works as a leaner swap (just watch the cooking time, since breast can dry out and cook faster).

Onions

Use yellow onions for the classic sweet, caramelized flavor, but sweet onions work as well

Storage and Freezing

Refrigerate the chicken and mashed potatoes separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.

Freeze the chicken and onion sauce on its own for up to 3 months (mashed potatoes do not freeze well, so it is best to make those fresh when reheating).

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of chicken broth or milk if the sauce or potatoes have thickened too much.

Smoothered Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

15 min

PREP

50 min

COOK

65 min

TOTAL

6 servings

SERVINGS

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1

    Slice the onions and set aside.

  2. 2

    Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden, about 5–10 minutes per side, don't flip too early. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

  4. 4

    Add the butter and sliced onions to the same pan. Season with salt right away, this draws out moisture and helps the onions caramelize. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized.

  5. 5

    While the onions caramelize, peel and dice the potatoes. Add to a pot of water, bring to a boil, and cook until soft enough to mash. Drain, then mash with 2 tablespoons butter and the milk. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

  6. 6

    Once the onions are caramelized, add the chicken broth to the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom to deglaze.

  7. 7

    Return the chicken to the pot along with the thyme and black pepper. Bring to a light boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes. About halfway through, the chicken should be tender enough to shred with two forks, shred it and continue cooking.

  8. 8

    Remove the lid. Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook a few more minutes.

  9. 9

    Serve the chicken and onion sauce over the mashed potatoes.

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