Smothered Southern Chicken

This recipe is from Carla Hall and it looked so good I made it both ways smothered with Chicken as the recipe below and then the German style noted at bottom with pork chops just same method. The chicken we served over rice and the pork German style over noodles.  I actually used the leftover sauce from first night and added about 1 T guldens mustard and  1/4+ t grated nutmeg as well so a really quick new meal with leftovers! Both were a big hit!!

The CHICKEN VERSION:

MARINATED CHICKEN:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 jalapeno (split lengthwise)
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled, smashed)
• 1 peel of lemon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

SMOTHERED CHICKEN:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 recipe marinated chicken
• 1 onion (peeled, thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled, minced)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped, to garnish)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

RICE:

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (rinsed)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

• For the Marinade: In a large zip-top bag, add 6 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken thighs, jalapeno, smashed garlic, and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Seal bag and marinate for 30 minutes.
• For the Smothered Chicken: In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add chicken thighs and sear until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• To the same skillet, add onions and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir frequently to toast and form a paste, about 2 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and whisk to deglaze. Increase heat to medium-high and add milk. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until mixture has thickened to form a gravy, about 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan and warm through.
• Serve with chicken and sauce over rice. Garnish with chopped parsley.
• For the Rice: Cook rice according to package instructions. Allow rice to sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
• Tip: For a German twist on this dish, substitute the milk for heavy cream and stir mustard and nutmeg into the sauce!