Southern Smothered Chicken Pressure Cooker Recipe
A quick and comforting Southern-style chicken recipe made tender in the pressure cooker with a rich, flavorful gravy and classic spices.
Equipment
- 1 Skillet Cast iron or pressure cooker compatible
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour for coating
- 1 teaspoon salt for flour mix
- 1 teaspoon black pepper for flour mix
- 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder for flour mix
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt for chicken seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder for chicken
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons seasoned flour reserved from flour mix
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Coat chicken in flour mixture and shake off excess.
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken 3–4 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken and reserve 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet.
- Add sliced onions and sauté until soft.
- Pour in chicken stock and stir to deglaze skillet.
- Return chicken to skillet and nestle into sauce.
- Simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes covered, or use pressure cooker on high pressure for 15 minutes then slow release.
- Check for seasoning and serve hot over rice or mashed potatoes with gravy.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving for best texture and flavor lock-in.
- Store leftovers in airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
Notes
For quicker prep, use pre-sliced vegetables and trimmed chicken. To reheat, use stovetop or microwave, or broil for crispy skin.