Smothered Chicken

It’s hard to believe that it’s already October, and while I’m not a huge fan of weather below 70 degrees, the record heat we continue to have in L.A. just feels out of sync with the rest of the world. This recipe was my first attempt at making a fall-time dish in a while (which I cooked in shorts and a tank top with all the windows and doors open) and even though it didn't mesh that well with the temperature outside, it's still the type of food I like to enjoy this time of year. The chicken gets seasoned with a simple spice rub and then quickly braised in vegetable medley until tender and succulent. It’s an easy, one-pot meal that will keep you warm and make your whole house smell good, and leftovers are great re-heated the next day.

Smothered Chicken:

• Combine 2 tbsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper in a small bowl.
• Season 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with salt and then sprinkle with the spice mixture.*
• Meanwhile, heat a dutch oven over high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.
• Add in the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until brown and crisp. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side.**
• Remove the chicken and set aside, then add in 2 thinly sliced onions, 1 thinly sliced green bell pepper, and 3 stalks of thinly sliced celery. Season with salt and pepper.
• Lower the heat to medium and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are soft and starting to brown.
• Stir in 2 heaping tbsp. flour and cook for another minute or two, then add in 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the chicken back to the pot, skin-side up, and pour in 2-3 c. water and 1 bunch minced scallions.***
• Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover the pot.
• Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through, then remove the chicken and set aside.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, add in several dashes of hot sauce, and let sauce reduce for another 5-10 minutes.
• Spoon sauce over the chicken, garnish with a few more minced scallions, and serve.

Serves four-six

*You may not need all  the spice mixture on the chicken. If you have leftovers, add it in with the vegetables.

**You do not need to cook the chicken all the way through - just brown them. If your pot is small, you may need to do this is batches.

***You want to cover the chicken most of the way but still have the crispy skin peek out the top.