Paula Deen Smothered Chicken and Biscuits

Paula Deen Smothered Chicken and Biscuits turn a cut-up fryer, celery, onion and seasoned flour into tender skillet chicken with fluffy buttery biscuits in 30 minutes. It's an easy Southern comfort food dinner for Sunday supper, church potlucks or busy weeknights, and it's skillet-made.

Brown the dredged chicken on each side before the vegetables go in, because that crust is what flavors the little bit of gravy. Skip the browning and the chicken steams in plain water instead.

Paula folds the biscuit dough over itself twice on a floured surface, which builds light layers without any rolling pin. She also sets the biscuits in a buttered cake pan to rest for 15 minutes, so they bake up tall and soft with crisp tops.

Paula Deen Smothered Chicken and Biscuits

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Flour-dredged chicken browns in the skillet, then simmers with celery, onion and scallions until it falls off the bone. The folded biscuits bake up fluffy inside with buttery golden tops.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  

• 1 cut into pieces whole chicken fryer
  

• 2 cups plus more for work surface all purpose flour
  

• 1 tablespoon Paula Deen's House Seasoning
  

• 2 ribs chopped celery
  

• 1 chopped onion
  

• 2 chopped scallions
  

• 1/2 cup water
  

• 2 cups plus more for work surface self rising flour
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 teaspoon sugar
  

• 1/2 cup shortening
  

• 1 cup milk
  

• 2 tablespoons Butter
  

Directions

• Heat the oil: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, cut the whole fryer chicken into pieces and season them with salt and pepper.
• Dredge the chicken: Combine 2 cups all purpose flour and 1 tablespoon Paula Deen's House Seasoning in a shallow dish. Then dredge each piece of chicken in the mixture until it's evenly coated.
• Brown the chicken: Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown it on each side. Once it has color, remove the pieces from the skillet and set them aside.
• Saute the vegetables: Add 2 ribs chopped celery, 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped scallions to the same skillet. Saute them until tender, scraping up the browned bits as they cook.
• Simmer the chicken: Return the chicken to the pan and pour in 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
• Preheat and mix: Preheat the oven to 400°F, then combine 2 cups self rising flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 cup shortening in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup milk until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Fold the dough: The dough will be sticky, so dust your work surface with extra flour and turn the dough out onto it. Gently fold each side toward the center, lift the dough while you dust the surface again, then fold each side to the center a second time.
• Cut the biscuits: Turn the dough over and press it out to a 1-inch thickness. Then cut out biscuits with a 2-inch round cookie cutter.
• Butter the pan: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Spread 1 tablespoon on a 10-inch round cake pan and arrange the biscuits in it.
• Rest and bake: Brush the tops with the remaining butter and let the pan rest for 15 minutes. Then bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown, and serve the biscuits with the chicken.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Fat Daddio's 9-inch round cake pans, set of 2, Ateco 11-piece round cutter set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use self rising flour for the chicken dredge?

The recipe calls for all purpose flour in the dredge, and that's what I'd stick with. Self rising flour has leavening in it, so it can make the coating puff and turn bready instead of crisp.

How do I keep the biscuits from turning out tough?

Handle the dough as little as you can, because overworking it makes biscuits dense. The two gentle folds are all the layering it needs, and the sticky dough is normal.

Can I make the biscuit dough ahead of time?

Self rising flour starts working once it meets the milk, so I'd mix and cut the biscuits right before baking. You can cook the chicken earlier in the day and rewarm it covered over low heat while the biscuits bake.

What if I don't have a 10-inch cake pan?

Any pan or skillet that fits the biscuits snugly will work, as long as it's buttered. Biscuits baked close together rise taller and stay softer on the sides.

Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole cut-up fryer?

Yes, bone-in thighs and drumsticks work well and stay juicy through the 25-minute simmer. If you use breasts, check them a little early so they don't dry out.