Smothered Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lbbone-in chicken thighs$8.02
• 2 eachyellow onions, sliced$1.87
• 8 ozcremini mushrooms, sliced$2.59
• 2 cupchicken broth$1.00
• 0.25 cupall-purpose flour$0.07
• 2 tbspvegetable oil$0.16
• 1 tspfresh thyme$0.12
• 1 tspkosher salt$0.01
• 0.5 tspblack pepper$0.06
• 2 eachgarlic cloves, minced$0.27
• Total for 4 servings$14.17

Most of the cost is bone-in chicken thighs ($8.02) and cremini mushrooms, sliced ($2.59). With oil, spices and staples already at home, the shop drops to about $12.93. Prices are estimated for the amount used, at average US grocery prices (November 2026).

Steps

1. Pat the bone-in chicken thighs dry thoroughly with paper towels and season evenly on all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes until deeply browned and crisp, then flip and brown the other side for 3 to 4 minutes before transferring them to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the yellow onions and cremini mushrooms to the skillet drippings. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn translucent and the mushrooms turn golden brown, then stir in the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour evenly over the sautéed vegetables and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan bottom, and stir in the fresh thyme.
5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then nestle the browned chicken thighs along with any resting juices back into the skillet. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
6. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens to a glossy consistency that easily coats the back of a spoon.
7. Transfer the chicken thighs to plates and generously ladle the smothered onion and mushroom gravy over top; serve immediately with mashed potatoes or rice if you like.