flipSmothered chicken
Smothered chicken
Why this dish? On Sundays, and even more on evenings when a contract or triumph is celebrated, the African-American table in Harlem gathers around a large simmered chicken dish. Adelaide Hall grew up in Brooklyn then Harlem in this culture of communal meals; this chicken 'smothered' in its brown gravy is the very heart of those after-show spreads.
Chicken pieces browned in a skillet then long simmered, 'smothered,' under a lid in a brown gravy thickened with flour and onion. The meat becomes so tender it falls off the bone, bathed in a nourishing gravy that you sop up with bread.
Honey, come close to the stove. When we came back from the cabaret well past midnight, hungry and our hearts still full of music, it was this chicken that was waiting for us. You brown it just right, then let it smother slowly under the lid — no rushing, ever, it's like a song, it takes its time. Duke said patience makes a melody swing; well, my dears, it makes chicken melt like this.
- •Chicken pieces — 1 whole chicken, cut up (main ingredient)
- •Lard or cooking fat — a few spoonfuls (browning)
- •Wheat flour — a good handful (coating and gravy thickener)
- •Onions — 2 large (aromatic base)
- •Broth or water — enough to cover (braising liquid)
- •Salt, black pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Smothered chicken
Chicken pieces browned in a skillet then long simmered, 'smothered,' under a lid in a brown gravy thickened with flour and onion. The meat becomes so tender it falls off the bone, bathed in a nourishing gravy that you sop up with bread.
Why this dish? On Sundays, and even more on evenings when a contract or triumph is celebrated, the African-American table in Harlem gathers around a large simmered chicken dish. Adelaide Hall grew up in Brooklyn then Harlem in this culture of communal meals; this chicken 'smothered' in its brown gravy is the very heart of those after-show spreads.
Honey, come close to the stove. When we came back from the cabaret well past midnight, hungry and our hearts still full of music, it was this chicken that was waiting for us. You brown it just right, then let it smother slowly under the lid — no rushing, ever, it's like a song, it takes its time. Duke said patience makes a melody swing; well, my dears, it makes chicken melt like this.
Ingredients (period version)
- Chicken pieces — 1 whole chicken, cut up (main ingredient)
- Lard or cooking fat — a few spoonfuls (browning)
- Wheat flour — a good handful (coating and gravy thickener)
- Onions — 2 large (aromatic base)
- Broth or water — enough to cover (braising liquid)
- Salt, black pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks — 8 pieces (approx. 1.2 kg) (main ingredient)
- Neutral oil + butter — 2 tbsp + 30 g (browning)
- Flour — 60 g (coating and roux)
- Yellow onions, sliced — 2 large (aromatic base)
- Chicken broth — 500 ml (sauce)
- Garlic — 2 cloves (aromatic)
- Salt, black pepper, thyme — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
- Brown on all sides in oil and butter over high heat, then set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté sliced onions and garlic, scraping up the browned bits.
- Sprinkle with a spoonful of remaining flour, stir, then pour in broth while stirring to make a gravy.
- Return chicken, add thyme, cover, and let 'smother' over low heat for 45 minutes, turning halfway.
- The gravy should be brown and coating, the chicken fall-apart tender. Adjust salt and serve hot.
How it was made : Smothering is a Southern technique passed down by African-American cooks: lacking reliable ovens, they cooked in a pot over flame, braising tough cuts for a long time to tenderize them. The brown roux also reveals Creole influence from Louisiana.
The contemporary twist : Serve over a spoonful of mashed potatoes or white rice, and top with crispy fried onions for a 'jazz club' wink.
Sources : Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, Vibration Cooking (1970) · Toni Tipton-Martin, The Jemima Code (2015)
Adelaide Hall · Charactorium
