Chicken Supreme with Mushroom Gravy: Your New Favorite Sunday Supper
Indulge in the savory delight of this Chicken Supreme, crafted with bone-in chicken thighs cooked to tender, juicy perfection and served alongside a rich, homemade mushroom gravy. This dish isn’t just a meal; it’s the quintessential Sunday supper, promising warmth, flavor, and a touch of nostalgic comfort.
A truly great chicken dinner is a staple in any home cook’s repertoire, and this Chicken Supreme is destined to become one of your most requested meals. If you’re looking to expand your collection of delicious chicken recipes, you might also love this Potato Chip Chicken, the incredibly flavorful Crunchy Mayo Chicken, or the exotic Hawaiian Chicken with Ham and Pineapple. But for pure comfort and classic taste, our Chicken Supreme stands unrivaled.
The Timeless Appeal of a Classic Chicken Supreme
For years, my passion for cooking has been fueled by a love for cookbooks. Long before I had children, I embarked on a mission to collect inexpensive culinary treasures from garage sales. While many attempts were a bust, yielding few books, one particular find became a cherished gem in my kitchen: an older edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.
I’m unsure of its exact edition, as a copyright date is elusive, but the yellowed, worn pages and distinctly non-modern photographs tell a story of decades past. With additional inserts dated 1975 tucked into the back, I estimate the book itself hails from that same era. Delving into its pages is like a culinary journey back in time, revealing the popular recipes from around the time of my birth. Some entries leave me utterly perplexed, wondering who would ever make them, while others resonate as timeless classics that deserve to be rediscovered.
This Chicken Supreme recipe is one such gem. While I’ve updated a few elements to suit modern tastes and techniques, the essence of the dish remains: a wonderfully flavorful and satisfying dinner that I would gladly make again and again. When a recipe withstands the test of time and adapts beautifully to contemporary kitchens, you truly know you’ve stumbled upon a winner. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a piece of culinary history brought to life, offering a taste of comforting tradition with every bite.
Crafting Your Perfect Chicken Supreme: A Step-by-Step Guide
While this baked chicken thigh recipe requires some time in the oven, the actual hands-on preparation is surprisingly minimal, making it an incredibly easy and rewarding meal to prepare. Here’s a detailed guide to creating this delectable Chicken Supreme:
- Seasoning the Chicken: Begin by generously seasoning your chicken thighs. Sprinkle both sides evenly with seasoned salt and paprika. Don’t be shy; a good seasoning layer is key to a flavorful crust and juicy interior. Ensure the spices are rubbed in well to adhere to the chicken skin.
- Arranging for Even Cooking: Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs into a spacious baking dish. It’s crucial that the chicken pieces are arranged in a single layer, without overlapping. This ensures that each piece cooks evenly and develops a beautiful, crispy skin.
- Building the Flavor Base: In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, finely diced onion, a touch of curry powder, and a dash of pepper. This aromatic mixture will infuse the chicken with incredible depth of flavor as it bakes. Pour this liquid over the chicken in the baking dish, then securely cover the dish with aluminum foil. This initial covering helps to steam the chicken, locking in moisture.
- Baking to Perfection: Transfer the covered dish to your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. The foil creates a moist environment, ensuring the chicken stays tender. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil. This allows the skin to crisp up and the chicken to finish cooking through, typically another 30 minutes. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
- Preparing the Mushrooms: While your chicken is baking, you’ll prepare the stars of the gravy: the mushrooms. Heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your sliced mushrooms and sauté them until they are beautifully tender and have released their liquid. Remove them from the heat and set aside, keeping them warm.
- Collecting Pan Juices: Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove the thighs from the baking dish and place them on a warm plate. Cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm while you prepare the gravy. The pan juices left in the baking dish are liquid gold – rich with flavor. Carefully strain the fat from these juices, reserving the flavorful liquid. A fat separator makes this step incredibly easy, but you can also use a spoon to skim off the fat.
- Creating the Roux for Gravy: In a saucepan, whisk together the cold water and all-purpose flour until a smooth paste forms. This is your roux base. Gradually whisk in the reserved pan juices, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Thickening the Gravy: Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to boil and visibly thickens. Once boiling, continue to cook for another three to four minutes, allowing the flour to fully cook out and the gravy to reach a luscious consistency.
- Adding the Mushrooms: Stir the sautéed mushrooms into the thickened gravy. Their earthy flavor adds the perfect complement to the rich sauce.
- Serving Your Masterpiece: Serve the warm, tender chicken supreme immediately, generously topped with the homemade mushroom gravy. This dish is truly best enjoyed fresh from the oven, offering a harmonious blend of textures and tastes.
Exploring Chicken Cuts: Can I Use Something Besides Bone-In Chicken Thighs?
When it comes to cooking chicken, different cuts offer unique textures, flavors, and cooking characteristics. Chicken thighs and chicken breasts, for example, are distinct in terms of their fat content, tenderness, and optimal preparation methods. While I personally champion bone-in chicken thighs for this Chicken Supreme recipe due to their unparalleled flavor and moisture, it’s understandable that you might consider alternatives. Yes, chicken thighs do contribute more calories and fat compared to breasts, but the richer, more succulent flavor profile they bring to the dish, especially when cooked on the bone, truly makes them worth it in my opinion.
I also acknowledge that eating meat off the bone can sometimes be less convenient than enjoying a boneless cut. However, that bone isn’t just for aesthetics; it plays a vital role in enhancing the dish’s flavor and ensuring the chicken stays incredibly moist throughout the baking process. The bone marrow and connective tissues render during cooking, imparting a deeper, more complex taste to the meat and the pan juices, which are essential for our luscious mushroom gravy.
That being said, if you absolutely must swap out bone-in chicken thighs for another cut, you certainly can. My most crucial advice is to monitor the cooking process diligently. Investing in an instant-read thermometer is highly recommended; it’s an indispensable tool for accurately checking the internal temperature and preventing overcooking, regardless of the chicken cut you choose.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: These will cook significantly faster than bone-in thighs. I would suggest reducing the initial covered baking time by at least half and checking for doneness after about 15-20 minutes, then adjusting as needed. Remember, breasts are leaner and can dry out quickly, so aim for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and remove them from the oven promptly.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: While still thighs, removing the bone reduces their cooking time. Begin checking on them around the 20-minute mark. They retain more moisture than breasts but will still cook quicker than their bone-in counterparts.
No matter which cut you select, the goal is always perfectly cooked, tender chicken. Adapt your cooking times, and let your instant-read thermometer be your guide to a safe and delicious meal.
Serving Suggestions and More Chicken Thigh Recipes
This Chicken Supreme with Mushroom Gravy is a hearty and satisfying meal on its own, but it truly shines when paired with complementary side dishes. For a complete and delightful dinner, consider serving it alongside creamy mashed potatoes to soak up every last drop of that incredible gravy, fluffy white rice, or even some crusty bread. Steamed or roasted vegetables like asparagus, green beans, or the broccoli pictured, make for a fresh and healthy counterpoint to the rich chicken and sauce.
If you’ve fallen in love with the versatility and flavor of chicken thighs, here are a few more recipes to inspire your culinary adventures:
- Cast Iron Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Thirteen Spice Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creme Fraiche
- Garlic and Herb Skillet Chicken
- Chicken and Rice
Helpful Tools for Your Chicken Supreme
While not strictly required, having the right tools can make your cooking experience smoother and more enjoyable. For separating the flavorful pan juices from the fat, a fat separator is an incredibly useful gadget that streamlines the gravy-making process.
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Chicken Supreme
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs (about 6–8 thighs)
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- Dash of pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Sprinkle the chicken thighs with the seasoned salt and the paprika. Place the chicken in a 9×13-inch baking dish.3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Combine the chicken broth, onions, curry powder and pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover the dish with foil.1 1/4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 teaspoon curry powder, Dash of pepper
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil from the dish and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- When the chicken is almost done baking, heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender. Remove from the heat and keep warm.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- When the chicken is finished cooking, remove from the pan to a plate and cover to keep warm. Strain the fat from the pan juices, reserving the juices for the sauce.
- In a pan, whisk together the cold water and the flour. Slowly whisk in the pan juices. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and boils. Let the sauce boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mushrooms.1/4 cup cold water, 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Serve the chicken topped with the mushroom sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.