Recipe: Farmhouse Style Smothered Chicken

FARMHOUSE STYLE SMOTHERED CHICKEN

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 frying chicken (about 3 pounds), cut in 8 pieces
1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 to 3 cups milk, divided use

Whisk flour with salt and pepper. Roll chicken pieces in flour mixture until well coated.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat oil over high heat and brown chicken pieces, turning as needed; the chicken should brown but not burn, so turn the heat down if necessary.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chicken in a single layer in a 9x13-inch casserole dish or pan; set aside.

Add onions to skillet and saute until they are light golden.

Scatter the onions over the chicken. Pour enough of the milk over the chicken to just cover it.

Bake 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until done, adding more milk during the first hour as chicken absorbs it. By the time it is ready to serve, the chicken should absorb almost all the milk, leaving just enough to serve as a gravy.

Makes 4 servings
Adapted from the 1976 Ideals Magazine cookbook From Mama's Kitchen by Catharine P. Smith
Source: Linda Cicero, The Miami Herald, January 17, 2008