Homestyle Chicken Thigh and Gravy Recipe (So Simple, So Good!)

No one likes to eat dry or bland chicken thighs or too runny or too thick gravy. Sometimes the seasoning does not get absorbed properly into the chicken, reducing the taste. Or, sometimes you just burn the chicken thighs. These are some of the most common problems that new cooks always have. Keeping all these problems in mind, today I am gonna share my delicious chicken thigh and gravy recipe.

This is packed with a wide range of spices, giving it a mind-blowing taste, and the gravy? The taste of the gravy is awesome, and it pairs with the chicken amazingly.

But as I mentioned earlier, thinking about the dry or bland chicken? Don’t worry, I have explained every single step from seasoning to the whole cooking process perfectly that you will only need the ingredients and nothing else. So, let’s dive in.

Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients you will need to make this chicken thigh and gravy recipe:

1. 8 bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs
2. 1 cup of flour
3. 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
4. 2 teaspoons of onion powder
5. 2 teaspoons of paprika
6. 2 teaspoons of oregano
7. 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
8. 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
9. 1 medium onion
10. 5 cloves of garlic
11. 2 tablespoons of salted butter
12. 2 tablespoons of seasoned flour
13. 1 cup of chicken broth
14. 1/2 cup heavy cream
15. 1 chicken bouillon cube
16. 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
17. 2 teaspoons of dried basil
18. 1/4 cup of olive oil

So, this is the long list of ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. Once you have it, let’s move to the instruction part.

Instruction

Here are the instructions you’ll need to make this recipe. But before doing this, you should have all the ingredients handy. So, let’s get started:

1. First of all, mince the onion and garlic. Now, bring the chicken thighs to a plate and also the flour to a bowl. Put the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in another bowl and mix them well.
2. Pour almost 1/4th of them on the flour, and the rest of them will be used in seasoning the chicken thighs on both sides. Remember to season the chicken thighs very well with all those seasonings, as they will affect the taste greatly. After you pour the spices on the flour, mix them as well.
3. Now, take a chicken thigh and coat them with the seasoned flour. All you need to do is take one and put it in the bowl of flour. And just like that, flip it once. And you will have your chicken thigh coated on both sides. If needed, you can also drizzle some flour on the thighs. Repeat the same process for all of the thighs.
4. Take a cast-iron pan, add the olive oil you have, and heat the pan over medium heat.
5. When the oil is hot and smoky, put the chicken thighs skin side down. Now, fry them for around 3 to 4 minutes on both sides. Remember, as we are using 8 bone-in chicken thighs, we will be dividing them into 2 batches, 4 chicken thighs in one batch, and frying them up. As I have also mentioned in my chicken thigh and lentil recipe, we don’t want to overcrowd the pan, as it would reduce the quality of this recipe.
6. Now, when you see a golden brown crust on both sides of the chicken, put them aside. After that, you will see a lot of golden brown bits in the pan. Now, don’t remove them. They are like the golden nuggets that will basically add much more flavor to the recipe than you could even think about!
7. Add the minced onion to the same pan and sauté it for around 3 to 4 minutes to release its flavour completely. Now add the minced garlic cloves and butter, and cook the whole mixture for about half a minute until the butter completely melts.
8. Now, add the rest of the seasoned flour to the pan and whisk it. Let it cook for a few minutes.
9. Next, add the chicken broth and mix it well, and cook for around 2 minutes to thicken the sauce a bit. And after this, add 1/2 cups of heavy cream to the pan and continue whipping or mixing whatever you say.
10. Now add the chicken bouillon cube, the red pepper flakes, and the fried basil. Mix them with the sauce.
11. At this point, taste the sauce and add some salt and pepper if needed. The amount completely depends on your taste.
12. Now, add the chicken thighs, and use a spoon to wrap them up with the delicious sauce you have just made.
13. Now, add a cover to the pan and preheat your oven to 425°F. Put the pan in that and bake them for 60 minutes.
14. Thereafter, bring them out and again cover them up with the sauce using a spoon and let the whole preparation sit for 10 minutes at least, before serving them. And you’re completely ready to serve this.

If you are running out of serving ideas, then I can help. Check out the special section called “Serving suggestions” below to have some delightful ideas about what to serve with this chicken thigh and gravy recipe.

Recipe Card

Serving Suggestions

As promised, if you are running out of serving ideas, then you can try these out. I have tried some of them, but not tried all of them. But, by far, these are the top dishes that I think would be pretty prominent for this chicken thigh recipe.

1. Creamy Mashed Potatoes: These mashed potatoes pair perfectly with the savory gravy, plus they’re a great way to soak up all that flavourful sauce. Not only do these mashed potatoes go well with this recipe, but they also go well with most of the recipes, especially the coconut chicken thighs recipe and chicken thigh spinach recipe.
2. Buttered Rice: Fluffy rice absorbs the creamy, spiced gravy and balances the bold flavors of this delicious recipe.
3. Creamed Spinach: Spinach with a bit of cream or garlic can add richness without overpowering the dish. It is perfect for these types of dishes.
4. Cauliflower Mash or Cauliflower Rice: A healthier, low-carb option that still lets the chicken and gravy shine.

Tips For Cooking This Recipe

I have already given most of the important tips for this recipe in the instructions themselves. But, here are some of the most special ones:

1. Dry brine the chicken thighs for juicier meat: All you have to do is sprinkle the chicken thighs with a little bit of salt and let them sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes (or overnight). You might ask why it works. This dry brine draws out moisture and then reabsorbs it, seasoning the meat deeply and keeping it ultra-juicy during cooking.
2. Don’t just season the surface, get under the skin: What I have said in the instructions part was a pretty fast process. Just sprinkle the seasoning on the chicken thighs and mix them well. But to get the maximum taste and pleasure, you should also season the chicken thighs under the skin. Just lift off the skin gently and season the meat. What it does is it flavors the meat directly and ensures the seasoning doesn’t burn off during searing. I can say from my personal experience that this is far better than just seasoning the skin.
3. Use a cast-iron pan for superior browning: Cast iron retains heat better than non-stick, giving your chicken a crispier crust. Also, when you use these cast-iron pans, you get more of those brown bits of chicken thighs. Those are absolutely insane, as they deeply flavor the gravy. I also used them to flavor my cream of mushroom chicken thigh recipe properly.

Besides all of these, don’t forget to rest the chicken thighs for at least 10 minutes after baking, as it allows juices to redistribute, and the meat to soak up the rich gravy flavor even more. Remember, Patience always brings perfection. So, be patient. I can personally the taste is worth the time.

FAQs

Can I use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs Instead?

Yes, you can. But keep in mind that bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs deliver much more flavor and help the meat to stay juicy and tasty as well. And also, there’s a time factor in it. If you are using boneless and skinless ones, then you won’t need to fry or bake them for that long.

Can I substitute the heavy cream with something?

Kind of no. But if you don’t have heavy whipping cream, then no worries. You can follow this recipe to make your heavy cream. Just take half-and-half or even whole milk and a tablespoon of butter and mix them well. However, it would not give you that level of sauce thickness or taste. The homemade one will always lack in these two.

How Do I Know When The Chicken Is Cooked Through?

You can know whether the chicken is cooked by using a meat thermometer. Just make sure that the central point of the thighs has a temperature of at least 165F.

Can I freeze the leftovers?

Obviously, why not? If you want to store the leftovers, then let the chicken cool completely first and then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Or if you want to use it within a week, just put it in the fridge. And when you are gonna reheat the frozen ones, just thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to revive the gravy.

Is There A Way To Make It Less Spicy?

Yes, just reduce or omit the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. As a result, the flavor will still be rich and aromatic without the heat.

Other Recipes

If you want to try out my other recipes like this one, here are some of the most delicious ones:

1. One-pan chicken thigh and bell pepper recipe
2. Creamy Chicken Thigh Pasta Recipe
3. Creamy Chicken Thigh Spinach Recipe

These are some of the creamy recipe that also has delicious and gorgeous gravy, like this chicken thigh and gravy recipe. But if you want something spicy and fried, then you can go for the boneless skinless chicken thigh recipe and the lemon pepper chicken thigh recipe.

Conclusion

So, now you know how you can prepare this creamy chicken thigh and gravy recipe. I have given all the tips and processes you will need to make these. All you need to do now is just make it. If you have really made it, then how was it? Let me know in the comments.

Also, if you have some suggestions regarding this recipe, please let me know. I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading, and happy cooking.