Broiled chicken ... with gravy

It’s time to go shopping. My freezer is getting a little light. Normally I have lots of Italian sausage, pork and chicken in there. The cupboard is getting a little bare. 

Last night, I pulled some chicken leg quarters out of the freezer. I buy them when I see a good price (like .39 per pound), and freeze them in individual serving sizes (well, my servings might be a little large for some). With this recipe, you can start cooking without thawing the chicken first. Here’s how I put dinner together. 

3 chicken leg quarters

Water

1/2 cup of dried onion flakes

1 inner stalk of celery with leaves

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

Cajun seasoning (or seasoned salt)

Worcestershire sauce

Soy sauce 

2 or 3 medium sized red potatoes

Wondra (gravy) flour

Preparation

If you are starting frozen chicken, the leg quarters will be stuck together. No problem. Place them in a large skillet. Add enough water to go halfway up the chicken. Add the onion flakes, garlic powder and oregano. Dice up a small stalk of celery from the inner part, with leaves, and add that. Sprinkle on some cajun seasoning or seasoned salt. Add in a generous splash of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Now I don’t measure any of this stuff, but if I had to guess, I’d say about two teaspoons each. 

Bring that to a boil, cover, and let that simmer about ten minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover, and simmer about five minutes. Now you should be able to separate the chicken. Let that simmer another five minutes. If you started with chicken that was fresh, not frozen, simmer it enough so it is almost cooked through. 

While you are simmering the chicken, microwave two or three washed red potatoes, about six minutes or so, so they are just cooked through. When the chicken is just about cooked, set the cooked potatoes in the broth with the chicken, and place that under a hot broiler. 

Broil the chicken, in the broth, for about seven or eight minutes, so that it is nicely browned on top. Turn the chicken over, and turn the potatoes over as well. Return to the broiler, and brown the other side. Take the chicken and potatoes out of the pan, and set them on a serving platter. Place the skillet on the stove, bring the cooking liquid to a boil, and sprinkle on some Wondra flour, just enough to dust the top. Stir that in and simmer to reduce to a gravy thickness. 

Serving

Place one, two or three chicken leg quarters on a plate. Add a potato. Slice the top of the potato to open it. Add some butter, and ladle the gravy over both. Now add in a large tossed salad, some toasted homemade bread, and some kalamata olives. I had a California Merlot with my chicken.