Looking for a super easy weeknight dinner? This chicken and gravy is super easy to prepare, smells wonderful while it’s cooking, and tastes like you spent all day on it!

What’s a “Weeknight” meal?

If you work outside the home and have a family, week nights can get stressful trying to prepare a nutritious AND delicious meal for the family.

^[1]

You come home tired, you just want to sit and relax. A “weeknight” ^[1] meal is quick to prepare, doesn’t take a long time to cook, and is comforting and tastes amazing! This one hits all the those points.

Making the Chicken and Gravy – 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large casserole dish, add the soups, pepper and paprika.

Stir it all to blend.

Place the chicken on top of the soups. Score the skin, then sprinkle the olive oil over the chicken skin, then top with the salt, a little more pepper and sage.

Bake 45 minutes to an hour. The skin should be golden and crisp and the internal temperature of the meat should be between 180 and 200 degrees.

Remove it from the oven and let it rest about five minutes.

Stir the gravy before serving.

Serve with mashed potatoes or stuffing and your favorite steamed veggie or a salad – voilà! It’s dinner!

Want to make it even easier?

Instead of mashed potatoes or stuffing, place some whole potatoes in the oven at the same time as the chicken, directly on the rack. Cook until they are soft and steamy. Use a steam in the bag frozen vegetable and you have dinner with only one pan to wash.

© Copyright 2024 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 9 votes

Print ^[2]

Weeknight Baked Chicken and Gravy

Looking for a super easy weeknight dinner? This chicken and gravy is super easy to prepare, smells wonderful while it's cooking, and tastes like you spent all day on it!

Course: Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: American, week night, Weeknight

Keyword: breakfast sausage, chicken, cream of chicken soup, easy, mashed potatoes, mushroom soup, one pan

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 large chicken thighs (Use your favorite part of the chicken - adjust cooking time to the pieces - i.e. legs will take much less time than thighs or breasts)
• 1 10-oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 10-oz can cream of chicken soup
• 10 to 12 turns fresh cracked pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoons dried rubbed sage

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large casserole dish, add the soups, pepper and paprika. Stir it all to blend.

3. Place the chicken on top of the soups. Score the skin, then sprinkle the olive oil over the chicken skin, then top with the salt and sage.

4. Bake 45 minutes to an hour. The skin should be golden and crisp and the internal temperature of the meat should be between 180 and 200 degrees.

5. Remove it from the oven and let it rest about five minutes.

6. Stir the gravy before serving.

7. Serve with mashed potatoes or stuffing and your favorite steamed veggie or a salad - voilà! It's dinner!

Recipe Notes

Instead of mashed potatoes or stuffing, place some whole potatoes in the oven at the same time as the chicken, directly on the rack. Cook until they are soft and steamy. Use a steam in the bag frozen vegetable and you have dinner with only one pan to wash. 

                                                                                                                                                                 © Copyright 2024 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

When I was growing up mom used to make a dish she called Goop. She explained to us that during the depression, meat was rationed. People had to stretch the little bit they had for every meal. My maternal grandmother (Grammy) made this recipe up during that time and it’s become a family tradition.

It had some meat, rice, little noodles, and some veggies all cooked together in the same pot. And the flavor was so good! I even loved it cold. We thought mom had never actually written the recipe. She just knew hot to make it.

After she passed we thought we’d never have Goop again. My sister tried to reproduce it, and she got pretty close, but it just wasn’t the same. Well low and behold my Aunt asked if I wanted the recipe. Wait, what?

My mother had given Aunt Kathy the recipe when her and my paternal Uncle were first married and on a budget. And she’s had it all these years! I’m so excited to share this dish with you. She sent me some other family recipes too. Can’t wait to try them all!

Here’s How to Do it:

Start by browning the sausage. Turn the burner to medium low and cook the sausage. mushrooms and onions until the onions are starting to soften.

Add all the other ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Cover and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes.

Fluff up the rice and serve. Mom always had a salad on the side. This one will be a hit – trust me!!

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

Print ^[6]

Grammy's Goop - Depression Era one pot Meal

Created during the depression when meat was rationed, this one pot wonder is delicious and filling!

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, main dish, supper

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bell pepper, celery, low meat, rice, sausage

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage, bulk
• 1 small to medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms
• `1 medium to large green bell pepper, chopped (and seeded)
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 cup raw, white rice
• 2 packages dry chicken noodle soup (mom always used Lipton)
• 2 cups water

Instructions

1. Start by browning the sausage. Turn the burner to medium low and cook the sausage, mushrooms and onions until the onions are starting to soften.

2. Add all the other ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

4. Cover and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Fluff up the rice and serve. Mom always had a salad on the side. This one will be a hit - trust me!!

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I remember my mom making pot roast on Sunday. The smell permeated the house with that rich, savory aroma that made you so hungry you could hardly wait for dinner. And the best part is how easy it is to make!

Here’s How to Do it:

Start by heating the olive oil in a heavy, oven proof pot.

Preheat the oven to 450°

Rub the salt, pepper and garlic powder on all sides of the beef.

Gently place the pot roast in the hot oil and brown each side until it becomes caramelized.

Pour in the water and stir loose the bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Add the vegetables to the top of the meat, then the golden mushroom soup. Top with the potatoes.

Roast, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 325° –

Cover and bake another 30 minutes.

Remove the potatoes and set them aside. Bake 30 more minutes.

Remove from the oven, closing the oven door, and add the potatoes back in along with the green beans (salted to taste).

Put the pot back in the oven and bake about 20 minutes more – until the gravy is bubbling and the meat pulls easily with a fork.

Serve hot with pan drippings over everything.

Side Note: When you need to take something out of the oven and put it back after adding or stirring, always keep the oven door closed. When you leave it open for very long, it begins to cool and changes the temperature. You dish will not cook evenly.

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

Print ^[9]

Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Reminiscent of childhood Sunday dinners - simple and simply delicious.

Course: dinner, Main Course, main dish, supper

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef, gravy, one pot, oven roasted, portatoes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 to 3 pound Boneless chuck roast (bone in is great, just add a pound - and it has to be chuck)
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 cup virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks
• 2 large stalks of celery, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 10-1/4 oz can condensed golden mushroom soup

Instructions

1. Start by heating the olive oil in a heavy, oven proof pot. 

2. Preheat the oven to 450°

3. Rub the salt, pepper and garlic powder on all sides of the beef. Gently place the beef in the hot oil and brown each side until it becomes caramelized. 

4. Pour in the water and stir loose the bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. 

5. Add the vegetables to the top of the meat, then the golden mushroom soup. Top with the potatoes.

6. Roast, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

   Reduce the heat to 325° -

7. Cover and bake another 30 minutes. Remove the potatoes and set them aside. Bake 30 more minutes.

8. Remove from the oven, closing the oven door, and add the potatoes back in along with the green beans (salted to taste).

9. Put the pot back in the oven and bake about 20 minutes more - until the gravy is bubbling and the meat pulls easily with a fork.

10. Serve hot with pan drippings over everything.

Recipe Notes

When you need to take something out of the oven and put it back after adding or stirring, always keep the oven door closed. When you leave it open for very long, it begins to cool and changes the temperature. You dish will not cook evenly. 

 

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

My husband and I were chatting one day about the things our mother’s made that we loved. We went down the list and when we got to Sunday dinner, we both said, Pot Roast! Well that got things going in my head. I haven’t made a pot roast in so long!!

Can you guess what we had for dinner that Sunday?

And the house smelled so wonderfully delicious for hours. A wonderful way to end the weekend -with a hearty, heart-warming meal and the cozy feeling of family.

Here’s How to Do it:

Dry the roast and liberally rub with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in the bottom of a heavy dutch oven. Brown the beef on both sides.

Add the other ingredients to the pot,

adding the soup last.

Cover and bake at 325° for about 3 hours, or

until the potatoes are soft and the beef comes apart with a fork.

Serve hot with the gravy from the bottom of the pan.

Print ^[13]

Pot Roast

The quintessential Sunday dinner. Homey and warm - a perfect family dinner

Course: Main Course

Keyword: meal, one pot, potatoes, roast, stew, Sunday

Servings: 4 people

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 pound Top Round Roast - about 2 inches thick
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon minced, fresh garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 large carrots, cut into thick slices
• 3/4 cup sliced celery stalks
• 1 pound baby potatoes or fingerlings
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 14-oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Instructions

1. Dry the roast and liberally rub with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in the bottom of a heavy dutch oven. Brown the beef on both sides.

3. Add the other ingredients to the pot. Cover and bake at 325° for about 3 hours, or until the potatoes are soft and the beef comes apart with a fork.Serve hot with the gravy from the bottom of the pan.

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

South Carolina is known for some tasty foods. I love a good, cold glass of sweet tea. The state also boasts about their fried seafood, peaches, pecans and, my favorite, Frogmore Stew (AKA – Low country boil).

Typically served on newspapers and can be eaten with your fingers. But where did this dish get it’s name? It originated on St. Helena Island in a small Low Country fishing community named Frogmore. It’s also known as Low Country boil and is a wonderful casual meal any time of year! And it’s so easy!

Here’s How to Do it:

Put the water, Old Bay, salt and lemon pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the potatoes.

Cut the sausage into chunks and add to the pot.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Add the corn and simmer another 10 minutes.

Rinse the shrimp, but leave the peel on.

Add it to the pot and simmer another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and firm.

Cover your serving platter with newspapers or a newspaper printed tablecloth and place the food on it.

Everyone takes what they want and enjoys! Serve with lemons and seafood sauce.

Hungry?

Print ^[17]

South Caroline Frogmore Stew

South Carolina is known for some tasty foods. I love a good, cold glass of sweet tea. The state also boasts about their fried seafood, peaches, pecans and, my favorite, Frogmore Stew (AKA - Low country boil).

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 6 - 8 small to medium red skinned potatoes
• 2 - 3 large ears of corn (fresh or frozen), cut in half
• 1 pound shell on shrimp (I used medium)
• 1 pound andouille sausage
• 2 Tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
• lemon slices on the side

Instructions

1. Put the water, Old Bay, salt and lemon pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. 

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the potatoes. 

3. Cut the sausage into bite sized chunks and add to the pot.

4. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. 

5. Add the corn and simmer another 10 minutes.

6. Rinse the shrimp, but leave the peel on.

7. Add it to the pot and simmer another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and firm.Cover your serving platter with newspapers and place the food on it.Everyone takes what they want and enjoys! Serve with lemons and seafood sauce.

8. Cover your serving platter with newspapers and place the food on it. Everyone takes what they want and enjoys! 

   Serve with lemons and seafood sauce.

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!