Chop thyme and onion and set aside.

Add 3 tbsp butter to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add thyme, onions, and mushrooms and stir to coat. Sautee until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove veggies and their juice to a bowl and set aside.

In a shallow dish, combine the 1/2 cup flour, paprika, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 3 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside; be sure to leave any drippings in the pan.

Reduce heat to low under the skillet. Whisk 4 tbsp flour into the skillet drippings to create a roux over. (If your pan is too dry, you can add another tbsp. of butter). Cook for one minute, whisking constantly, until you have a thick, blonde or dark blond paste/roux.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Slowly whisk the chicken broth into the roux until you have a sauce. Let simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to gravy consistency, 5-10 minutes.

Once gravy is thickened, add the veggies and their juices back into the pan. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt/pepper if you like.

Add the chicken pieces back to the pan, nestling them into the gravy.

Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low, maintaining a vigorous simmer, and cook 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped thyme or parsley if desired, then serve immediately with broiled broccoli (see below) and a carb to soak up all that delicious gravy!

While the chicken cooks, make your broccolini.

Preheat your broiler on HIGH and position an oven rack directly underneath your broiler, but far enough below it so that the broccolini won’t touch the flame.

Spread broccolini in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Drizzle broccolini with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with generous pinches of salt, ground black pepper, and onion powder. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.

Use your hands to mix all ingredients together, then arrange the broccolini in a single file “line” down the length of the baking sheet.

Once the broiler is ready, carefully slide the baking sheet vertically onto the oven rack, positioning the broccolini "line" directly under the flame.

Broil 3-4 minutes, or until broccolini is nicely charred and stems have slightly softened. Serve immediately with Smothered Chicken.