Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy

Good old comforting Chicken and Gravy

This crockpot chicken gravy is guaranteed to become a family favorite you will make again and again! The juicy chicken swaddled in the decadent, velvety, herb laced gravy over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, (or rice, pasta or low carb cauliflower rice) is a satisfying explosion of flavor and luxurious texture in every bite.  This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe requires less than 10 minutes to prep, is made with pantry friendly ingredients, reheats like a dream and is wonderfully versatile. You can keep the recipe simple, use it for Hawaiian Haystacks or add carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, etc. Best of all, the gravy is rich and creamy – no pathetic, watery gravy here! – without any “cream of” soups. This chicken and gravy recipe also reheats and freezes beautifully for meal prep or make ahead dinners!  Serve crockpot chicken and gravy with some crusty bread or garlic bread for the complete comfort meal utopia  

I love using my crockpot all year round because it creates the richest, complex flavor profiles and the juiciest chicken, beef or pork with hardly any effort in ONE POT.  Some of my favorite crockpot recipes included crockpot beef tips and gravy, crockpot Mexican chicken, crockpot beef stroganoff, crockpot creamy white chicken chili, crockpot Mongolian chicken and now this crockpot chicken and gravy!

PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER

Crave-able Chicken and Gravy in Crock Pot

I am in love with this cozy chicken and gravy recipe, it’s the kind of recipe you CRAVE.  It’s the best of rustic comfort food with the ease of modern-day cooking. It’s a prep and forget it recipe formal enough for special occasions, easy enough for every day, easy to scale up or down, stays warm until ready to serve, and receives rave reviews every single time. 

What you’ll especially love about this chicken and gravy is that it uses every day, pantry friendly ingredients – you probably have most of the ingredients right now!  All you need is chicken, chicken broth, flour, cornstarch and seasonings.  You will be blown away at how these humble ingredients transform into a mesmerizing masterpiece everyone will be praising.

This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe is simple to make by lining spice-rubbed chicken in the crockpot, bathing it in homemade gravy, then cooking until the chicken is fall-apart tender. Next, just shred the chicken and stir until every nook and cranny is swaddled in the swanky sauce.  

What makes this the best chicken and gravy recipe

Now, to the star of the recipe – the gravy.  The homemade gravy is what truly sets this recipe apart. It’s silky, rich and creamy with a punch of intoxicating flavor. Thickening the gravy first in a saucepan produces foolproof thick and creamy gravy every single time, takes less than 10 minutes to make and is worth every second. You will be so happy you took the extra few minutes and one saucepan to ensure its perfection.

I know you might moan a bit when you hear the gravy isn’t a dump and run gravy all made in the crockpot – but there is no other way to create a decadently creamy gravy in the crockpot!  Adding flour or a cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking results in a lackluster, thin gravy, using condensed “cream of” soups isn’t an option, and removing part of the gravy to thicken on the stove after cooking is a pain. 

Stovetop gravy is the one easy step that will elevate your chicken and gravy recipe to 5-star spectacular, like no other crockpot chicken and gravy recipe you have ever tasted!

 Chicken and Gravy Crockpot Ingredients

This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe requires barely any prep work and has such a short ingredients list. Here’s all you’ll need to make chicken and gravy in the slow cooker: 

• Chicken breasts: You’ll need about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.  I’ve detailed other chicken options below.
• Olive oil: Always use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. 
• Butter: Provides the base of the roux used in the gravy to make it rich and flavorful. Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the dish. 
• All-purpose flour: I’ve only made this recipe with all-purpose flour, but I imagine a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute could also be used. 
• Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce and makes it ultra smooth without having to increase the flour and therefore the butter in the roux.
• Chicken broth: Please use reduced sodium chicken broth so your gravy isn’t too salty.  Low sodium chicken broth also allows us to use chicken bouillon – a flavorful secret weapon.
• Chicken bouillon:  A couple teaspoons add an even richer, deeply satisfying chicken flavor.  You can use granulated bouillon (powder), bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.  Add the bouillon directly to the broth without dissolving in liquid first. If using cubes, you will need 1 ½ which you crush up and then add directly to the broth.
• Dried herbs and spices: Dried parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper layers the gravy with just the right amount of flavor.  

Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy Substitutions

Do I have to use chicken breasts?

Nope!  This chicken and gravy recipe will work with whatever chicken you have on hand.  Here’s how:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Are dark meat and therefore extremely juicy and more forgiving than breasts as far as cooking time. The catch is they taste stronger and just more “chicken-y” so it’s often not used in chicken and gravy recipes, but it all comes down to personal preference.  If you use chicken thighs, you’ll need to cook the chicken thighs for less time than chicken breasts because they are usually much thinner, about 4-5 hours on low and 2-3 hours on high.
• Chicken breasts and chicken thighs:  Crockpot meals are a great way to use up random, miscellaneous chicken hanging out in your freezer.  I’ve combined both chicken thighs and chicken breasts in this recipe before and it was fantastic!  The key to cooking both chicken breasts and thighs together is to make sure they are the same thickness.  You will likely need to cut your chicken breasts in half through the equator to create chicken fillets roughly the same thickness as the thighs.  Follow the cooking time for chicken thighs above.
• Bone-in chicken thighs or breasts: You can also make crockpot chicken and gravy with bone-in chicken thighs or breasts.  If you choose this option, I recommend removing the skin first so that the sauce doesn’t become super greasy.  You will also need to extend the cook time by about 2-3 hours.

CAN I USE FROZEN CHICKEN FOR CROCKPOT CHICKEN RECIPES?

Although it is tempting to add frozen chicken directly to your crockpot, this is a big no-no.  The chicken spends too long in the “danger zone” at room temperature as it thaws and can grow bacteria. Here are safety tips for crockpot chicken recipes:

• Chicken – no matter what cut – needs to be thawed before it is added to the slow cooker. This not only prevents the chicken from growing bacteria but allows you to drain excess water which can make the dish watery.
• It is best to thaw your chicken overnight in the refrigerator so it thaws evenly and completely.
• If you are in a big hurry, and needed your thawed chicken yesterday, you can use the microwave.  Place chicken in a microwave safe dish and use the defrost setting, rotating the chicken occasionally.  Take care not to thaw to the point the chicken starts to cook.

How to make Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe is easy to prep in about 15 minutes without any chopping!  It’s made by simmering a roux made with butter, olive oil and flour with chicken broth and seasonings until wonderfully rich and thick. The thick gravy is poured over the chicken and then becomes the ideal creamy consistency as it thins in the crockpot. Here are the step-by-step instructions (see recipe card at bottom of post for measurements):  

• Step 1: Season chicken.  Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, then rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.  Transfer the chicken breasts to the crockpot (or you can even perform this step in the crockpot).

• Step 2: Make gravy.  Melt the butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the flour. Cook for a couple minutes to remove the raw flour smell and taste before whisking in the broth. Reserve some of the broth and whisk the cornstarch into it so it can fully dissolve and won’t make the gravy lumpy, then add the mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the bouillon and spices. Finally, simmer until the consistency of thick gravy. Pour the gravy over the chicken.

• Step 3: Cook.  Cover and cook the chicken and gravy on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. 

• Step 4: Shred chicken.  Once the chicken is tender, shred with a fork directly in the crockpot or transfer to a cutting board if that’s easier for you.  Stir the shredded chicken with the gravy and cook for another 30 minutes to allow the gravy to flavor every nook and cranny of the shredded chicken. 

Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy tips

• Thicken the gravy first: Thicken the gravy on the stovetop so it’s the consistency of thick gravy; you want it thicker than the desired end result because it will thin by cooking with the chicken in the crockpot.  This ensures your gravy is rich, luxurious, and the ideal consistency at the end of cooking instead of the unappetizing watery gravy that just can’t seem to thicken to perfection using a cornstarch slurry in a slow cooker. 
• Don’t skip the olive oil:  The olive oil insulates the chicken from drying out during the prolonged cooking time.
• Use boneless chicken: You can use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, but you don’t want to waste time picking out the bones when shredding the chicken.  Using boneless chicken breasts makes shredding the chicken a breeze.
• Trim chicken: It’s tempting to add chicken breasts directly to the crockpot, but you’ll want to inspect them first and trim off any excess fat or cartilage or it will get shredded directly into your chicken and gravy and can have unappetizing, chewy results.   Your chicken will also shred much easier if it’s a nice, clean cut. 
• Check the chicken early: There are many factors effecting cooking time such as type and age of crockpot and thickness of chicken breasts, etc. check your chicken breasts towards the earlier end of the cooking window to make sure they don’t overcook.  Although its harder to overcook chicken in the crockpot, it can be done with dry results. 
• Cook chicken long enough:  On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll want to cook the chicken long enough so it’s shred-apart tender. If the chicken isn’t easily shredding with a fork – cook on!
• Plan on more time:  I advise to check the chicken at the early end of the cooking window but plan on the full cooking time to be safe, especially if it’s your first time making a recipe.
• Use dried herbs:  You don’t want to use fresh herbs because they will lose their potency due to the long cook time.  If you would like to use fresh herbs, add them to the gravy during the 30-minute cook time after you shred the chicken. You will need 3X fresh to dried herbs.
• Season to taste:  As with all recipes, make it your own!  With this recipe, you’ll want to season to taste at the very end when the shredded chicken is combined with the gravy.

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy variations

• Hawaiian Haystacks:  If you know, you know.  This chicken and gravy would be the perfect gravy for Hawaiian Haystacks!  Top individual rice servings with gravy then choose from a buffet of toppings such as pineapple tidbits, celery, broccoli, bell peppers, shredded carrots, thawed petite frozen peas, olives, green onions, tomatoes, raisins, coconut, slivered almonds, crunchy chow mein noodles, etc. 
• Make a mushroom gravy: If you and your family are mushroom lovers, feel free to transform the gravy into mushroom gravy by adding mushrooms directly to the Crockpot if you wish. If you like fall-apart mushrooms that become one with the gravy, add them at the beginning of cooking. If you like firmer mushrooms, add them about halfway through cooking.
• Add vegetables: In addition to mushrooms, you can also add your favorite veggies such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, peas, etc.  If you add vegetables, you’ll want to reduce the amount of chicken so there is enough gravy to swaddle both the chicken and the vegetables.
• Swap herbs:  You can completely mix up the flavor profile my changing the herb or herb quantities in the gravy.  You can add rosemary, tarragon, or basil just to name a few.
• Add sour cream:  For an extra lavish gravy reminiscent of chicken stroganoff, stir in ½ cup sour cream at the end of cooking.  To amp up the stroganoff flair, add 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and ½ teaspoon ground mustard.
• Serve with noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes: An easy way to switch up this recipe is to alternate the base you serve it on!

How to make Chicken and Gravy in advance

Prepping Chicken and Gravy Crockpot Ingredients

Yes!  You can season the chicken and place it in the crockpot and make the gravy and pour it over the chicken.  Store the crockpot ceramic insert in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before cooking.  You will need to add an additional 1-2 hours to the cooking time to account for the cold crockpot chicken.

Making Crockpot Chicken Gravy in advance

Absolutely! You can make the recipe in its entirety as written, let it cool to room temperature then store the ceramic crockpot insert in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat it.  I recommend serving the chicken and gravy within 48 hours of making it for best results. 

Storing and reheating Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy

• How to store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• How to reheat on the stove: Heat chicken and gravy in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of milk for saucier chicken.
• How to reheat in microwave:  Transfer chicken and gravy to a microwave safe bowl or plate.  Heated on high for 90 seconds, stir then continue to cook at 30 second intervals as needed until heated through.  
• How to reheat in the crockpot:  Heat on low for 1-2 hours until warmed through.  The time will depend on how much leftovers you have.

Can I Freeze Chicken and Gravy? 

Yes, this crockpot chicken and gravy recipe should freeze well since it’s a flour-based gravy rather than a cream-based gravy. To freeze:

1. Let the chicken and gravy cool completely.
2. Transfer leftovers to either a large freezer size bag or divide into smaller size bags.  Alternatively, transfer to airtight container(s).
3. Press air out of the freezer bag, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
4. When ready to eat, thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Heat per above instructions.

What to serve with Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

I love serving this crockpot chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes but you can also serve it with another neutral pairing.  Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Potatoes: garlic mashed potatoes are the ultimate pairing with chicken and gravy – simply divine!  You can also serve chicken and gravy over crockpot mashed potatoes (make ahead and reheat), or over baked potatoes.  Mashed sweet potatoes would also be a delicious spin.
• Pasta: Wide egg noodles would be tasty, reminiscent of chicken stroganoff, but linguine, spaghetti, penne, etc. would also work.  You can also use low carb noodles such as zoodles or spaghetti squash
• Rice: You can pile your crockpot chicken and gravy on white rice (I recommend jasmine) or brown rice.  You can also use microwave rice pouches if you’re making a serving for one or meal prep.  Risotto would also be dreamy, extra decadent choice.
• Low carb.  Cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, quinoa or a blend of brown rice and any of the aforementioned options. 

Now that you have the carb covered to pile your chicken and gravy on, let’s talk additional veggie, salad, fruit and bread sides.  You can go as simple as a green salad, grapes and crusty bread or choose any of the options below to make dinner a little more fun and flirty:   

• Veggies: I am obsessed with Honey Roasted Carrots with this recipe and they are easy to prep and just pop in the oven.  Other tasty options include Roasted Root Vegetables, Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans, Baked Parmesan Asparagus, and Dijon Maple Green Beans. 
• Salads: We love adding a fresh salad like Wedge Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Green Bean Salad or Spinach Berry Salad in the spring/summer and Apple Walnut Salad, Fall Salad, Beet Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad in the winter.
• Fruit: Keep it simple with a side of fruit or amp up your fruit game with Perfect Fruit Salad, Berry Salad or Pina Colada Fruit Salad in the spring/summer or Winter Fruit Salad or Tropical Winer Fruit Salad in the fall/winter.
• Bread: Lastly, bread is a must to ensure no sauce is left behind. We love Garlic Bread, Dinner Rolls, or Garlic Parmesan Butter Breadsticks. 

Looking for More Crockpot Chicken Recipes? 

• Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
• Crockpot Sesame Chicken 
• Crockpot BBQ Chicken
• Crockpot Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken
• Crockpot Mongolian Chicken 
• Crockpot Honey Soy Chicken