Hearty, smooth, and savory chicken gravy—simple to make, requiring only a handful of ingredients and no pan drippings unless you want extra depth of flavor.
Elevate any dinner with this creamy chicken gravy. It’s an easy sauce that pairs beautifully with roast chicken, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, or rice. Use it to finish a Sunday roast or to dress up weekday leftovers.
Easy Homemade Chicken Gravy
Homemade gravy has a comforting, nostalgic quality that store-bought sauces can’t match. This chicken gravy is light, flavorful, and quick to prepare. It’s made with chicken stock (or broth), bouillon for extra savory punch if you like, butter, flour, and a touch of herbs.
This version is a lighter take on a Southern-style gravy and works well for family dinners. It’s versatile: swap chicken bouillon for beef bouillon for a deeper flavor, or use homemade drippings to add richness (see the section below for how to incorporate drippings).
How to Make Chicken Gravy
Heat: In a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, combine the chicken stock and bouillon cubes (if using). Heat and stir until the bouillon dissolves and the liquid is hot.
Melt: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
Whisk: Add the flour and cook, whisking, for about 1 minute to form a roux and remove the raw flour taste. Stir in thyme and sage.
Add stock: Slowly whisk the hot stock into the roux until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
Simmer: Bring the gravy to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency—about a minute or so.
Serve: Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Smoothest Gravy: To keep the gravy silky, whisk thoroughly while adding the liquid and maintain a warm temperature; gravy thickens as it cools. If the gravy becomes too thick, thin with additional hot broth. To thicken further, mix 1/4 cup gravy into a small bowl with 1/2–1 teaspoon flour until smooth, then whisk it back into the main pot. Whisking and gradual addition of liquid are the keys to a lump-free sauce.
Make from Drippings
Drippings: Drippings are the juices and rendered fat left in the pan after roasting meat. They are full of flavor and can add depth to your gravy. You can make this recipe completely without drippings, but if you have them, here’s how to use them:
- After removing the chicken from the pan, let the drippings cool slightly and strain them through a fine sieve to remove solids.
- Allow the strained drippings to settle and skim off excess fat. You can substitute the skimmed fat for some or all of the butter in the recipe.
- Taste the drippings. If they are salty or intense, use less bouillon or dilute with stock. If they’re mild, you can use a larger proportion.
- Combine drippings and stock to equal the 2 cups called for in the recipe, then proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Tip: Store leftover drippings in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months so you always have flavorful stock for gravy.
Recipes that commonly produce excellent drippings include pot roast, pork roast, roast turkey, and slow-cooker roast chicken.
Storing + What to Serve With It
Storage: Cool the gravy and transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove, whisking to restore texture.
Serve over: Classic pairings include mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, roast chicken, fried chicken, and rice. It’s also a delicious finishing sauce for poultry sandwiches or pot roast slices.
For more sides, check out:
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Baked Zucchini Fries
- Tortellini Salad
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
Chicken Gravy Recipe
Author: Kristyn Merkley
Servings: 10 | Cook: 10 mins | Total: 10 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes (optional, adjust to taste)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (or rendered fat from drippings)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried sage
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the chicken stock with the bouillon cubes in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan until hot and the bouillon dissolves.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, thyme, and sage and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly to form a roux.
- Slowly pour the hot stock into the roux while whisking to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Continue whisking until the gravy is smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm over mashed potatoes, roast chicken, or other favorite dishes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 69 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 70 mg, Potassium: 50 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 142 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 3 mg, Iron: 1 mg.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.