Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Crockpot Chicken and Gravy (from scratch)
Tender chicken with warm gravy makes a comforting dinner to look forward to. The gravy gathers the chicken's savory cooking juices, ready to spoon over whole pieces or shreds. Taste it at the end, add cream if you like and enjoy it while it is warm.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 190 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Slow cooker
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Dissolve the cornstarch
Whisk the broth, cornstarch and seasonings until the starch is completely dissolved before pouring the mixture over the chicken.
2. Check the thickest piece
Use a meat thermometer in the thickest piece, aiming for the stated 165°F rather than relying only on the three-hour estimate.
3. Stir the gravy together
The gravy can look uneven from released chicken fat. Stir it together, or strain through a fine sieve if preferred.
Get to know the ingredients
Breasts and thighs
The main recipe combines boneless, skinless breasts and thighs. Both go into the cooker before their seasoned broth mixture.
Low-sodium broth
If using salted broth instead, try leaving out the added salt and seasoning after cooking, just before serving.
Optional cream
The heavy cream is optional and goes into the gravy after cooking. Sour cream is allowed for a tangier finish.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Crockpot Chicken and Gravy (from scratch)
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Taste the finished gravy
Stir in cream if using, then taste and adjust the gravy's seasonings before serving it with the cut or shredded chicken.
A little more help as you go
Choose the serving texture
Move cooked chicken to a board and pull into pieces or shred as you prefer before serving with the gravy.
Cooker fullness affects timing
The directions note that a fuller cooker and its exact cooking temperature can shift the time needed to reach the thermometer target.
A few questions you might have
Can I use only breasts or only thighs?
You can use all white meat or all dark meat instead of combining both in the slow cooker.
Can I use bone-in chicken?
Yes, you can use bone-in pieces. Remove the skin, and allow more cooking time than for boneless chicken.
Can I freeze chicken and gravy?
You can freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating covered on low heat.
How long can it stay refrigerated?
Keep the cooked chicken and gravy in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Can the gravy look more yellow?
Add a small amount of chicken bouillon if you would like a yellower gravy.
Any more cooking tips?
Ingredients and Substitutions: Gravy : if you want more of a yellow color to your gravy, add a small amount of chicken bouillon. Chicken : you can use all white meat or all dark meat if you prefer. You can also use bone-in chicken though I recommend removing the skin. Bone-in chicken will take longer to cook. Broth : I always use low sodium broth. If using salted broth, omit the salt and season after cooking just before serving. Seasonings : you can swap any of these, or increase or decrease according to your preferences. You can also swap them out for a gravy mix, but I prefer to make my own. Cream : you can skip the cream for dairy free, or add in sour cream for more of a tangy flavor. Storage : Chicken and gravy can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop on low heat, covered.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
