This chicken and gravy recipe is easy, budget-friendly, and absolutely delicious. We season and pan-fry chicken breast, then use the pan drippings to make a flavorful homemade gravy. The chicken is shredded and added back to the gravy for a rich, comforting dish.
What's great about this recipe
- Easy and budget-friendly - It's made with easy-to-find, affordable ingredients and has simple step-by-step instructions.
- Weeknight comfort food - This chicken and gravy is ready in about 45 minutes, making it easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
- Homemade gravy - The gravy is made from scratch in the same skillet using the chicken drippings, butter, flour, and broth.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $6.50-$8.50
- Per serving (4 servings): about $1.63-$2.13
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken breast trimmed of any fat.
Oil - We use olive oil here. Since we're not cooking at a very high temperature, you can use your favorite oil that's suitable for sautéing.
Herbs and spices - Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper season the chicken and gravy.
Chicken broth - Use your favorite brand. If you're sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium broth and adjust the salt at the end if needed.
Butter - Regular salted butter works well, or use unsalted if needed.
Flour - All-purpose flour is used with the butter to make the gravy.
Garnish - Chopped fresh herbs and a little black pepper can be added before serving, if desired. (Not pictured.)
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken and gravy
Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir to combine. Season the chicken on both sides with the mix.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn and cook for 2 minutes until browned.
- Add ½ cup of chicken broth. When it starts simmering, cover and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 8-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Keep it at a simmer. Then, remove the skillet from heat and place the chicken on a plate or pan. Let it cool; we will shred it later.
- There should be little to no liquid left in the skillet. Do not wash or wipe it. Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the butter.
- When the butter is melted and foamy, add the flour. Stir well to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly add the chicken broth to the butter and flour mixture while stirring briskly. Move around the skillet in small circles while adding and stirring. Continue stirring until the gravy is smooth.
- When the liquid starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Keep it at a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, and stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken on a cutting board and add any juices collected on the plate to the simmering gravy. Shred the chicken and add it to the gravy. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low to low heat to let the flavors blend.
- Taste the gravy and add salt if needed. Serve the chicken in gravy with mashed potatoes or your favorite side dish. Garnish with chopped herbs and a pinch of black pepper, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at its thickest part. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure.
- If you are sensitive to salt, reduce the amount used in the seasoning, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter. Adjust the salt at the end if needed.
- Let the chicken cool enough to handle before shredding it. Add any juices collected on the plate to the gravy along with the shredded chicken for extra flavor.
- This is a simple recipe, but things do move quickly, so it is best to have everything ready before you start cooking.
GRAVY TIPS
Gravy troubleshooting
- Avoid lumpy gravy - Add the chicken broth slowly while stirring briskly. This helps the broth blend smoothly into the butter and flour mixture and prevents lumps from forming.
- Avoid a raw flour taste - After adding the flour to the melted butter, cook it for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. This cooks the flour before the broth is added.
- If the gravy is too thick - Add chicken broth 1-2 tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- If the gravy is too thin - Let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Keep in mind that the gravy will thicken as it cools, so don't take it too far.
Serving suggestions
- Mashed potatoes are our favorite side for chicken and gravy. The creamy potatoes are perfect with plenty of the homemade gravy spooned over the top.
- For something different, serve the chicken and gravy over white rice or egg noodles. It's also delicious served with biscuits or open-faced over a slice of bread for a simple, filling meal.
- For a vegetable side, try our bacon green beans or roasted broccoli. Both go well with this dish and make an easy addition to dinner.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerator - Store leftover chicken and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer - Transfer the chicken and gravy to a freezer-safe airtight container. Leave room for expansion, label and date the container, and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating - Reheat the chicken and gravy in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave until hot throughout. The gravy will loosen as it warms, so wait until it is hot before adding extra liquid. If it's still too thick, add a little chicken broth as needed.
Food safety - Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Foodsafety.gov.
If you enjoyed this chicken and gravy, try some of our other easy chicken dinners. Our one-pan chicken and mushrooms combines chicken with a flavorful mushroom sauce for an easy skillet meal. For another simple stovetop dinner, try our cream of mushroom chicken, or make creamy chicken orzo for a hearty one-pan meal.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken and Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast boneless and skinless
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper plus extra for garnish if desired
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3½ cup Chicken Broth divided (½ cup to cook the chicken and 3 cups for the gravy)
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
- Chopped parsley, sliced green onions, chopped chives, sprinkle of paprika, or extra black pepper for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir to combine. Season the chicken on both sides with the mix.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken.
- Cook the chicken for 3 minutes.
- Turn each piece and cook for 2 minutes until browned.
- Carefully, add ½ cup of chicken broth to the chicken. When the broth starts simmering, cover the skillet and lower the heat to medium-low.
- Cook the chicken for 8-12 minutes or until cooked through (at least 165°F see notes). Keep the broth at a simmer, raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Take the skillet off the heat and remove the chicken. Place it on a rimmed plate or pan (to collect any juices) and allow it to cool. We will shred it later.
- There should not be too much liquid left in the skillet (if any). Do not wash or wipe the skillet. Place it back over medium heat and add the butter.
- When the butter is melted and foamy, add the flour. Stir well to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
- Slowly add the chicken broth to the butter and flour mixture while briskly stirring. Move around the skillet making small circles while adding and stirring. Continue stirring until the chicken gravy is smooth.
- When the liquid starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for approximately 8 minutes (while you shred the chicken). Keep it at a simmer, do not let it boil too vigorously. Adjust the heat as necessary and stir it occasionally.
- In the meantime, place the chicken on a cutting board and add any juices collected on the plate to the simmering gravy.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken, provided it is cool enough to handle.
- Add the shredded chicken to the gravy and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-low to low heat to let the flavors combine. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add any extra to ours.
- Serve the chicken in gravy with mashed potatoes or your favorite side dish and garnish with chopped herbs and a pinch of black pepper, if desired.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Jessica
How do I adjust the recipe if I already have leftover shredded chicken and want to make the sauce?
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Jessica, Make the gravy following the same instructions, season it with the garlic and onion powder, thyme, etc. If you have chicken base add a little in to add more flavor since you won't have the pan drippings. When it's done, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Yolanda
I made this for dinner and it was yummy. I use risotto instead of the mashed potatoes and I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, it came out great, thanks.
Richard
Thanks was yummy, I added some onion and garlic as well to the butter then added the four. Fir the gravy for a kick added a can of mushroom soup as well.
Elizabeth
Hi Richard,
Sounds delicious! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it.