This Crockpot Chicken and Gravy has tender chicken bathed in a buttery, seasoned homemade sauce for a classic homestyle meal with almost no effort.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: This dish is savory, rich, and cozy, with tender chicken soaking up a creamy, perfectly seasoned, and smooth gravy.
- Recommended Tools: A 6-quart slow cooker makes cooking effortless, and a whisk makes for smooth, lump-free gravy. An instant read thermometer helps prevent overcooking.
- Serving Suggestions: At our house, this gets served over both mashed potatoes and buttered noodles, and it’s always a tough call. While the noodles are quick and comforting, the creamy mashed potatoes usually win for soaking up every last bit of that rich, flavorful gravy.
Essential Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Slice boneless chicken breasts into thinner cutlets for faster, more even cooking, or use thighs for extra juicy results.
- Broth: For the gravy, use chicken broth with the bouillon cube, or swap the bouillon cube for 1 teaspoon bouillon base or 1–2 teaspoons granules.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch can be substituted with arrowroot. Whisk cornstarch with cold liquid first to keep the gravy smooth. After stirring in the slurry, cook with the lid on to thicken.
- Seasoning: Poultry seasoning can be replaced with thyme, sage, and a tiny pinch of rosemary. Make sure to start small when subbing in other seasonings.
- Variations: For an easy variation, add sliced mushrooms or stir in frozen peas in the last few minutes for a quick one-pot comfort meal.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
- Whisk together the gravy ingredients (full recipe below).
- Add chicken to the slow cooker and top with the gravy mixture. Cook.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Add the cornstarch mixture and butter.
- Shred the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker before serving.
Leftovers Done Right
- Cool promptly and store leftover chicken in gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best texture.
- To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium-low or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring often. Heat until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- The gravy may look separated after chilling. A quick whisk while reheating brings it back together.
Cozy Comfort Sides
Did you enjoy this Crockpot Chicken and Gravy? Leave a comment and rating below.
Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
Tender crockpot chicken simmered in a creamy, poultry-seasoned gravy, then thickened right in the crockpot for a cozy, no-fuss dinner.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- ¾ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, bouillon cube, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Add chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the mixture over top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Whisk the cornstarch with the evaporated milk. Stir it into the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 10-15 minutes, or until thickened.
- Once thickened, whisk in the butter. Taste and season the gravy with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Shred or slice the chicken and return it to the gravy.
For a smoother gravy, strain the liquid in the slow cooker through a cheesecloth before adding the cornstarch and evaporated milk mixture.
Notes
If desired, add browning sauce for a darker gravy.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 349 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken
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This turned out great; however, I had one issue that I was able to resolve. Perhaps my
Crockpot runs hot, but even on low, the evaporated milk completely separated from the juice that came out of the chicken. I was able to remedy it by using an immersion blender on the gravy after I removed the chicken but before I added the cornstarch slurry. The gravy then thickened beautifully and did not separate again. I just wanted to pass this along in case anyone else has the same issue.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Jennifer! Using an immersion blender was a great fix. We’ve retested the recipe and updated it. The evaporated milk now goes in at the end with the cornstarch, so it doesn’t sit in the slow cooker for hours and separate. We also added an optional step to strain the cooking liquid for an extra smooth gravy. We hope you’ll give the new version a try!
It was good the problem I had is the gravy had almost a curdled texture. I cooked it on low but the texture was definitely off.
Thanks for letting us know, Debbie! A long cook can make evaporated milk curdle, even on low. We’ve retested and updated the recipe so the evaporated milk is whisked with the cornstarch and added only at the end. That keeps the gravy smooth and creamy. We hope you’ll try it again!
I’m not sure what I did wrong. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I followed the recipe exactly but I guess the evaporated milk completely curdled. I cooked it on high for 3 hours.
You didn’t do anything wrong, Nicholas! Evaporated milk can curdle when it cooks for a long time, especially on high. We’ve retested the recipe and updated it. Now the chicken cooks in the broth mixture, and the evaporated milk gets whisked with the cornstarch and stirred in at the end. That gives you a smooth, creamy gravy. We hope you’ll give it another try!
the only tip I have, and its a minor one. you know how when you poach chicken breasts, when its done the liquid has the little white bits from the fat at the top? I would either make sure the chicken breasts have zero fat, ( though that adds flavor) before thickening, skim off those bits or strain the liquid through a medium sieve. it does take away from the presentation a little bit if you dont.
Thank you for the tip!
So simple to make. It was a hit with my family even my picky son-in-law loved it.
Candace, we are happy to hear that everyone (even the picky eaters) enjoyed the recipe.