This Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy recipe is the definition of fall comfort food. Chicken breast simmer in a creamy, homemade gravy made from real ingredients, no canned soup here.
The gravy is flavored with just the right amount of garlic and herbs, creating a creamy, savory gravy that’s perfect over mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits.
I love my chicken and gravy thick, so I use a good amount of flour! If you prefer a thinner gravy, you can reduce the flour a bit or add more chicken broth. I make it thick so that when we heat up leftovers, we can just add a little broth when serving. This also freezes beautifully, making it great for meal prep!
The slow cooker does all the work, letting the sauce thicken slowly while the chicken stays tender and juicy. If you love simple, homestyle dinners, this recipe will earn a regular spot on your menu. It’s comforting, flavorful, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Quick Bites About This Recipe
Flavor: Creamy, savory gravy with hints of garlic and herbs.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the gravy in advance and refrigerate or even freeze.
Freezer Friendly: Freeze cooked chicken and gravy for 2-3 months.
Variations & Substitutions: Swap chicken thighs for juicier results or use full-fat oat milk and vegan butter for dairy free.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Searing the chicken breast adds flavor and also locks in moisture.
- Salted butter: A full stick makes the gravy smooth and rich.
- All-purpose flour: We use this to thicken the gravy for a creamy texture.
- Granulated garlic: Adds subtle savory flavor that blends beautifully into the sauce.
- Coarse black pepper: Rounds out the flavor; use less if your pepper is finely ground.
- Kosher salt: Brings all the flavors together.
- Poultry seasoning and thyme: Add gentle herb flavor that makes it taste like Thanksgiving!
- Paprika: Adds a little warmth and color.
- Chicken broth: The savory base of the gravy. You can also use better than bouillon which works well, but just use a bit over the recommended amount per cup to give it that rich chicken flavor.
- Whole milk: Adds creaminess without making it heavy like a heavy cream would.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt, granulated garlic, and a little black pepper. Sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side in a skillet with a little oil or using the sauté setting on your slow cooker until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan or insert, melt one stick (8 tablespoons) butter. Whisk in the flour along with a pinch of garlic and pepper. Stir for about 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk until smooth. Add granulated garlic, poultry seasoning, thyme, and paprika. Simmer for a minute or two until slightly thickened.
Return the chicken and any juices to the slow cooker, coating the chicken in the gravy. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 to 5 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Slice or shred the chicken and cook on low for another 15-20 minutes to let it absorb all the flavor inside.
Now you can enjoy and serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits.
Storing and Reheating (If There’s Any Leftovers!)
Refrigerate: Store up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: Freeze up to 2-3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently over low heat; add a splash of milk or broth to loosen the gravy if needed.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
Serve this creamy chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, white rice, or warm biscuits. It’s also delicious alongside roasted carrots or green beans for a complete meal.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Searing adds flavor and keeps the chicken tender.
- The gravy thickens as it rests; let it sit uncovered for a few minutes before serving if you’d like it thicker.
- If you need to thin it out you can use a splash of broth or milk.
- You can make the roux in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to start cooking.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy Recipe
Made this? ⭐ Leave a rating to let us know 💛
step by step recipe video
Gadget recommendation
Ingredients
Chicken Breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3-4
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper use less if fine ground
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Chicken Gravy
- 8 tablespoons butter 1 stick, salted butter, use half for a thinner gravy
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 60g, use half for a thinner gravy
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 360ml
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk 360ml
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning or ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
Chicken
- Pat chicken dry and season with granulated garlic, dried parsley, kosher salt, pepper, and paprika. Sear in a little bit of oil 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Chicken Gravy
- Melt butter in the same pan or slow cooker. Whisk in flour, garlic, and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.8 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in broth and milk until smooth. Add granulated garlic, poultry seasoning, thyme, and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened.1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Add chicken and any juices back to the slow cooker, coating well. Cover and cook on low 3 1/2-5 hours or high 3-4 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Slice or shred chicken and cook for another 15-20 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the gravy. Add more broth if needed at this time.
- Serve chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits.
Tried this recipe?
We’d love to know what you think! Please leave a rating and comment to share your thoughts on this recipe. Your feedback helps us continue sharing free, high-quality recipes with you. Thank you so much!
Notes
- Substitutions: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for extra juicy results.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2-3 months in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Warm gently over low heat; add a splash of milk or broth if needed to loosen the gravy.
- Gravy Texture: I love my gravy thick so I make the gravy thicker. This also makes it easy to thin out after cooking. Just stir in a little chicken broth when serving or reheating to reach your desired consistency. You can reduce the flour if desired.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.
Can you make this dairy free?
I haven’t tried this dairy free BUT! I have made things similar dairy free. I would use full fat oatly milk and country crock plant butter. Those are the two I used for my condensed cream of chicken soup as well as slow cooker recipes 🙂