Craving comfort food? This Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy delivers a homemade, creamy gravy with hearty mushrooms and tender chicken. Serve it with flaky biscuits, rice, or mashed potatoes for a satisfying, home-cooked meal everyone will love.
What’s To Love About This Recipe
- Slow-cooker friendly: cooking low and slow allows the flavors to meld and develop depth with minimal attention required.
- Complete, comforting meal: serve with biscuits for brunch or spoon the leftovers over rice, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower for a different twist.
- Made-from-scratch gravy: no canned soups or preservatives—just simple ingredients for a richer, cleaner flavor.
- Quick prep: a few minutes to toss the ingredients together, then let the slow cooker do the work while you go about your day.
Ingredients Needed
The ingredient list is straightforward—each item contributes to a savory, velvety gravy without complicated steps.
- Chicken – 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces. Thighs give a richer flavor; breasts are leaner.
- Mushrooms – 8 ounces sliced portobello, fresh or frozen. Frozen mushrooms are convenient and hold up well in slow cooking.
- Flour – 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to coat the chicken and mushrooms and help thicken the sauce.
- Seasonings – dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and pepper for a balanced herbal note.
- Chicken broth – about 2 1/2 cups to form the base of the gravy; choose your preferred broth or stock.
- Heavy cream – 1/4 cup stirred in at the end for a silky finish.
How To Make Chicken and Gravy In The Slow Cooker
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray or lightly oil the insert.
- Add the chicken and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Toss them with the flour, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Slowly stir in the chicken broth, scraping any flour from the bottom so it dissolves evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- After the chicken is cooked, stir the heavy cream into the slow cooker and heat through for a few minutes until the gravy is heated and slightly thickened.
- Serve the chicken and gravy over biscuits, rice, mashed potatoes, or whipped cauliflower.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Stick to boneless chicken for consistent cook times. Thighs are more forgiving and flavorful; breasts work if you prefer lean meat.
- Add frozen vegetables at the start—corn, peas, green beans, or diced carrots—to make this an all-in-one meal similar to a chicken pot pie filling.
- Use a pre-mixed herb-and-garlic seasoning if you want to cut prep time. A simple blend of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and parsley works well.
- For a smoky twist, fold in cooked crumbled bacon just before serving.
- To make this gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour or a cornstarch slurry for thickening and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
What To Serve With Chicken and Gravy
This creamy chicken and gravy pairs beautifully with flaky biscuits—store-bought or homemade. It’s also excellent spooned over mashed potatoes, rice, or whipped cauliflower for a lower-carb option. A simple green vegetable or salad rounds the meal out.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low to medium heat or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally. If the gravy separates or is too thin after cooling, whisk in a small cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) while warming. Freezing is not recommended for cream-based sauces, as texture can change after thawing.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
Author: Jennifer Draper
A simple slow-cooker recipe that yields tender chicken and a creamy mushroom gravy—perfect with biscuits or mashed potatoes.
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 3–4 hrs (high) or 6–8 hrs (low) • Servings: 8 • Calories: 123 kcal
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 8 oz frozen or fresh sliced portobello mushrooms
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (to stir in at the end)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Lightly grease the slow cooker insert.
- Add chicken and mushrooms. Toss with flour, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper to coat.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
- Stir in the heavy cream and warm through before serving.
- Serve over biscuits, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- If gravy is too thin, thicken with a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water) stirred into the hot gravy.
- If gravy is too thick, thin with additional chicken broth.
- Add frozen vegetables at the start if you want a one-pot meal with more vegetables.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 123 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Fat: 5 g
- Sodium: 238 mg
Chicken and Gravy FAQs
- How do you thicken the gravy? Make a cornstarch slurry with equal parts cornstarch and water (about 1 tablespoon each) and stir it into the hot gravy until it thickens.
- Can you use frozen chicken? For best texture and food safety, use thawed chicken.
- Can milk replace cream? Yes, but milk will require additional thickening. Use about 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water or broth, then stir into the milk and heat until thickened.
More Slow Cooker Comfort Food Recipes
- Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Gravy
- Slow Cooker White Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese
- Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup