Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

by recipe@6


Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy – πŸ§‘πŸ™ŒπŸ»πŸ—The EASIEST recipe for juicy chicken with rich gravy that not only adds flavor, but also keeps the chicken moist and tender! Your slow cooker does all the work and makes you look like a kitchen whiz. This comfort food chicken recipe is picky eater approved and a great meal prep recipe to stash in your fridge or freezer.

A bowl of shredded chicken in sauce, garnished with herbs, next to a slow cooker and a small bowl of extra sauce on a marble surface.

Easy Chicken and Gravy Slow Cooker Recipe

This slow cooker chicken and gravy recipe is going to be a new favorite for you!

A bowl of shredded chicken in brown sauce over rice, garnished with parsley. Served with mixed steamed vegetables including broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower.

Here’s why you’re going to love it:

  • The chicken is super tender and juicy thanks to simmering away for hours in the savory gravy.
  • Not only does the gravy keep the chicken moist, it also add another layer of flavor along with a comfort food touch. Everything’s better when it’s saucy or smothered in gravy.
  • This dish is a cinch to make and perfect for busy weeknights when you can’t be bothered with a complicated recipe.
  • The leftovers keep great so this is a great recipe to make early in the week as a meal prep recipe. And later on it’s perfect for reheat-and-enjoy type of dinners or lunches in the coming days.
  • Got picky eaters? This is picky eater approved, I promise! Who can say no to juicy shredded chicken with rich gravy. You can also keep the chicken as whole pieces, if you prefer.
  • Best of all this is SO easy! Your slow cooker does all the work for you, I promise. There’s less than 10 minutes of active prep time which is how I like things.
Close-up of a dish with shredded chicken in a creamy sauce, served over rice, and garnished with parsley. A spoon drizzles more sauce over the chicken. Steamed vegetables are on the side.

Ingredients in Slow Cooker Chicken with Gravy

  • Chicken broth – I like to use reduced or low sodium but it’s up to you.
  • Cream of chicken condensed soup – This recipe was developed with condensed soup in mind and it’s necessary. You could sub with cream of mushroom soup if you’d like.
  • Dry onion soup mix – Such as Lipton (or Amazon brand) It’s sold in one-ounce packets and often used in dips. In this case, it adds a lot of flavor to the recipe. If you live in an area where it’s not sold (Europe), then you can double the other dried spices and add plenty of salt.
  • Dried spices and herbs – Dried parsley, dried basil, and paprika add additional flavor that the onion soup mix alone doesn’t provide. If you have rosemary or thyme on hand, they’re also nice here.
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts – You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for a richer flavor and juicier chicken if you prefer.
  • Onions – White or yellow onions are preferred here.
  • Garlic – I use minced garlic but garlic powder will work in a pinch.
  • Cornstarch
  • Fresh parsley, optional for garnishing

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Chicken and Gravy in a Crockpot

This is a cinch to make! Follow these easy steps:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and dry onion soup mix. Set it aside.
  2. Mix together the dried spices, salt, pepper, and then rub this into the chicken.
  3. To the insert of a 6-quart slow cookerΒ or 7-quart slow cooker, sprinkle the diced onions evenly over the bottom, then add the garlic.
  4. Place the chicken on top and then pour the broth and soup mixture over the top. Cover with the lid and slow cook on HIGH for about 3-4 hours OR on LOW for about 6-7 hours. Take the meat out and shred it on a cutting board with two forks. Tip – Cooking time will vary. Make sure NOT to overcook the chicken. It’s done at 165F as measured by a digital thermometer. It tastes best when perfectly cooked, but not overcooked.
  5. Make a cornstarch slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water, pour it into the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, mix well, and the gravy will thicken. Add the shredded chicken back in, toss the chicken gravy mix together, and before serving optionally garnish with parsley.

To Shred Crockpot Chicken – or Not!

You can serve these as whole chicken breasts (or thighs) if you prefer. Just skip the shredding step. Still remove the whole pieces of chicken from the slow cooker when they’re done, and add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy. Then add the whole chicken pieces back in to coat evenly. I personally prefer to shred the chicken because it soaks up all that glorious gravy even better but it’s up to you.

what to serve with Crock pot Chicken and Gravy

Any type of potatoes or rice, such as my Spanish Rice recipe, are great. You can also serve it with egg noodles, almost like a Stroganoff. Vegetables including roasted carrots, or steamed green beans or peas are also easy and round out your meal.

Storage

In the Refrigerator:Β Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s a great meal prep recipe because the leftover chicken stays tender and juicy thanks to the gravy.

In the Freezer:Β Freezing this recipe is a good call to have something on hand that you can thaw when the time is right. It will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat:Β I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed.

Recipe FAQs

is it better to slow cook on low or high heat?

It’s really up to you how you want to cook this easy chicken recipe. I tend to do HIGH because it’s hard for me to plan ahead 6 hours and 3ish hours are more my speed, but it’s personal preference.

should I sear the chicken in a pan on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker?

To get extra flavor, you can sear the chicken breast for 2-3 minutes per side before placing in the slow cooker. However, it’s not required and I don’t tend to bother. It’s just another pan to wash but suit yourself here.

can i add other vegetables to the slow cooker?

Perhaps, although I haven’t tried it with this recipe. Sliced mushrooms are an easy one that would like be just fine.

My gravy isn’t thick enough. What should I do?

Make sure you make and add the cornstarch slurry as I outline to the gravy. Start with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water, but if you would like the gravy thicker, make an additional slurry with 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water, add it and stir, and it should do the trick.

do I have to use cream of chicken soup and dry onion soup mix?

As written, both of the ingredients are necessary for this recipe. The cream of chicken helps give body to the sauce (gravy) and to thicken it, while the onion soup mix delivers a ton of flavor in a concentrated amount of seasonings.

If you want to try another saucy slow cooker chicken recipe, such as my Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala or Slow Cooker Orange Chicken, both of those are very popular and made with very easy-to-find ingredients that are less processed.

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  • To a medium bowl, add the chicken broth, condensed soup, dry onion soup mix, and whisk to combine. It’s ok if it’s not perfectly smooth; set aside momentarily.

  • To a small bowl, add the dried herbs, salt, pepper, and mix to combine. Rub this mixture into the chicken breasts, making sure to coat them on all sides. Set aside momentarily.

  • To the slow cooker insert, scatter the diced onions evenly over the bottom, and then sprinkle the garlic over the onions. Toss lightly with a spatula to combine.

  • Place the chicken breasts on top.

  • Pour the soup mixture evenly over the chicken.

  • Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for about 3-4 hours, or on LOW for about 6-7 hours. Slow Cooking Tips – The exact cooking time will depend on your slow cooker and its heat output. Some are very fierce, some aren’t. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temp of 165F. Use a thermometer and check it, don’t guess. Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek on the food “just to check it” because heat and steam will escape, unnecessarily prolonging the overall cook time.

  • When chicken is done, place it on a cutting board, and use two forks to shred the meat (or if desired, you don’t have to shred it and can keep the pieces of chicken intact). Tip – Before getting to work on shredding though, complete the next step with the slurry to start thickening the gravy.

  • Make a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, and stir to combine and dissolve the cornstarch. Add the slurry to the cooking liquid and gravy that’s in the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Within a few minutes, the gravy will begin to thicken. Stirring will help accelerate the thickening process. Tip – If your gravy isn’t thick enough, you can make 1 more slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, add it, stir, and with that your gravy should be sufficiently thick. Gravy will always tighten up when it cools too so if it looks a bit thin now, not to worry, it will thicken as it cools a bit.

  • Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, toss well to coat it evenly with the gravy and rewarm it slightly. Taste and if desired, add additional salt or pepper.

  • Optionally garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave as desired.Β 

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 2025mg, Potassium: 591mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 424IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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