How to Make Chicken Broth Gravy

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Looking for a simple gravy that you can make for meat or mashed potatoes? This Chicken Broth Gravy takes 5 minutes and only a few frugal ingredients!

chicken broth gravy on a plate with mashed potatoes

Chicken Broth Gravy

One thing we make around here a lot is chicken. We are primarily chicken and beef eaters since that’s the most accessible to us, and organic/natural turkey is harder to come by.

My favorite way to cook chicken is in the crockpot. We raise our own meat birds and always have whole chickens in the freezer. It’s easy for me to stick one straight from the freezer into the crockpot and have a warm meal at the end of the day.

One of our favorite meals from this chicken in the crockpot is a simple one with mashed potatoes, gravy, and of course…chicken.

This Easy Gravy Recipe is simple and takes only 3 ingredients. Pouring over potatoes, chicken, or even a special side of stuffing makes a great addition to the meal. Since it takes about 5 minutes (or less!) to make, it’s worth your time! Another thing we love about this is that since it’s made from nourishing bone broth, it’s very healthy for you!

chicken broth gravy ingredients

Ingredients in Chicken Broth Gravy

  • Chicken broth. I use homemade chicken broth, but you can use store-bought if that’s what you have.
  • Starch. Depending on what I grab out, I use potato starch, cornstarch, or arrowroot. Just about any starch is fine. You could also use all-purpose flour if you don’t have any starch.
  • Garlic Powder. For added flavor. I buy mine in bulk.
  • Onion Powder. Again, for added flavor. I buy mine in bulk.
  • Salt and Pepper. Even if you don’t add the other spices, you will want to add salt. I buy pink salt in bulk.

Tips for Making Chicken Broth Gravy

  • Make extra gravy and store it for a future meal. You can put it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
  • I recommend adding in the additional spices to give it some extra flavor.
  • A high-quality, highly flavorful bone broth will make your gravy tastier without extra effort.
  • You could add in specific spices and herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, or other things if you know what recipe you are serving with the gravy and have a specific flavor in mind.
Meatballs and Gravy

What to Serve with the Homemade Chicken Gravy Recipe

a jar of chicken broth gravy

Instructions for Making Homemade Chicken Gravy

In a saucepan, pour in the chicken broth. Turn on a medium heat and let it start to simmer and bubble. Add in the garlic, salt, and onion powder. How much you add will be up to your tastes. For this amount of broth, we usually do about 1/2 teaspoon of each.

Cornstarch Slurry

Mix a tiny amount of COLD water in a small bowl with your tablespoon of starch until combined. If you have ever wondered, this is a cornstarch slurry (or whatever kind of starch you use!).

Add the water/starch mixture into the chicken broth on the stove over a medium-low heat, stirring with a whisk while you add. Continually stirring with the whisk while adding in the starch will ensure the perfect consistency in your gravy.

mashed potatoes with chicken broth gravy

Let the mixture simmer for a few more moments while you stir. The gravy will thicken and set up. Add in salt to taste.

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Chicken Broth Gravy Recipe

A super simple gravy that will work for many different meals made from chicken broth.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken Broth Gravy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 19 kcal
Creator Merissa

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon starch I use potato starch, corn starch or arrowroot is fine!
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, pour in the chicken broth. Turn on a medium heat and let it start to simmer and bubble. Add in the garlic, salt, and onion powder. How much you add will be up to your tastes. For this amount of broth, we usually do about 1/2 teaspoon of each.
  2. In a small bowl, mix a tiny amount of COLD water with your tablespoon of starch until it’s combined.
  3. Add the water/starch mixture into the chicken broth on the stove, stirring with a whisk while you add.
  4. Let the mixture simmer for a few more moments while you stir. The gravy will thicken and set up. Add in salt to taste.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Broth Gravy Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 19 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g
Sodium 35mg2%
Potassium 101mg3%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Sugar 0.2g0%
Protein 2g4%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

And that’s all there is to making Chicken Broth Gravy! As I mentioned above…use for a topping for all kinds of dishes.

Do you need some other ideas on what to make with your chicken from a crockpot? You can also learn to start Drying Homemade Chicken Broth or even start Canning Chicken!

Gluten-Free Gravy Recipe

Use the starch instead of using flour to thicken up this recipe and to keep it gluten-free. This recipe is already naturally dairy-free.

chicken broth gravy

How to Store Chicken Broth Gravy

Store in the fridge if you have leftovers. The mixture will thicken even more into a gel-like substance, but all you have to do to make it “normal” again is heat it up on the stove or in the microwave.

If you plan on making a big batch, store extra Chicken Gravy in the freezer.

I like these 16 Ounce Reditainers for the freezer over a freezer bag because they are durable and they stack well. I always use them to stock up on extra broth and gravy.

Use some food labels to label what is in your container and when you put it in the freezer.

chicken broth in a jar

Can I Use Chicken Broth Instead of Stock for Gravy?

Both chicken broth and chicken stock can be used interchangeably in this gravy recipe. (And in most recipes.)

What is the Secret to Good Gravy?

Good gravy has the perfect smooth consistency and just the right amount of flavors. It’s not spicy enough to overpower your dish but has enough flavor to boost whatever you serving it with. Gravy should act as a way to get flavorful moisture into your dish.

How Do You Make Gravy Without Chicken Broth?

You can use the pan drippings from roast chicken to make gravy from scratch without any broth. After you are finished cooking your chicken, add water to the hot skillet. The chicken drippings will release from the surface of the pan.

Make a roux by whisking the starch into the liquid in your skillet, and add any herbs or spices you’d like. Let the sauce thicken, and you’ll have gravy without any chicken broth!

Worcestershire sauce

More Homemade Sauces

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Me and Kady

Merissa Alink

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.



This Chicken Broth Gravy was originally posted on Little House Living in March 2013. It has been updated as of March 2023.

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12 Comments

  1. My Uncle, who is a wonderful cook, taught me to whisk the starch into the cold or room temperature broth and then bring it to a boil while stirring. I really did not believe him until I tried it but it makes the most wonderful, smooth gravy I have ever eaten and I always do it that way now.

  2. We always used corn starch for thickening gravies at home, but now I use flour because it seems to have a thicker finish. The one nice thing about using starch is you can whisk it into your gravy (mixed w/little water) while the gravy or broth is still hot with no worries about lumps. With flour you run the risk of lumps unless you mix it first into the drippings or cold broth. Both are delicious end results!

  3. This recipe for gravy couldnt possibly produce what most people would call gravy. It would be extremely thin, and you couldn’t use the same technique called for here if using regular flour. The basic rule of thumb for thickening any liquid (milk, broth, fruit juice) is 2 tbsp thickener (cornstarch, flours) per one cup liquid. For 2 cups liquid, you would need 4 tbsp thickener. You could get by with three if you like thin gravy. I recommend using the full amount of thickener and then thinning the gravy to the desired thickness after you see what it’s like when it’s done. If using wheat flour, always make a roux first by melting 1 tbsp butter or meat fat for every tbsp of flour and bubbling together in pan while stirring for 15 seconds before adding liquid and whisking to blend well. If using cornstarch, mix cornstarch with any cold liquid before heating. Then season chicken gravy to taste with a tiny bit of poultry seasoning or rosemary, salt and pepper. For chicken broth that doesn’t have much flavor, try adding Kitchen Bouquet.

  4. Tisha, just because you do things differently is no reason to act so superior. If the ingredients made gravy for her, then let it be. Geez…some people are just hateful!

    1. I agree with Sadie. I just finished making this gravy and found I had to add a little more broth because it was so thick. I would tell Tasha to try it first and then comment on it. This is not playing nice. Let it be. We’re not doing Cordon Bleu cooking here.

  5. I read your recipe with interest because I am trying to cut back on some things that add to my daily health plan. For the record I have just had a total knee replacement and had a difficult time. They found by accident that I have pulmonary hypertension and am now doing cardiac and pulmonary workups. My generation made thick fat laden gravy of almost every meal. Chicken beef, paprakash, noodles rice you name it. Heavy, fat , filling and cheap was the rule of for families that lived near or around a world war or depression. That life style takes its toll on you when you are 70. Your previous writer was correct in her directions for the kind of gravy that we all made back when. We also added sugar to corn, brown sugar to squash and sweet potatoes and ate foods heavily coated in presertavives and artificial flavoring.. We used chemical “butter” called margarine instead of organic grain feed milk made butter. Why am I writing this. Because I am glad that your generation is trying to correct the mistakes of the past.
    I made your gravy from the juices of my instant pot chicken, Found it flavorful tasting like CHICKEN and was perfect with mashed potatoes and real butter.
    I have unsubscribed from many other blogs as it takes too much time to wade through all of the email but yours is the one I look foreward to. You are the bright new generation that proves to us oldsters that there is hope for the future of our grandchildren and great grandchildren.

    You keep on doing what you do, ignore the naysayers, there is always one that thinks they know everthing. I only wish I knew you personally, you would be a great friend. Sincerely Aurelie Higgins

    1. Aurelie, I agree completely. My grandmother made everything with bacon grease or lard. Yes it was tasty, but oh the sodium and calories. My use of chicken stock has changed as well. Almost every recipe I look up says low sodium stock. For over 10 years I’ve used no salt stock as I choose the amount of salt I add. You sometimes have to adjust a recipe calling for a can of tomates, can of beans, etc. So with salt. ICK

  6. I would like to reply to the earlier comment. As a FACS Teacher I would like to remind you that the formula for Classic Bechamel or White Sauce is 1 tbs butter, i tbs flour and 1 cup of milk. There is no need for any other thickener except time/patience.

  7. Aurelie, I agree completely. My grandmother made everything with bacon grease or lard. Yes it was tasty, but oh the sodium and calories. My use of chicken stock has changed as well. Almost every recipe I look up says low sodium stock. For over 10 years I’ve used no salt stock as I choose the amount of salt I add. You sometimes have to adjust a recipe calling for a can of tomates, can of beans, etc. So with salt. ICK