There’s nothing quite like the aroma of tender, fall-apart chicken and rich gravy simmering away in the slow cooker, preparing to become the ultimate comforting family meal. When life gets busy, this recipe is here to nurture your soul as well as your stomach.
I’ve carefully crafted every component – juicy chicken thighs bathed in sauce, thickened to creamy perfection – to create a dish that satisfies. This meal brings back memories of my grandmother’s cooking, as she always knew just how to make chicken transcend into sublime.
In this recipe, bone-in chicken thighs are gently simmered for hours, becoming fork tender in the process. Intensified with the deep flavors of garlic, onions and herbs, the chicken releases its essence into the surrounding liquid to form a simple yet tasty base.
But the gravy – oh the gravy! – is really the star here. I whisk a roux of buttery flour and milk into the concentrated broth left behind after removing the chicken. It simmers briefly, just until thickened, before getting reacquainted with the shredded meat.
The result? An intensely rich, mouth-coating gravy that seeps into every bite of chicken. Even better, it’s crazy simple to throw together in the morning so that dinner is ready right on time.
This dish satisfies yearnings you never knew you had. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, biscuits – or just eat it by the spoonful. However you choose to enjoy it, this slow cooker chicken gravy becomes an instant crowd favorite. With minimal hands-on time and maximum comfort food payoff, this is a recipe your family will request time and time again.
So gather your ingredients, set that slow cooker, and get ready to take comfort in the sweet, soulful flavors of homestyle love.
Let’s start with the FAQs:
Do you want a meal that requires minimal effort but tastes incredibly flavorful?
This crockpot chicken and gravy is the perfect weeknight dinner when you want maximum flavor with minimal effort. The bone-in chicken thighs become fall-apart tender after simmering for hours in the slow cooker. Enhanced with garlic, onions, and herbs, the chicken infuses the cooking liquid to create a simple yet tasty gravy base. Whisking in a roux gives the gravy even more richness and body for soaking into the shredded chicken. Every bite delivers on deep, soul-warming flavor.
Are you looking for a budget-friendly dish to feed the whole family?
Chicken thighs offer more flavor than breast meat at a fraction of the cost. Combined with pantry staples like broth, flour and milk, this hearty crockpot meal stretches your grocery budget. When made in a 6-quart slow cooker, this recipe easily serves 6 people. It’s also simple to double for bigger batches to feed a crowd or have easy leftovers.
Do you need a fuss-free way to get dinner on the table on busy weeknights?
This set-it-and-forget-it crockpot dinner couldn’t be simpler. In the morning, just toss the ingredients into the slow cooker before heading out the door. The chicken cooks low and slow all day, no need to stir or check it. When you get home, the gravy only requires about 10 minutes of hands-on time. Dinner is ready with barely any effort compared to oven roasting.
Would you love a recipe you can easily double to feed a crowd or have leftovers?
One of the best things about slow cooker meals is how easily they scale up. With its simple ingredient list, you can double or even triple this recipe to feed a big family, a potluck or to stock your freezer. Make a big batch then portion out leftovers for quick meals later in the week. The flavors even improve after a day or two in the fridge.
Could your family use some old-fashioned comfort food made with love?
My childhood memories revolve around my mom’s cooking, especially her chicken and gravy. This crockpot version transports me back to those days, when dinner meant gathering around the table to enjoy a homecooked meal. The tender meat, flavorful broth, and creamy gravy combine for some serious comfort food magic. It’s just like grandma used to make…if she had a slow cooker! This nostalgic, soul-warming dish always disappears quickly.
I really think you’re going to adore how tasty and easy this recipe is. Now, let’s talk about what you’ll need!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4-6 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 small thighs)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
- 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1⁄2 cup chicken broth
- 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Add the chicken thighs, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder to the slow cooker. Toss to evenly coat the chicken in the spices. Dot 2 tablespoons of the butter over the chicken.
- Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours until the chicken is very tender and starts falling off the bone.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, reserving the cooking juices in the slow cooker. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will form into a thick paste or roux.
- Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the reserved cooking juices, 1⁄2 cup at a time, until well incorporated into the roux. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened to make a gravy.
- Stir in the milk and shredded chicken and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the creamy chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes, rice or biscuits. Garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy this comforting meal!
Cooking Tips:
- For convenience, prep the ingredients the night before and refrigerate in a gallon-sized plastic bag. In the morning, just dump into the slow cooker!
- Substitute bone-in chicken breasts or a whole cut up chicken if you prefer white meat.
- For a healthier version, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and skim excess fat from the gravy.
- Flavor boosters like garlic, onion and herbs take this gravy to the next level. Get creative!
- To make this meal gluten-free, prepare it with certified gluten-free chicken broth, flour and milk.
