There’s nothing more comforting than a ladle of rich, velvety chicken gravy poured over mashed potatoes, roast chicken, or biscuits. With my easy recipe, I’ll show you how to make homemade chicken gravy from broth in just 15 minutes, with no drippings required. It’s smooth, flavorful, and versatile enough to go with just about any meal. If you’ve ever wondered how to make gravy with chicken broth instead of pan drippings, I have the answers!
Homemade Gravy from Chicken Broth
Making chicken broth gravy from scratch is much simpler than I ever thought. All you need is butter, flour, broth, and a few seasonings. The butter and flour cook together to form a roux, which thickens the broth into a silky sauce. I like to add a pinch of garlic and onion powder for depth, but you can easily keep it classic or stir in fresh herbs like thyme or sage.
My recipe makes about 2 cups of gravy, which is perfect for serving alongside Thanksgiving chicken. It’s a great all-purpose recipe for weeknight dinners, Sunday roasts, or even holiday meals when you don’t have pan drippings available. If you want to get a little extra richness, you can swap some of the broth for chicken drippings from a Christmas roast chicken or finish it with a splash of cream–so decadent!
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Whisk Constantly for the Smoothest Gravy
If there’s one piece of advice I can impart upon you, it’s to whisk constantly when adding the broth to the roux. This ensures the flour incorporates smoothly, so you’ll end up with a silky gravy instead of lumps. If it feels too thick, don’t worry, just whisk in a splash of extra broth until it loosens up to your liking.
Chicken Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- 2¼ cups chicken broth (*)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whisk in the flour, plus the garlic powder and onion powder, if using.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously until completely incorporated.2¼ cups chicken broth
- Let the mixture simmer, and continue whisking until the mixture thickens. Add in more broth if needed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.kosher salt, ground black pepper
Notes
- This recipe also works great with turkey or vegetable broth.
- Cook the flour roux until it darkens in color and no longer smells like raw flour.
- For a gluten-free gravy, make a roux from 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water, and stir it in while the gravy simmers in step 4.
- If your gravy seems too thick, add a little bit of broth, whisking constantly, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Taste the gravy before adding any additional salt. Different brands of broth have different sodium levels, and the sodium tends to concentrate as the gravy simmers.
- Feel free to add fresh or dried herbs to your gravy, like sage, rosemary, or thyme.
- For a creamier gravy, stir in ¼ cup of room-temperature heavy cream at the end.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Gravy with Chicken Broth Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients you need to make the gravy. If you have any chicken drippings leftover from roasting a chicken, add them to a liquid measuring cup, then top them off with enough broth to make 2¼ cups.
Melt the Butter: Melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.
Make the Roux: Whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, plus ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, if using. Cook, whisking constantly, until it slightly darkens in color and no longer smells floury. This creates a roux that will thicken the gravy.
Add the Broth: Slowly pour in 2¼ cups of chicken broth while whisking continuously until completely incorporated. The mixture will start out chunky, but it will turn smooth as you continue to whisk.
Simmer the Gravy: Let the mixture simmer, and continue whisking until the mixture thickens. Add in more broth if needed, until it reaches your desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable.
Season and Serve: Taste your chicken gravy, then season with salt and pepper if needed. The sodium will have concentrated as the gravy simmered, so make sure to taste before seasoning! Serve hot, poured over your favorite chicken and mashed potatoes.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover chicken broth gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a pot set over medium-low heat with a little extra chicken broth added in to loosen it up.
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