Most versions of this recipe start with two packets of powdered gravy mix and a can of condensed soup. This one does not, and it takes about four extra minutes. The payoff is gravy that tastes like chicken instead of tasting like salt, and a sodium count that is roughly a third of the packet version.
It is also the most forgiving thing in my rotation. Chicken thighs in a slow cooker on low are genuinely difficult to ruin, and if dinner slips by an hour the recipe does not care.
Why This Recipe Works
- Ten minutes of morning work, then nothing until dinner.
- No condensed soup and no gravy packets, so you can actually taste the chicken.
- Shreds straight into the gravy in the pot, so there is no extra bowl.
- Works over mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles or split biscuits.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs — thighs hold up over six hours far better than breasts do.
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth — regular broth plus the reduction will end up too salty.
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch — for thickening at the end.
- 3 tablespoons cold water — cornstarch must go into cold water, never straight into hot liquid.
- 2 tablespoons butter — stirred in at the end, this is what makes the gravy taste finished.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breast: works, but cook on low for 4 hours only and shred immediately or it goes stringy.
- Flour instead of cornstarch: use 5 tablespoons whisked into 1/2 cup cold broth, and simmer for 5 minutes to cook out the raw taste.
- Dairy free: leave out the butter and add a tablespoon of olive oil instead.
- Deeper flavour: brown the thighs in a skillet for 3 minutes a side before they go in. It is an extra pan, but it makes a real difference.
- Mushroom version: add 8 oz sliced mushrooms at the start.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
- Load the slow cooker. Put the chicken thighs in the crock in a single layer. Scatter the onion over the top, then add the garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper and pour in the broth.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours. Low gives a noticeably better texture.
- Shred the chicken. Lift the thighs onto a board and shred with two forks. It should fall apart with almost no resistance.
- Thicken the gravy. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, then stir it into the liquid in the crock. Turn to HIGH, cover, and let it bubble for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Finish. Stir in the butter until it melts, return the shredded chicken to the pot, and taste for salt one last time before serving.
Expert Tips
- Do not lift the lid while it cooks. Each look costs roughly 20 minutes of cooking time in a slow cooker.
- Cornstarch goes into cold water first. Tipped straight into the hot broth it seizes into lumps that will not whisk out.
- Slow cookers vary a lot. Newer models run hotter. Check at 5 hours the first time you make this.
- Do not fill the crock past two thirds. Over that line the liquid does not reduce properly and the gravy stays thin.
- Salt at the end, not the start. Six hours of reduction concentrates whatever you put in at the beginning.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: 4 days in an airtight container. The gravy thickens as it cools, which is normal.
- Freezer: 3 months. Cornstarch gravy can separate slightly on thawing, so whisk it as it reheats.
- Reheating: on the stove over medium-low with a splash of broth, stirring until it comes back together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put frozen chicken in the slow cooker?
It is not recommended. Frozen meat spends too long in the temperature range where bacteria multiply before the crock gets hot enough. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight instead.
Why is my gravy thin?
Either the crock was overfilled, or the cornstarch slurry did not get long enough at a full bubble. Cornstarch only thickens once it actually simmers, so give it the full 15 minutes on HIGH with the lid on.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, but shorten the cook to 4 hours on LOW. Breasts have almost no fat and go dry and stringy over six hours in a way thighs do not.
Do I need to brown the chicken first?
No, and the recipe is written without it. Browning does add depth if you have the extra ten minutes and do not mind washing a skillet.
What do I serve this over?
Mashed potatoes is the traditional answer. Egg noodles, white rice, or split buttermilk biscuits all work just as well.
Recipe Card
Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
By Simon Ab · Dinner · American
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Load the slow cooker. Put the chicken thighs in the crock in a single layer. Scatter the onion over the top, then add the garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper and pour in the broth.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours. Low gives a noticeably better texture.
- Shred the chicken. Lift the thighs onto a board and shred with two forks. It should fall apart with almost no resistance.
- Thicken the gravy. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, then stir it into the liquid in the crock. Turn to HIGH, cover, and let it bubble for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Finish. Stir in the butter until it melts, return the shredded chicken to the pot, and taste for salt one last time before serving.
Nutrition per serving (estimate): 286 kcal · 33g protein · 9g carbohydrate · 12g fat. These values are calculated automatically and are provided as a guide only. See our disclaimer.
