This Easy Chicken Gravy is so simple to make and requires no pan drippings! Smooth, savory, garlicky, and fabulous over mashed potatoes, chicken, turkey, and more!
What is it about gravy? I mean, technically (usually, but not in this instance) it was just a way to use up all those pan drippings to make a sauce to layer atop meat or mashed potatoes or whatever vehicle you were using to make it seem like you weren’t some kind of animal, eating a bowl of gravy soup. (Not that that hasn’t crossed my mind!)
In my opinion, when you are roasting a chicken or turkey or making a roast, you have to make gravy from those pan drippings. What else would you do? Throw them away? The horror. To pitch that is like some kind of crime against humanity. (You can’t see it, but I’m shaking my head at the mere thought of it.)
But, what are you to do when the craving for easy chicken gravy hits and you haven’t roasted a bird and you don’t have those terrific pan drippings from which to make a delicious gravy? Well, I sure am glad you asked!
What you should do is make a homemade chicken gravy recipe anyway — without the drippings! That’s right! You can make a gravy recipe easily by using some simple pantry staples and a little bit of stirring muscle. Trust me, you won’t even know you didn’t make this chicken gravy without drippings, it’s that good!!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Toss out any notion of needing an entire chicken here! You don’t!
- Chicken broth or chicken stock – I usually like to use low sodium chicken broth so that I have a little more control over the saltiness of the finished gravy, but you can absolutely use regular if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Garlic powder – I usually use the McCormick red-cap line for my powdered spice.
- Onion powder – see note above!
- Salt and pepper – I always use pink Himalayan sea salt in all of my cooking. It is sold at any grocery store and elevates all of your cooking by swapping this for your regular old iodized table salt. I also use a pepper grinder to get freshly cracked black pepper rather than using ground black pepper.
- Cold water – just regular tap water is great.
- Corn starch or flour – You’ll need this for thickening the gravy! I like the flavor of the flour a little better, but often use the corn starch instead as a bit of a healthier swap.
What are Chicken Drippings?
Drippings are simply the stuff that’s left in the bottom of the roasting pan after you’re done roasting a chicken. It’s all the liquid, fats, herbs, garlic, spices, and what-have-you that cooks off of the chicken and ends up at the bottom of the pan.
Chicken drippings make great gravy. Or, you can just use some bread to sop them up right from the bottom of the pan.
Here’s How You Make it
Although it says it right in the description, this chicken gravy recipe is made without drippings and is so quick to make – just 10 minutes!
- Get out a large saucepan over medium-high heat and pour in the chicken broth. (photo 1)
- Bring it to a boil. (not pictured)
- Stir in the garlic powder and onion powder for 1-2 minutes longer, whisking constantly. (not pictured)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water and the cornstarch until it’s dissolved. (photo 2)
- Stir that slurry into the boiling broth and let the broth thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. (photos 3-5)
- That’s it! You’re done! Serve this hot over chicken, meat, mashed potatoes, polenta, vegetables, whatever! (photo 6)
Should You Make Gravy with a Roux or a Slurry?
First, off, let’s define the difference between a roux and a slurry:
A roux is made with fat (butter, oil), and flour and is mixed together over heat and it thickens.
A slurry is made from cornstarch and water and is added together cold, then mixed with something hot to make it thicker.
So which is better? If you’re in a hurry, a slurry will do, but if you have time, I say make the roux. The fat in the roux goes great with the fat from the chicken drippings in the rest of the gravy recipe.
What do you Eat with Gravy?
Good gravy! I’m pretty sure the question is what don’t you eat with gravy, am I right? This chicken broth gravy goes so good over a number of delicious recipes! For instance:
- Starting with the most obvious, this gravy goes great over chicken, turkey, and even beef!
- Pour this gravy over some delicious biscuits, or use the biscuits to dip into the gravy. Either way — winner, winner!
- Mashed potatoes. They just ask to be smothered in gravy, in my opinion! Is there any other way to eat them?
- Pour gravy over roasted vegetables. Cuz, why not? Don’t knock it till you try it!
- A side of gravy is also good to have on hand at breakfast. It would go especially well with the hashbrowns in this sheet pan breakfast, or this slow cooker casserole.
Can you Freeze Leftover Gravy?
The best way to ensure you get to eat gravy often is to make extra and freeze it! A flour-based gravy freezes way better than a milk-based one, so we’re in the clear to freeze this homemade chicken gravy recipe.
I like to freeze mine in portioned freezer bags. Just make sure to get all the air out and zip the top shut so the bag remains airtight. Lay the bags flat for easier storage.
Another option is to pour the room-temperature gravy into ice cube trays and pop those into the freezer. Once they are frozen, crack the gravy out of the trays and into a freezer bag. This way, you can warm up as many cubes at a time as you need.
More Recipes You’ll Absolutely Love
For more gravy ideas, try my Beef Broth Brown Gravy, my Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Gravy, or my Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole.
- Baked Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes and Gravy
- Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
- Beef Broth Brown Gravy
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Did you try this chicken gravy recipe?? EXCELLENT – please rate the recipe below!
Easy Homemade Chicken Gravy from Scratch (Without Drippings)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper - to taste
- ¼ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons corn starch - or flour
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth to a boil.
- Stir in garlic powder and onion powder and continue to stir 1-2 minutes longer.
- In a small bowl whisk together water and corn starch until dissolved. Stir into boiling broth til thickened.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store up to 2 weeks covered tightly in the fridge. Serve hot over your favorite chicken, meat, or vegetable dishes.
Do you think I could make the gravy from concentrate? I don’t have boxed broth at home most of the times, but I really like something similar to BTB.
Are you asking about bouillon? Other than that, I don’t know what “concentrate” means. Sorry!
I know bouillon as cubes, so I guess it’s more like … Better than Bouillon. At least from what I heard.
It is stock, but concentrated. You dissolve it in water.
(I’m not from the US, so unfortunately I cannot easily compare.)
Thanks for taking the time!
I live in Romania and used one and a half Maggi chicken bullion cubes added to one half liter of water. It worked great.
This worked. And it was good. Made the first time as the reCipe Was written but also added some smaLl chicken pieces& roasted skin. I think this added anOther layer of flavor. Simmered about 30 minutes. The texture might throw some off because of the cornstarch but we liked it. Second time added 2 rather than 3 Tb of cornstarch, then same as above. Was a Little less thick which we preferred. My husband kePt Bringing it up so will keep making it. Very quick & easy & no flour.
Thanks for your feedback, Karen!
Not great. Way too oniony. Would not recommend.
I DID half CHICKEN broth and homemade stock! Yummy
Had made this gravy before reading yours…as needed to come up with a gravy for mashed potatoes to go with a grocery store rotisserie chicken! Turned out wonderfully so yes, your idea is a “happy little helper” for needing a quick gravy…thanks for offering idea to everyone!