You can make homemade Chicken Gravy with or without chicken drippings, and it tastes so much better than the packaged stuff! Plus tips for making gravy with or without flour.

Oh gravy, how I love you. You make everything better, especially a plateful of Perfect Mashed Potatoes or even on top of Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits!

Reading: how to make gravy sauce for chicken

Chicken gravy in a white gravy boat being poured over a chicken breast on a plate with sides of rice and vegetables.

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Chicken Gravy

I grew up in a household where most things where made from scratch, especially things like gravy! My mom would never buy the stuff that comes in the packet, and there’s a huge flavor difference, plus, making it from scratch only takes a few minutes, and most people usually already have the ingredients they need to make homemade chicken gravy!

If you have roasted a chicken for dinner, be sure to save the liquid drippings at the bottom of the pan to add flavor to your gravy. Otherwise, you can make chicken gravy without them.

What are chicken drippings?

The most flavorful and delicious gravy recipes use drippings! Drippings are what’s left in the roasting pan after cooking the turkey. This includes fat that has melted and any bits of meat that have fallen off. This extra liquid will be poured away from the chicken into a separate bowl and used to make the chicken gravy.

Can I make gravy without chicken drippings?

Yes! This chicken gravy can be made with or without drippings from a roasted chicken. To make it without drippings, you will add a little more chicken broth and some chicken bouillon paste for extra flavoring.

How to make Homemade Chicken Gravy (with or without drippings):

(Optional) Add drippings from Roasted Chicken to a measuring cup. When you have taken your chicken out of the oven, pour the liquid and drippings from the pan into a liquid measuring cup or a bowl. (Tip the pan away from your body and be careful not to burn yourself)! Let the drippings sit for a minute, allowing the fat to naturally separate from the rest of the drippings.

You will notice that the fat will rise to the top, leaving the drippings on the bottom. Use a large spoon or ladle to skim (remove) most of the fat from the top of the drippings.

A baking pan with the drippings in it from a roasted chicken, next to another photo of the drippings in a liquid measuring cup.

Make the roux: Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of drippings (or chicken broth) to the pan. Add 1/4 cup flour and whisk together until it makes a smooth paste (add more flour if it seems a little greasy). Cook, whisking, until the mixture begins to change to a light golden color.

Chicken broth added to a cast iron skillet next to another photo of a roux for chicken gravy in the skillet.

Add broth and more drippings: Whisk in 2 cups of chicken broth and an additional 1/4 cup of drippings (or teaspoon of chicken bouillon paste).

Chicken broth pouring into a cast iron skillet to make chicken gravy next to another photo of the thickened chicken gravy and a spoon in the skillet.

Thicken: Allow the gravy to cook, whisking constantly for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. If the gravy is too thick, add more broth or drippings liquid. If the gravy is too thin after cooking for 10 minutes, add a cornstarch slurry (mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and then add it to the gravy).

Once you are happy with the consistency of your gravy, taste it. Add more pepper (and salt if needed), and some chicken bullion taste if you want to further boost the flavor.

Homemade Chicken Gravy, without flour:

For a smooth, creamy, and rich gravy, a roux (made with flour) is the most effective. However, it’s certainly possible to thicken gravy without flour. Flourless gravy will be made similarly, but without making a roux.

Instead, add a cornstarch slurry (you’ll need 1 tablespoon water + 1 teaspoon cornstarch for every cup of gravy base in the pan), to thicken the gravy.

Storing and freezing chicken gravy:

This chicken gravy is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but can be refrigerated for up to two days.

You can also freeze it for up to four months. Check out this Roasted Chicken for more info on storing and freezing homemade gravy.

LEFTOVER GRAVY? Serve it with:

Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
One Pan Roast Chicken and Vegetables
Stuffing Baked Chicken

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how to make gravy sauce for chicken | Family Cuisine