Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy cooks low and slow until tender: saucy, savory, and mostly hands-off for busy weeknights.
Fork-Tender Chicken in a Spoonable Gravy
Set it, forget it, and come back to rich, savory chicken and a velvety gravy that’s perfect for mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
This is the kind of slow-cooker dinner that solves weekday dinner stress: 15 minutes of prep, then five hours of gentle simmering while you get other things done. The thighs turn fork-tender and give off the kind of savory steam that makes the whole house feel like dinner is imminent. It’s saucy, not soupy—meaty juices, butter, and aromatics combine into a cozy gravy that clings to spoon and starch alike.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the star because they stay moist and forgiving in long, low heat. Thinly sliced onion, carrots, celery and a little garlic soften into a flavorful bed, while dried thyme, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce add the kind of depth you want without fuss. For a flavor boost, brown the thighs quickly in a skillet first—optional, but it lays down a lovely caramelized note that the slow cooker can’t create on its own.
Serve it piled over mashed potatoes, spooned onto buttered rice, or tucked into a warm biscuit for a saucy sandwich. Leftovers keep beautifully—refrigerate the whole pot and gently reheat on the stove; the gravy will thicken as it cools, so loosen with a splash of water or broth when warming. If you want a thicker finish right away, whisk a bit of flour or a cornstarch slurry into the hot juices and simmer briefly until glossy and smooth.
Ingredients
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
- Trim any large pockets of fat from the thighs and pat them dry with paper towels; season both sides with half of the salt and the black pepper.
- If you want deeper flavor (optional but recommended), heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the thighs 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden; transfer browned thighs to the slow cooker.
- Thinly slice the onion, peel and cut carrots into 1/2-inch rounds, and slice the celery; spread the vegetables in an even layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and add the minced garlic, dried thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour the chicken broth and 1 cup water over the vegetables, nestle the seasoned (and browned, if used) thighs on top, dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and set the slow cooker to low.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 hours (or on high for 3–4 hours) until the thighs are tender and register 165°F in the thickest part and vegetables are soft.
- About 20–25 minutes before serving, whisk the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup cold water until completely smooth to make a slurry; remove the bay leaf and use tongs to briefly lift the thighs from the cooker onto a cutting board.
- Stir the flour slurry into the slow cooker, then return the thighs (whole or shredded if you prefer) to the pot; increase cooker to high and cook uncovered 15–25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the gravy thickens to your liking.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt if needed, stir in the chopped fresh parsley, and serve the thighs with generous ladles of the gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy cooks low and slow until tender: saucy, savory, and mostly hands-off for busy weeknights.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim any large pockets of fat from the thighs and pat them dry with paper towels; season both sides with half of the salt and the black pepper.
- If you want deeper flavor (optional but recommended), heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the thighs 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden; transfer browned thighs to the slow cooker.
- Thinly slice the onion, peel and cut carrots into 1/2-inch rounds, and slice the celery; spread the vegetables in an even layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and add the minced garlic, dried thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour the chicken broth and 1 cup water over the vegetables, nestle the seasoned (and browned, if used) thighs on top, dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and set the slow cooker to low.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 hours (or on high for 3–4 hours) until the thighs are tender and register 165°F in the thickest part and vegetables are soft.
- About 20–25 minutes before serving, whisk the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup cold water until completely smooth to make a slurry; remove the bay leaf and use tongs to briefly lift the thighs from the cooker onto a cutting board.
- Stir the flour slurry into the slow cooker, then return the thighs (whole or shredded if you prefer) to the pot; increase cooker to high and cook uncovered 15–25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the gravy thickens to your liking.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt if needed, stir in the chopped fresh parsley, and serve the thighs with generous ladles of the gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 14
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Sodium
- 600
- Fiber
- 2.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 21
- Protein
- 44
- Fat
- 27
- Cholesterol
- 160
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 460
- Sugar
- 3.5