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Some nights, you just need a meal that works—one that’s effortless, comforting, and guaranteed to be a family favorite. This Crockpot Chicken and Gravy is that recipe—rich, creamy, and so simple, you’ll wonder why it’s not already on your weekly meal plan!
I have been making this recipe for 30 years—and my mom made it before me. It was always a favorite growing up, and when I had a family of my own, it quickly became one of those easy go-to meals that just made life simpler.
t’s one of my sanity saver recipes for those hectic weeks when everything feels like a blur. Life gets busy. Between work, kids, and the never-ending to-do list, dinner can feel like one more thing to stress about—until 5 PM rolls around and people start asking, “What’s for dinner?”
But we don’t have to do that. This is one of those recipes you can add to your meal plan calendar and count on to be perfection every time. I toss everything in the crockpot in the morning, and by dinnertime, a warm, comforting meal is waiting—no last-minute scrambling required. And let’s be honest, we could all use a little more of that in our lives!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Gravy Crockpot
- Taste: Comforting and savory with a rich, creamy gravy that coats every bite.
- Texture: Fork-tender shredded chicken smothered in velvety gravy.
- Ease: Toss it in the crockpot and let it do the work!
- Pros: A few ingredients, little prep, and great for leftovers.
- Considerations: The gravy thickens as it cools, so stir before serving if needed.
- Repeat Worthy: 100%! This will be a go-to for my family. We love this for Sunday dinner or a super easy weeknight meal. Perfect for when you crave comfort food!
Chicken Gravy Crockpot Ingredients
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook up tender and shred beautifully.
- Chicken Gravy Packets: These add instant flavor without the fuss of making gravy from scratch.
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup: Makes the gravy extra creamy and rich.
- Water or Chicken Broth: Broth adds more depth of flavor, but water works too.
- Black Pepper & Garlic Powder: Just enough to enhance the flavor without overpowering.
- Sour Cream: Adds a subtle tang and extra creaminess to the gravy.
How to Make Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
Step 1 | Mix the Gravy
Step 2 | Add in Chicken
Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot and move around slightly to cover with gravy mixture.
Step 3 | Slow Cook to Perfection
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours (I prefer the low cooking time for this).
Step 4 | Shred & Serve
Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the crockpot. You can do this in larger chunks or shred finely; do it just the way your family enjoys it!
Stir everything together so the chicken soaks up all that creamy, seasoned gravy. Spoon it over mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits, and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions:
- Replace the chicken breasts with turkey breasts, chicken thighs, or pork chops. Any boneless skinless meat works well with this recipe.
- Veggies – In the last hour of cooking, you can add any frozen veggies like peas and carrots for a pot-pie-like flavor. Add in frozen green beans, corn, or mushrooms to get those veggies in.
If you have the large containers of gravy mix, you will need 4 tablespoons to replace the two packets. - Cream Soup Variation – Replace the cream of chicken with cream of mushroom or cream of chicken with herbs. I usually only use 1 can of chicken cream, but you can also use 2 cans for even more creaminess. You could also use one of each to combine the earthy mushroom and chicken flavors.
- Change up the broth – Use vegetable or even beef broth to change the flavor. A beef broth will be even richer and darken the gravy.
- If you want a darker gravy without the beef broth, you can add in a dash of Kitchen Bouquet, Worcestershire, or soy sauce.
Tips For Making Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
- Do not overcook – slow cookers vary: Every slow cooker runs at slightly different temperatures. Start checking at the lowest time setting, especially if yours runs on the high-temperature side.
- Shred into bites – Shred or cut into nice thick bites. You don’t want to make them too small/thin.
- To thicken: As this cooks, juices from the chicken will thin out the gravy. If desired, thicken with a cornstarch slurry. Mix ¼ cup of cold water and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch together, pour into the gravy, and stir until combined. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes until thickened.
- To thin or stretch gravy: Add in broth, milk, or heavy cream at the end of cook time and stir together.
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What to serve with Chicken and Gravy?
For sides, an easy veggie like corn on the cob or green beans works nicely. Spoon your chicken gravy over mashed potatoes, white rice, egg noodles, or even a slice of bread or toast!
Serve it with cornbread dressing (or Stove Top) and some cranberry sauce for a super easy Sunday or low-key holiday meal!
Make Ahead and Storage:
Make-Ahead:
- Prep this as a freezer meal. Place the raw chicken in a Ziploc freezer bag and pour the gravy mixture over the top. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Label the ziplock bag with the meal name and instructions.
- When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then pour into the crockpot and cook.
Storage:
- Cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze:
- Freeze the leftover cooked chicken and gravy in a freezer-safe airtight container or zip bag for up to 2 to 3 months.
Reheat:
- Place in a microwave-safe dish and microwave individual servings at 30-second intervals until warmed.
- You can also place it in a saucepan and heat it over low heat until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
The meat will be very tender and fall apart when done cooking. Simply take two forks and pull in opposite directions to pull or shred the meat. I do this right in the slow cooker, but you can also remove it to a cutting board to shred.
Yes, you certainly can. The steps are a little different. Pour water or broth into the inner pot, add in the chicken. Then sprinkle on the gravy mix and seasonings. Pour soup mix and sour cream on top. Do not stir, or you could get a burn notice. Cover and set for 15 minutes on manual high pressure. Let naturally release for 10 minutes and then manually release. See the recipe card below for full notes.
Yes! It is completely safe to put raw chicken in a slow cooker as long as you cook it to the proper internal temperature (165°F). Slow cookers are designed to cook food at a safe, consistent temperature, and since chicken is typically cooked on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours, it has plenty of time to reach a safe temp.
A few tips for best results:
✔ Start with thawed chicken – Frozen chicken can take too long to reach a safe temperature.
✔ Don’t open the lid too often – It releases heat and can slow down the cooking process.
✔ Use a meat thermometer – If you’re unsure, check that the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F before serving.
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Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker 4 quart or larger
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- 2 packets chicken gravy, dry (.87 ounce each)
- 1 can condensed cream of soup
- 1 ¾ cups water or chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, (optional) or to taste
- ⅓ cup sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Place water or broth, gravy packets, cream of chicken soup, black pepper, garlic powder and sour cream into the crockpot and whisk together.
- Place chicken into the slow cooker and move around to cover and coat with gravy mixture.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Shred chicken with forks and stir into gravy.
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Notes
- Do not overcook – slow cookers vary: Every slow cooker runs at slightly different temperatures. Start checking at the lowest time setting, especially if yours runs on the high-temperature side.
- Shred into bites – Shred or cut into nice thick bites. You don’t want to make them too small/thin.
- To thicken: As this cooks juices from the chicken with thin the gravy. If desired, thicken with a cornstarch slurry. Mix ¼ cup of cold water and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch together and pour into the gravy and stir until combined. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes until thickened.
- To thin or stretch gravy: Add in broth, milk, or heavy cream at the end of cook time and stir together.
- Place chicken and water into Instant Pot.
- Cover with gravy mix, seasonings, and chicken soup. Do not stir.
- Cover and set valve on sealing. Set for 15 minutes on manual high pressure.
- Let pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes, then turn the valve to venting to manual release.
- To thicken – add a cornstarch slurry. More liquid will likely be released in the Instant Pot.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
Can I omit the sour cream if not what can I replace it with?
You could use yogurt or heavy cream as a substitution.
I made this chicken and gravy for dinner last night and it was incredible! The exact comfort food I needed!
Thank you, Tayler! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; perfect for busy weeknights, indeed!
Thank you, Sara! I agree; I love this on busy weeknights or a lazy Sunday.
I haven’t had chicken and gravy like this since I was a kid! I can’t wait to pass it on and share this meal with my family!
It is the perfect family meal. Makes plenty and so easy to make.
Oh yum! Such a delicious and easy slow cooker recipe. I love how easily the chicken comes together with only a handful of ingredients.
Thank you, Tara! I love simple recipes that come together so easily too.
I absolutely love gravy on anything, and slow cooker recipes are the best! They make life so much easier. I can’t wait to give this one a try.
Thank you, Beth! I am a fellow gravy lover too!
This Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy is so good. I used this recipe and tried it with mashed potatoes and then again over biscuits. Such an easy way to make a great dinner.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!