This chicken gravy recipe is good and easy and basic and the only one you really need in your arsenal. Here’s how to make it with just chicken parts, flour, butter, and stock or broth.
We’re home cooks of few words when it comes to gravy. No Especially when we have had vats of this gravy on the stove as often as they do—no time for talking when you’re shoveling mashed potatoes and fried chicken doused with gravy in your piehole. In case you’re tempted to cheat and rush the recipe, we have one word for you: don’t. Browning the chicken wings and bones ensures that the resulting gravy has a rich flavor, worthy of the finest mound of mash. This is terrific on fried chicken and even better on mashed potatoes.–Bruce and Eric Bromberg, Melissa Clark
☞ Contents
Chicken Gravy
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds chicken bones and wings
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
- Spread the chicken bones and wings on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Roast until well browned, about 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter with the flour to make a paste.
- Transfer the chicken bones and wings, along with any browned bits from the baking sheet, to a large skillet.
☞TESTER TIP: Make sure to not miss any of those darkened morsels stuck on the baking sheet as you're scraping everything into the stock pot. More color means more flavor.
- Pour the stock into the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it gently boil and burble for 30 minutes.
- Strain the mixture, discarding the bones and wings. Return the liquid to the skillet over medium-high heat and add the thyme. Slowly whisk in the butter paste, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is thick and gravy-like. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. You can cover the gravy and keep it warm over very low heat or even off the heat until needed.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I used a package of party wings and a package of chicken backs equaling 3 1/2 pounds. The one hour time was perfect to roast the chicken parts to nicely browned. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly and ended up with 2 cups of stock. With one change, you could really knock this out of the park. I had roasted David’s Best Brined Chicken so I stirred in all the pan drippings and this changed the gravy.
Roasting the chicken this way, pulling it off a pan and putting it into another pan, leaves behind all the brown bits. Why not brown the chicken pieces in a Dutch oven for an hour, then pull it out and add the stock right in, using it to deglaze all the brown bits? I’ll do this next time as I think the rest of the recipe is solid.
I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe. I found it easy to follow and it produced a beautiful chicken gravy. This recipe was easy to follow and delicious! I will definitely be adding this to my recipe book.
My “paste” didn’t really work out into a paste so I ended up whisking my sort-of paste into the broth and it still turned out perfect. No lumps.
I ended up with exactly 2 cups of gravy which I thought is perfect for a roast chicken serving 4 people. I only put the 1/2 teaspoon of salt in as I only ended up with 2 cups and it was seasoned perfectly.
Living in Canada we just celebrated our Thanksgiving so I served this alongside my turkey gravy. There didn’t end up being any leftovers, everyone loved it!
I broke down a chicken and 3 split leg quarters to get the bones needed for this recipe. My bones weighed 2 1/2 pounds. It took me 1 hour 20 minutes to roast the bones and they still could’ve gone a little longer. After adding the stock to the bones, I simmered for the required 30 minutes. I added all of the paste in small bits and it took 4 minutes.
Originally published February 28, 2020
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
When I make a chicken pot pie from a rotisserie chicken I use the bones and skin to make the gravy. I put them and whatever juices have collected in the bottom of the package/clamshell into a heavy pot and render what juices I can over high heat on the stovetop. Then, once I’ve lifted out any solids, I proceed in just about the same manner.
Meanwhile, I’m steaming some roughly chopped fresh veggies. That provides a tasty liquid for the gravy if I don’t have chicken broth at any particular time. I throw some frozen peas and chopped herbs in with the meat, veggies and gravy at the last minute.
The whole thing’s assembled and in the oven in about 30 minutes and beats the pants off anything in a freezer case.
Rainey, ok: That sounds fantastic. And so simple!