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Easy Chicken and Gravy

Published: / Updated: / 99 Comments

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This chicken and gravy recipe has tender pan fried chicken breasts smothered in a rich gravy. It's made with pantry ingredients and comes together fast!

If you're looking for similar recipes with different cooking methods, try my Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy or Crockpot Chicken and Gravy.

chicken and gravy in a skillet

Why you'll crave it

This chicken with gravy recipe is great for busy weeknights, and while it's not exactly what I'd consider health food, the calories are reasonable for a hearty dinner to keep in your regular recipe rotation. If you're the type of person who always orders gravy at KFC or whose favorite part of Thanksgiving is the meat and gravy, I think you'll like this one.

It is kinda hard not to love this gravy since it's just so comforting and super easy to make. It's basically just pan drippings (in this case the delicious brown bits left in the pan from searing the chicken), butter, flour, and some chicken broth. I added a bit of Italian seasoning and onion powder for more flavor, and that's it. Easy peasy for a quick chicken recipe with maybe the best gravy you'll try.

What goes into it

  • Chicken - we're using two boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 4 cutlets
  • Garlic powder - along with salt & pepper, it's what we're seasoning the chicken with directly to infuse flavor
  • Olive oil and butter - for pan frying and making the base of the gravy
  • Flour - to make a roux to thicken the sauce
  • Chicken broth - to add another savory dimension
  • Italian seasoning - it's an all-purpose blend of fragrant dried herbs that comes all in a single jar. It's so convenient for numerous recipes and a staple in my pantry.
  • Onion powder - it adds another special savory quality
  • Parsley - optional but recommended for a pop of freshness
chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes and green beans on a plate

Pro tip

  • I used fairly large chicken breasts since we're cutting them in half lengthwise. If your chicken breasts are on the smaller side, you can use 4 and leave them intact, but keep in mind they will take a bit longer to cook.

Tools for this recipe

  • An instant read meat thermometer will ensure perfectly cooked chicken every time. It's inexpensive and reliable so you never have overcooked meat. 165F in the safe internal temperature for chicken.
  • Here is the Le Creuset skillet I used for this recipe (and many others). It's my favorite. Easy to clean and it'll last you forever. 
  • I recommend using kitchen tongs to easily turn the chicken or whatever meat you happen to be cooking in other recipes.

How to make chicken and gravy

This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

  • Cut the chicken into 4 thinner cutlets and season them. Heat up the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet. Pan fry the chicken until golden, and transfer to a plate.
  • Add in the remaining butter, and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Stir in the chicken broth until the flour has dissolved completely. Sprinkle in the onion powder and Italian seasoning.
  • Return the chicken to the pan, and continue cooking until 165F. Let it gently bubble so the sauce thickens a bit. Season with salt & pepper if needed, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
close-up of chicken breasts and gravy in a skillet

Substitutions and variations

  • This is a pretty basic gravy that's designed to work with what you already have in your pantry. You can definitely dress it up a bit! Add a pinch of dried/ground sage or even add some chopped up fresh herbs from the garden to it. Rosemary and thyme would go well.
  • You can swap the boneless skinless chicken breasts for chicken thighs. The cooking time may need to be adjusted (thighs become tender around 175F internal temperature).

What to serve with chicken and gravy

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days as long as it's in an airtight container.
  • You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat for best results until warmed through.

More tasty chicken recipes

chicken and gravy skillet

Will you make this chicken breasts and gravy recipe? If you have any questions or want to leave me a review, talk to me in the comments below! You can also find me on Instagram.

chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes and green beans on a plate

Easy Chicken and Gravy

This chicken and gravy recipe has tender pan fried chicken breasts smothered in a rich gravy. It's made with pantry ingredients and comes together fast!
4.98 from 39 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 255 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you've got 4 thinner cutlets. Season each piece with salt & pepper and the garlic powder.
  • Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.
  • Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes/side until golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, and once it's melted, stir in the flour and cook for about a minute.
  • Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until the flour has fully dissolved.
  • Stir in the Italian seasoning and onion powder.
  • Add the chicken back to the skillet (along with any juices from the plate), and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until it has finished cooking through (165F) and the sauce has thickened up a bit more. You may need to turn the heat down again so it's gently bubbling (you don't want the sauce to get too thick before the chicken is cooked through).
  • Season with salt & pepper as needed. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if using, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure that chicken isn't overcooked or undercooked.
  • If you want a stronger herb flavor in the gravy, you can definitely add more Italian seasoning or other dried herbs. Chopped fresh herbs would also be a great addition (try sage, thyme, and/or rosemary).
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 25gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 476mgPotassium: 477mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chicken and gravy, chicken breasts and gravy, smothered chicken breasts
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. Renee says

    5 stars
    Amazing ! I make it like once a week. I sometimes add a tiny tiny dash of Gravy Master- just a splash. I also use dry parsley a lot because I always have those ingredients and can make this easily. Oh and … I have to increase the gravy because everyone loves it and asks for it all over everything !
    This is a must try! Fantastic !

    Reply

  2. Angela Noble says

    5 stars
    I'm not a prepare from scratch gravy person. This was delicious! Easy, flavorful and so much more! Everyone loved it! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

    Reply

  3. Kourtney Walker says

    5 stars
    We make this a few times a month! It’s one of my family’s to go meals! It so simple but, oh, so delicious! Always serve with cream cheese mashed potatoes and roasted green beans. Also, it just as delicious the next day for leftovers!

    Reply

  4. Kelly says

    This was delicious!! I eyeballed the amount of pepper and garlic powder on the chicken, and same with the seasonings in the sauce. I did add salt at the very end. So easy, so quick to make and great comfort food! Served with mashed potatoes and broccoli

    Reply

  5. Zee says

    5 stars
    My family and I loved this recipe. I failed and added salt and pepper to the gravy which made it to salty for our liking but otherwise it turned out delish. I only had broccoli as a side but it looked as delicious as in the recipe picture. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe.

    Reply

  6. Anita Sanda says

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness was this good! I substituted coconut oil for the olive oil and used buckwheat flour for the flour. Thank you! It’s a keeper!

    Reply

  8. Joline says

    5 stars
    Natasha, I am a fairly good cook however, this recipe has beat my chicken and gravy by leaps and bounds! This was outstanding and will be the way I cook my chicken and gravy from now on! Many thanks to you, dear!!!!

    Joline

    Reply

  12. Kayla says

    5 stars
    This recipe was super easy and SO delicious! The gravy is outstanding! A comfort meal without the hassle.
    I served with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, and it was a total hit!!

    Reply

  13. Tara says

    This looks good! Thinking of adding some Lipton onion soup
    Mix to the gravy for easy seasoning. Will be making this soon!

    Reply

  15. Kaylee says

    5 stars
    So easy and quick!! The entire family loves this recipe. I used chicken strips, rice, and broccoli. Amazing recipe!!

    Reply

  16. Linda says

    5 stars
    This creates the most tender juicey chicken and the BEST gravey! My sister found this recipe for a family get-together. Everyone loved it! Now I make it and I’ve given the recipe to 5 other people!! It’s simple and straightforward to make. It’s like it’s greater than the sum of its parts! Stupendous recipe!

    Reply

  17. Tracy says

    5 stars
    This was a great recipe that feels like you're getting the quality of a Sunday dinner, but with weekday dinner prep time. With most saucy chicken recipes, I have to double the sauce. As a precaution, I made 1.5 gravy for this one, but I didn't actually have to! There is enough gravy as written for the chicken and for generously drowning the mashed potatoes, too. Delicious and will make again - thank you!

    Reply

  20. Vicki says

    5 stars
    Due to difficulty getting meat associated with Covid shipping issues, I shopped at Costco and found a large package of individually packed chicken cutlets. In searching for a quick way to cook these differently from my other recipes, I found the easy Chicken and Gravy. This is excellent. My husband loved these, and just requested them again. One package of cutlets made enough for about three meals for the two of us. They reheated well also. I served with mashed potatoes and peas, but tonight will serve with rice and yellow squash. Enjoy!

    Reply

  21. Courtney says

    5 stars
    Made this tonight for my 4 and 1 year old. They both cleared their plates!!! So easy to come together and smelt/tasted delicious. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  24. Jean says

    5 stars
    This recipe was delicious! It tasted like something I would order in a fancy restaurant! My husband LOVED it! I will definitely make this again and it would be perfect for company!

    Reply

  25. Brigid Kane says

    5 stars
    Absolutely wonderful. I made the day after Christmas and was not over anxious to expend any energy. It was very fast and easy to pull together with a great taste pay-off!

    Reply

  29. Debbie says

    5 stars
    My husband doesn't like chicken breast at all. When I made this as written he couldn't believe it was made using the breast. Absolutely delicious!

    Reply

  30. Patricia Paul says

    This recipe looked so delicious I just had to try. I made it for dinner today and it's every bit delicious as it looks. Easy, wonderful recipe. I served with mashed potatoes.

    Reply

  31. Hannah says

    Hi!
    I’m looking forward to making this one, can I substitute flour for cornflour to make this more suitable for my gluten intolerant partner?

    Many thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! So, I haven't tried making gravy with cornstarch before. I've added it to sauces to thicken them up, but I am not quite sure what your results would be if you simply made a slurry (cornstarch + water) and stirred it in at the end. You could try making the roux with cornstarch instead of flour if you want to experiment, but it won't be as flavorful... it won't take on that nutty flavor the same way that flour does. If you did want to go that route, I'd probably go with 1/2 the amount of cornstarch as flour since it's more potent.

      Reply

    • Puja Bindal says

      Hi Natasha I made this chicken today exactly as written and my family loved it, my son was literally eating from the pan. Thank you so much for the quick and super easy recipe. I will be trying more of your recipes.

      Reply

  33. Abby says

    5 stars
    My whole family loved this! Even my 2 year old that never eats chicken! Definitely gonna be saving this recipe and making this again!!!

    Reply

  34. Jordan says

    5 stars
    This recipe was DELICIOUS!! Definitely will be putting this into the rotation as it was super easy and satisfying!

    Reply

  35. Monica says

    5 stars
    So. I made this with two alterations.I added 1/3cup of sherry and a small jar of mushrooms to the gravy. I don't think it change the recipe a huge amount but either way for such a simple dish it was very good. Also I filled dinner out exactly as shown with green beans ans mashed potatoes.

    Reply

  41. Nadine says

    5 stars
    Woke up this morning, went through your site and this jumped out at me. It was both delicious and so simple. Stick to your ribs goodness on a cold winter day.

    Your recipes never disappoint. I love every single one I've tried and will definitely make this again. The best part is the ingredients are always in my cupboard!

    Reply

  42. Nav says

    5 stars
    Super easy and so good! I added 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (suggest by another user) and added a pinch of garlic salt as well! Definitely will remake!

    Reply

    • Joanne says

      5 stars
      I'm so glad to have found your blog. I'm not the world's best cook, but your recipes are easy to follow (love the videos too!), use mostly common items many would already have on hand, and don't require many pots and pans.

      Made this chicken with gravy and it was delicious. I used Better Than Bullion. It's great with mashed potatoes and definitely a comfort food on a wintry day.

      This is the second recipe of yours I've tried and looking forward to trying more.

      Reply

      • Natasha says

        So happy you found me!! I'm glad you're finding the recipes simple... that's definitely what I am going for! Let me know if you try any other recipes 🙂

        Reply

  43. Loulou says

    4 stars
    This was pretty tasty! And came together nice and quick! One star off as the gravy was a little on the bland side (a little soy sauce and Worcestershire it perked right up) and the cook time was far too long, 2 minutes per side was more than enough for a nice crust and cooked through. Will definitely make again!

    Reply

  45. Geno Yun says

    Hi Natasha,
    Thank for these delicious and easy recipes, you’ve inspired me to cook more at home.
    Question: how do you calculate the calories? Is there a handy app?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Geno! You're welcome! I'm so happy to hear that. 🙂 It's actually a part of my recipe card software (WordPress Recipe Maker). There are calorie calculators you can try online/on your phone like My Fitness Pal, though.

      Reply

  46. Kristen says

    5 stars
    So delicious! All of my pickiest eaters devoured this 🙂 I doubled the gravy recipe and added 1tsp Better Than Bullion Chicken in with the gravy seasonings for extra flavor... that’s just my jam... so incredible! Seriously awesome. 5 stars!!! On repeat for my difficult to please crew of 7, a miracle feat! 😆 Thank you!!!

    Reply