Quick & Easy Chicken and Gravy Dinner Recipe (from Scratch)

Chicken and Gravy is pure comfort food. Good thing you don’t have to roast a whole chicken to enjoy it! All you need are boneless, skinless chicken breasts and a few simple ingredients to make this easy recipe that will wow your crowd. This one-pan dinner is perfect for busy weeknights.

It’s also a easy fix for a non-traditional Easter dinner menu.

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When I’m looking for something delicious and quick for a busy weeknight meal, I need look no further than this easy Chicken and Gravy dinner. It’s a family favorite that I can whip up with chicken and some basic pantry ingredients in just 30 minutes!

But, even more important, it’s a comforting meal that the whole family loves. Served with mashed potatoes and air fryer asparagus or garlic green beans, this chicken recipe has my people practically licking their plates clean!

Why Make This

It’s simple. This chicken recipe is homemade without the hassle. There are no cans, boxes, or crock pot required, just a few simple pantry staples.

It’s quick. The rich gravy and tender chicken may have you fooled, but this great recipe for Chicken and Gravy comes together in less than 30 minutes. 

It’s delicious. This delicious dinner is one you’ll want to have on repeat; it’s that good. Juicy chicken bathed in a luscious gravy? What’s not to love!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make easy Chicken and Gravy:

boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets – cutlets cook quickly and often go on sale. You can even fillet your own chicken cutlets. If you like, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Just know that you’ll need to increase the cooking time.

your favorite seasoning mix – I like to use Jamie’s Spice Mix or my Spicy Chicken Seasoning for this recipe, but you can use any favorite seasoning such as Italian seasoning or Seasoned Salt. These add flavor without needing a dry onion soup mix or other commercial gravy packets. If you don’t have or don’t want to make a custom spice mix, you can use a combination of salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder or use poultry seasoning instead.

olive oil and butter – You can use all one or the other, but I like to use olive oil for sautéing the chicken and then butter for making the creamy gravy.

unbleached, all-purpose flour – Flour is what will help you thicken the homemade chicken gravy. If you want to make this gluten-free, you can use a gf baking mix, like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Just use a bit less of the mix than you would flour.

chicken stock or broth – When I can, I make my own chicken stock. When I can’t, I like to keep Better than Bouillon on hand for a quick substitute.

whipping cream – Just a bit of heavy cream takes the homemade gravy over the top. You can use evaporated milk as a substitute to save money and calories.

ground nutmeg – A little nutmeg adds a nice finish to the flavorful gravy. You can omit it if you like, but it really does make a difference.

parsley – Garnishing an otherwise brown plate of Chicken and Gravy livens things up a bit. You could also use chopped green onion or another favorite fresh herb, like thyme or basil.

Variations

There are so many ways to adapt this basic chicken and gravy recipe to suit what you have and what sounds good tonight. 

• Choose a different seasoning. You can take the seasoning into any direction you like, adjusting the flavor profile for what you truly enjoy or crave right now.
• Zhuzh up the gravy. While the gravy ingredients include just broth and cream, you can substitute wine, liquor, or juice for some of the broth. Instead of heavy cream, you can whisk in some sour cream or cream cheese. 
• Smother it with onions. Before adding the flour, sauté 1 sliced onion in the melted butter. Then proceed with the recipe. You’ll have a delicious, onion-laden gravy to smother the chicken with.

Be sure to leave a comment sharing what adaptations you make. I’m sure they’ll be delicious!

Step by Step Instructions

Here’s how to make this easy chicken and savory gravy dish:

Season the chicken cutlets generously with Jamie’s Spice Mix. 

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on each side, about 5 minutes each to let the chicken cook. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover.

Add the butter to the chicken drippings in the pan and melt, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in the flour and cook until bubbling.

Stir in the chicken stock until well combined. Simmer until the gravy is thickened. Whisk in the cream and nutmeg. Return the chicken to the gravy mixture in the pan just until hot.

Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, white rice, or buttered egg noodles.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

To make this as a meal prep: Prepare the recipe as directed along with your preferred side dish, like a quick sauté of frozen green beans. Divide the mashed potatoes or other side dish among four meal prep dishes. Add one piece of chicken to each container along with the gravy. Chill and store in the fridge. Consume within 4 days.

To make this as a freezer meal: Prepare the recipe as directed. Allow it to cool before packaging it. Chill for several hours in the fridge before storing in the freezer. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in a pan, baking dish in the oven, or microwave. The dish can be reheated from frozen in the microwave if needed.

More 30-Minute Meals

This post was originally published on September 21, 2009. It has been updated for content and clarity.