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Homemade Chicken Gravy

This chicken gravy made with high-quality chicken stock and heavy cream starts with a basic blonde roux. Skip the powdered packets of gravy mix and make homemade chicken gravy from scratch. Serve over fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine French
Servings 8 people
Calories 753.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan Medium-sized
  • 1 Whisk Heat-resistant
  • 1 Liquid Measuring Cup 1-quart capacity
  • 1 Dry Measuring Cups
  • 1 Measuring Spoons

Ingredients
  

Main

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 quart cold chicken stock or more if needed
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • salt and ground white pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in flour, reduce heat to low, and stir until the roux has turned golden and smells like a cooked pie crust, 10 to 12 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Whisk in about 2 cups of cold stock, a little at a time, stirring to remove any lumps. Add remaining 2 cups stock. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir in heavy cream, and season with salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Taste and if the gravy still tastes starchy, let it simmer a little longer, adding more cold stock if necessary.
  • Serve hot and enjoy! Allrecipes/Ramona Cruz-Peters

Notes

Achieving the perfect blonde roux is crucial; cook it for the full 10-12 minutes until it develops a golden color and nutty aroma to eliminate any raw flour taste. Always add *cold* stock to the hot roux in stages, whisking continuously and vigorously to prevent lumps and ensure a silky-smooth gravy. For optimal flavor, use high-quality chicken stock. Taste and adjust seasoning diligently, especially for salt and white pepper. A subtle pinch of cayenne pepper enhances warmth without adding spiciness. If the gravy becomes too thick, thin with warm stock; if too thin, gently simmer to reduce.