This super easy crockpot chicken and gravy recipe delivers the perfect dinner of creamy, tender shredded chicken smothered in a tasty, savory gravy. Juicy chicken breasts are slow-cooked with luscious cream of chicken soup and a flavorful chicken gravy packet to create a rich and comforting 3-ingredient meal that the whole family will enjoy.
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Even the pickiest of eaters will love this hearty crockpot chicken and gravy. Succulent chicken is slow-cooked until it becomes incredibly pull-apart tender, all while simmering in a super creamy and flavorful chicken gravy. It's the perfect comforting meal, especially as the weather starts to get cooler.
What makes this crockpot recipe a go-to recipe is its simplicity and versatility. As a fantastic base recipe, it's easy to customize to fit your family's tastes. I love how the slow cooker does all the work; with only about 5 minutes of prep time, you can set it and forget it. Dinner will be ready and waiting for you, making your evening an absolute breeze
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Incredibly Easy to Make: This recipe is effortless! Just combine the chicken breasts with a few simple ingredients in your crockpot and let the slow cooker do all the work. It's a quick and easy prep for a delicious meal.
A Family-Favorite Dinner: This simple yet flavorful dish is wholesome, delicious, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Its rich, savory taste is so irresistible that no one will be able to turn it down!
The Perfect Comfort Food: When the weather turns cooler, nothing beats a hearty, comforting meal. This warm and cozy crockpot chicken and gravy is the ultimate dish to satisfy those cravings.
🥘 Ingredients
This hearty crockpot chicken & gravy has just 3 ingredients. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to pull together!
- Chicken - You can either use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs here, whatever your preference.
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup - You'll want a family-sized can for this recipe (22 ounces). Cream of chicken is so good here because it adds a ton of delicious, savory chicken flavor. If you prefer a homemade version of the store bought soup see my recipe for cream of chicken soup.
- Chicken Gravy Mix - You can use whatever brand is your preference. The chicken gravy mix will add more flavor and thicken the sauce up nicely.
- Water - This is just to thin out the cream of chicken and gravy. You can also use chicken stock (though I would recommend reduced or no sodium) or milk.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🧂 Substitutions
- If desired, you can substitute the milk for water to make a creamier chicken gravy. You can also substitute chicken stock for the water to have a stronger gravy flavor.
- You can also use a turkey breast and turkey gravy mix for a delicious, easy meal you can make around the holidays! Make sure to cut the breast into smaller pieces for the same cooking time.
🔪 How To Make Crockpot Chicken & Gravy
- Prepare the Chicken: Begin by patting 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place the dry chicken into the bottom of your crockpot.
- Combine the Ingredients: Pour 22 ounces of condensed cream of chicken soup, 2 packets of chicken gravy mix, and 1 cup of water directly over the chicken in the crockpot. Stir everything together until the gravy and soup mixes are fully combined and the chicken is evenly coated in the sauce. ***Make sure that you've stirred all the dry gravy mix into the liquid so there aren't any dry pockets.
- Slow Cook to Perfection: Secure the lid on the crockpot and cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours, or on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours. The chicken is fully cooked when it is tender and reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C), which you can verify with a meat thermometer.
- Shred and Serve: Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken breasts and place them on a plate or cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken-it should be tender enough to fall apart easily. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir it back into the rich gravy. Serve hot over creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or egg noodles, making sure to spoon plenty of extra gravy over the top.
This easy, perfectly creamy crockpot chicken & gravy is delightful and filling when served over a hearty starch like Jasmine rice or Basmati rice or mashed potatoes, then garnished with a little chopped parsley or chives. It's a hearty meal the whole family is going to enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Using Frozen Chicken: For extra convenience, you can make this recipe with frozen chicken breasts-no thawing required. Simply extend the cooking time by approximately 1-2 hours on HIGH or 2-3 hours on LOW. To ensure it's cooked safely, always verify the internal temperature of the chicken has reached at least 165°F (74°C) with a meat thermometer before shredding.
- Adding Vegetables for a One-Pot Meal: Easily incorporate vegetables to make this a complete dinner. For best results, add quick-cooking vegetables like frozen peas, corn, or green beans during the final 30 minutes of the cooking cycle. This warms them through perfectly without making them mushy.
- Customizing Your Gravy's Consistency: This recipe creates a naturally thick and creamy gravy. If you'd like to adjust it:
🥡 Storing & Reheating
To store leftovers, allow the chicken and gravy to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, store the chicken mixture separately from any sides (like mashed potatoes or rice) to keep them from getting soggy.
Freezing for Future Meals
This crockpot chicken and gravy recipe is perfect for freezing! It's a great way to have a delicious, home-cooked meal ready to go on a busy night.
- Cool Completely: Allow the chicken and gravy to cool down to room temperature.
- Package for Freezing: Transfer the cooled mixture into a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, removing as much air as possible.
- Freeze: Label with the date and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: For the best texture, thaw the frozen chicken and gravy overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat
You can easily reheat your leftovers using either the microwave or the stovetop.
Stovetop Method: This method is ideal for reheating larger quantities or thawed portions. Place the chicken and gravy in a saucepan or skillet and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is bubbling and heated throughout. Before serving, ensure it has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Microwave Method: For a quick and easy option, place a single serving of the chicken and gravy in a microwave-safe dish. Heat on high for 1 minute, then continue heating in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it's completely warmed through.
🐔 More Great Chicken Recipes
- Baked Chicken Quarters
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Chicken Mandi
❓ Recipe FAQs
Your delicious chicken & gravy can be kept on the warming setting while you're waiting to eat and during dinner, but it shouldn't be kept out for too long! Once you're done, leftovers should be fully cooled, then immediately refrigerated.
You can use whatever your preference is! I like to use an easy-to-access brand like McCormick, but you can use any brand you like.
It depends on what you're looking for! Chicken breasts are the leaner, healthier option-but chicken thighs are moister and tend to have a stronger flavor. Depending on your preference and what you have access to, either works well! You could even use a mix of both for a blend of leanness and flavor!
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📖 Recipe Card
Crock Pot Chicken & Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken (boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs)
- 22 oz cream of chicken condensed soup (family size)
- 2 packets chicken gravy mix
- 1 cup water (or chicken stock or milk)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Remove chicken from packaging, rinse and pat dry then place into your crockpot.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, water, and the gravy packets. Give everything a good stir until well combined.
- Return cover and cook on the high setting for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, use an instant-read temperature probe and check that the chicken is at least 165°F (74°C), then remove the chicken pieces. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into pieces, or chop the chicken if desired.
- Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. Spoon gravy on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use frozen chicken, just be sure to increase the cook time.
- You can add other stir-ins to this recipe, like fresh or frozen veggies.
- For thinner gravy add 1 more cup of water.
- For a stronger flavor use chicken stock in place of water.
- For a creamier texture, use milk instead of water.
Lynn says
Husband absolutely loved it!
Danielle says
Excellent recipe! So so easy and sooooo good! I’ve shared this recipe with other family members and they all raved about it. It’s so easy. I bought double ingredients so I can make it again soon. I also threw the leftovers in tue freezer and thawed them in the fridge overnight. It was excellent!
Gina says
Can I cook on low for 8 hours (instead of high for 4) if I'm leaving it to cook all day while at work? Thanks
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes! You can cook this chicken and gravy on the low setting for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!
Laurie M says
This recipe is quick and very satisfying. As we are somewhat health conscious. I substituted the cream of chicken soup with the healthy variety (low fat and low sodium). I only used one packet of McCormick Roasted Chicken Gravy (again due to the sodium). I used 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 water for the liquid. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs (its what I had). It was hands down one of the easiest and tastiest recipes yet!!! I'm sure the original recipe is even better......but I'm not sure that's possible because it was just that good !!! Thank you for sharing. I have passed it on as well.
Brittany says
Can I use regular gravy not the pack ?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, you will need to remove the water from recipe though.