This is a really easy recipe for how to make gravy using just water. The secret is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes for the best flavour and a nice deep brown colour. Takes 4 minutes flat, tastes like KFC gravy – but so much better. No pan drippings required.
Made a turkey and want a gravy? Use my Gravy for Turkey recipe!
Gravy
This gravy recipe tastes like what you get in those tubs of KFC Potato and Gravy. Those of you who abstain from all forms of fast food may not know what it tastes like. But all you need to know is that it’s everything that you’d expect from KFC – reliably tasty, well seasoned, can make anything delicious!
The secret ingredient that makes this gravy better is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes (bouillon cubes).
What you need for gravy
Here’s all you need to make a really great gravy from scratch: chicken and beef stock cubes, butter and flour.
Chicken AND beef stock cubes (aka bouillon cubes) – for flavour and colour. Chicken is the base flavour, beef gives it oomph and gives it a nice deep brown colour rather than an unappetising pale brown. Using both also makes this gravy suitable to use for any protein – white meats (chicken, pork), red meats (beef, lamb, game), potato and vegetables. Can substitute with powder;
Hot water – to dissolve the cubes;
Flour – to thicken the gravy (gluten free cornflour/cornstarch sub in the recipe notes);
Onion or garlic powder – optional, for hint of extra flavour.
Why stock cubes instead of liquid stock/broth?
Great question! 🙂 Stock cubes and powder have a more intense flavour than liquid stock (broth), so they make a tastier gravy when you make gravy from scratch like in this recipe.
Liquid broth is more appropriate to use when you’re making gravy starting with pan drippings from roasts – because the pan drippings add extra flavour into the gravy.
How to make gravy in 4 minutes flat
Dissolve stock cubes or powder in boiling water;
Melt butter in saucepan and mix in flour;
Pour in stock water while whisking and cook 1.5 minutes until thickened. DONE!
PS The reason this is faster than most gravy recipes is because the water is already HOT and the flavour is already concentrated so there’s no need to cook down for flavour.
Now, douse everything and anything with it.
Oh, and here’s the photo that started it all – Fried Chicken. Upon spying this, there were many (many) (MANY!) requests for the potato and gravy recipe.
All the possibilities….!!!
Here’s some suggestions for dishes to serve with gravy. Some obvious ones, some not so obvious ones, all good!
Potato and gravy – KFC style! Dunk in Fried Chicken, warm bread rolls or bread (try this No Yeast Irish Soda Bread!), hot chips, wedges, serve on the side of sausages, as part of a Southern Dinner with BBQ Pulled Pork, any roast;
Roasts – any and all!
Rotisserie chicken dinner – make a meal out of a store bought roast chicken. Steam some veg, make some mash, douse everything with this gravy!
Steamed vegetables – guaranteed way to make bland, boring steamed veg completely scoff worthy;
Pan seared chops, steaks or anything – chicken, lamb, pork, beef! Sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan fry in butter or oil, douse with gravy;
Meatballs – Make these Beef meatballs or these Chicken Meatballs, skip the sauce and serve with this gravy instead;
Poured over an omelette;
Chicken Rolls – shred chicken, toss with gravy, pile generously onto hot rolls;
As a Sauce for any of these:
Use gravy as a sauce for these dishes
I need to stop. There’s too many possibilities!
But enough about my ideas. Tell me what YOU douse with gravy!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Gravy recipe (tastes like KFC – but a million times better!)
Ingredients
- 1 chicken stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 1 beef stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 2 1/4 cups (565ml) boiling water
- 60g/ 4 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 4 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (ok to omit or sub garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- Salt , if needed
Instructions
- Crumble cubes into boiling water, mix to dissolve.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour, onion powder and pepper. Mix into butter with a wooden spoon or whisk.
- While stirring, slowly pour in half the liquid. Once incorporated into the flour butter roux (it will thicken quickly), add remaining liquid and mix.
- Stir for 1.5 – 2 minutes until it thickens to a gravy consistency (it's quick as water is already hot). Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over chops, steak, sausages, veggies, roast chicken, pork, beef, lamb. Pictured – KFC Potato and Gravy copycat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Even at the vet, all he can think about is FOOD. Just like his owner 😂
PS Nothing major, just getting an old-man wart removed that had grown quite large and was bothering him. He was, of course, a total sook once he realised he was there for more than just pats and treats. Quivering and pressing up against me for protection!
Absolutely brilliant gravy over roast vegetables with chicken kiev
Just made this delicious recipe for a Sunday Roast. Perfect!! I used OXO’s meat-free “Chicken” and “Beef” cubes cause my husband is a vegetarian. I was a bit aprehensive whether a meat-free version would work with this recipe and it did work wonders!!
Is it possible to have a recipe for instant gravy that I can make in dry form to keep for when I want to make a small amount for one. It would be so helpful if it was possible. Thank you 🙂
Just saw this recipe for your gravy recipe and it seems faster than the recipe I use. So looking at some of the recipes you show, I’m hooked. Haven’t tried it (the recipe) but I make gravy quite often, eager to try it out along with other recipes that you show
Excellent for the KFC style tenders, mashed potatoes etc that we had it with. Partner who makes awesome gravy when we have roasts enjoyed it too.
This is definitely my go to gravy from now on. I don’t even have to choose between chicken or beef gravy anymore, because it tastes great on all of it. In fact, it’s on the menu for tonight!
I’ve been looking for a gravy recipe a lot of year with bad and results.
This recipe, fool proof, is my ideal. Now I can upgrade my meal recipes. Thank you very much Nagi.
Everytime I try your recipe it always gives me raw chunks of flour in it. Ugh.
My husband loves this gravy
Thank you for such an easy recipe.
Yummy gravy! Used Better Than Bouillon…chicken & beef. Extra pepper & a splash of Kitchen Bouquet.
Needed last minute fast chicken gravy recipe. Found this. Did have beef cubes so just used 2 chicken. Wow. Fantastic. A real keeper.
I just made this gravy, except for using one tsp. of onion powder, I made exactly as stated in the recipe. It is absolutely the most delicious instant gravy I have ever made!! Definitely a keeper I will make over and over again.
It was PERFECT! I didn’t have onion powder, but had garlic salt : ) thank you!!!
Does it need four tablespoons of flour – shouldn’t it be four teaspoons? Four tablespoons made it a really thick paste – nothing lije gravy! Would be helpful to have it in grams.
I followed the recipe exactly, no substitutions, and it came out perfect, in just a few minutes, as promised. I’m really really pleased.
Thanks once again Nagi for a delicious recipe- I can always count on you! We had porchetta on NY’s Day and I poured the pan juices into this gravy- so good! Everyone loved the combo. Today I’m having the gravy w rotisserie chicken… still awesome! Yum!
I gave 4 stars only because it didn’t really taste like kfc gravy to us. Although, for a regular everyday gravy, my family said this was the best I ever made. I did however have to add more beef and chicken cubes for our taste. This recipe is going into my recipe box! Thanks Nagi!
Not the “original” taste I was craving but it was still good. Followed the recipe 100% and it was thick, like my husband likes it. It’s definitely worth making again.
Apart from being so quick and easy to make, the family loved it more than any other gravy!
This gravy is super easy to make and tastes delicious! I used Better Than Bouillon jars (beef and chicken) and just followed the rest of the recipe and ingredients. I added more ground pepper to taste. Definitely using this recipe again for any dish that needs gravy!