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. (Note: Recently I’ve also created a tasty variation, Mushroom Gravy!)
Pour over everything!
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.
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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;
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Hot water – to dissolve the cubes;
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Flour – to thicken the gravy (gluten free cornflour/cornstarch sub in the recipe notes);
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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
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Dissolve stock cubes or powder in boiling water;
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Melt butter in saucepan and mix in flour;
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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!
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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;
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Roasts – any and all!
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Rotisserie chicken dinner – make a meal out of a store bought roast chicken. Steam some veg, make some mash, douse everything with this gravy!
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Steamed vegetables – guaranteed way to make bland, boring steamed veg completely scoff worthy;
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Pan seared chops, steaks or anything – chicken, lamb, pork, beef! Sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan fry in butter or oil, douse with gravy;
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Meatballs – Make these Beef meatballs or these Chicken Meatballs, skip the sauce and serve with this gravy instead;
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Poured over an omelette;
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Chicken Rolls – shred chicken, toss with gravy, pile generously onto hot rolls;
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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!
Wow just made the gravy it is gorgeous having it with pie mash and peas for dinner tonight… thank you so much
Oh my word!This gravy recipe is absolutely amazing! SOOO good on mashed potatoes, cooked veggies and meats. Thanks, Nagi for another winning recipe.
O M G. I am from NZ and have been living in the Uk for over 20 years. I have yearned for proper KFC Gravy (the Gravy they do in the UK is NOT the Gravy I grew up with). This has made my weekend. Why did I not know of this!!! Thank you x
Easy and quite tasty
Hi there, is it just me? But I can’t seem to find the ingredient measurements for the kfc gravy 😫
Hi Megan – all the ingredients are there, scroll down the page or click the “recipe” button at the top of the page to go straight there – N x
This is sooooo good!!! Really is just like KFC gravy. And you have more than enough for chips or mash. Thank you!!!
can i cook the chicken in a air fryer
I have never been a fan of gravy but having made this for a family member who is, I have to say my mind has been changed. It was very nice.
I’ve used your recipe a couple of times since last year and let me just say, it’s amazing. My family loves it and most of the time, there would never be a leftover of the sauce 😂 Thank you so much!! 💗
I mean really, if people are squeamish about dripping then they shouldn’t be using meat stock cubes either js lol
Which is why this isn’t gravy, it’s veloute, one of the mother sauces. Gravy requires the fat be rendered fat, usually from the meat you’re making it for.
Not everyone is cooking up an entire roast to be able to use the drippings though are they? Therefore this recipe is great if you have no drippings on hand
I totally fail at making gravy, but I made this for dinner last night with your mashed potatoes recipe and it was amazing! Your recipes are going to be my go-to from now on! Foolproof!
Can’t believe how good this tastes! You weren’t lying, it tastes just like KFC… maybe better 🙂 I just served it with roast potatoes and chicken!
Perfect
Hi what cream do you recommend using. I purchased heavy whipping cream and a half and half milk carton which do you recommend?
Hi Caitlyn, there’s no cream in this recipe! N x
Another sensational recipe from Nagi. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes and tips and tricks. You are my first go to when I am looking for a recipex
I don’t know what KFC gravy tastes like, but this was great with my stuffed tenderloin and mashed potatoes and a side of peas. I added a bit of Kitchen Bouquet to darken it up a bit. Excellent for a quick gravy and I bet it would be amazing on a poutine!
Love your site, but need help. I used OXO cubes (chicken & beef) and followed recipe. Is there a difference between cube sizes in US and Australia? Instructions for cubes in US say 1 cup of water per bouillon cube makes broth. Using 2 1/4 cups water for recipes dilutes broth further so didn’t end up with concentrated flavor (or color). According to Google, a cube equals 1 teaspoon of powder yet your recipe calls for 2 teaspoons to replace each cube which would indeed provide more flavor and color. We love gravy so your advice would be greatly appreciated.
I agree! I wondered about the extra 1/4 cup of water also.
My kids ask for this gravy all the time! They prefer it over the instant gravy we bought.
I had sliced 4 garlic cloves in half tip to root and sauteed them in 3 tablespoons EVOO on medium low heat for a different recipe. I saved the garlic flavored oil and added 2 tablespoons of it and 2 tablespoons of butter to make the roux, it did not need onion or garlic powder (I have a lot of garlic). DEEE-licious. Thanks for the great recipe Nagi!!
Yummy! I’m gonna try your process when I make this recipe for gravy. Thank you so much for sharing sweetie!!
Nagi,
Can I use Better Than Boullion instead of cubes or powder? If so, how much?
Hugs and kisses to Dozer! He’s such a lucky fella to belong to someone who loves and cares for him as much as you do!
I actually made this tonight for the first time and used Better Than Boullion. It turned out great! One teaspoon of each, you’ll still need to add the 2 1/4 cups of water that the recipe calls for.
Mine wasn’t nearly as dark! Help!!
I had this problem.
If you are in the UK use 2 Oxo cubes, 2 chicken cubes. Also use 1/2 tsp garlic powder but stick to the rest of this recipe and you can’t go wrong. I’m a great fan of kfc gravy but this is something really special. Adjust as you go, if you need it a little thicker mix some corn flour with a little cold water and add to your pan, if too thick boil kettle and add a little water. Hope this helps