Got 5 minutes for dinner? Make this incredible baked chicken recipe! Crispy oven roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks that makes its own gravy in the same baking pan.
It’s the chicken version of this Sausage Bake with Gravy, a long time reader favourite. Minutes to prep, zero maintenance to cook. 100% delish!
Gravy Baked chicken recipe – make its own gravy!
This is another one* of those super speedy recipes that came about at the end of a long cook day when I had to use up ingredients before the expiry date but had zero energy to expend. It’s a dump-and-bake recipe, but entirely made from scratch – no canned soup shortcuts around here!
Chicken is coated in a simple spice mix for flavour (plus it makes the chicken crispy!) then it’s baked IN a flour/beef stock liquid that magically thickens into a gravy by the time the chicken is cooked.
Just LOOK at the gravy perfection!! ↑↓↑↓
* Sausage Bake, and the Ultra Lazy Series (Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake, Chicken Rice Bake and speedy Corn Chowder) being to more such examples! Handy for busy midweek cooking. 🙂
What you need
Here’s what you need for this baked chicken. Very few ingredients, right?? Hard to believe it’s going to make something so delicious… but I promise it does! It’s all in the cooking logic. Read on!
How to make this baked chicken dinner
And here’s how it’s made:
The key to this recipe is how the “self saucing gravy” is made. You simply whisk together flour with beef stock/broth, then pour it around the chicken. As it bakes in the oven, 3 things happen:
The chicken flesh under the liquid stays moist and absorbs the stock flavour = tasty chicken flesh even without marinating;
The chicken leeches juices into the stock, adding even more flavour into what will end up as gravy; and
The flour in the broth makes it thicken into a gravy.
WARNING: When it comes out of the oven, you’ll be looking at a congealed mess in the pan instead of the silky gravy you see. Have faith! Just give it a good whisk and it comes together beautifully!
And here’s what you end up with – crispy chicken….
…. AND a gravy to douse everything on your plate!
And what did that take you to prepare? All of 5 minutes? If that!
Serve with anything your heart desires. Pictured at the top of the post with creamy mashed potato (possibly cauliflower – can’t remember if I was attempting low carb on that day) and a side of Rocket Salad with Balsamic Dressing.
And in the photo above, this crispy baked chicken is served with buttery Seasoned Rice (think Rice-a-roni, except homemade, excellent freezer standby) and steamed greens drizzled with the herb & garlic dressing from this Cucumber Salad.
But honestly? Chicken and gravy. It goes with anything (non Asian). You could even pull the meat off the bones, toss in the gravy then stuff it in bread rolls to make Chicken and Gravy Rolls. YES! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Gravy Baked Chicken (thighs & drumsticks) – 5 min prep!
Ingredients
- 1.25 kg/ 3 lb bone in, skin on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (all of one, or mix, Note 1)
- 2 tsp olive oil (or other oil)
Chicken seasoning:
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder (or garlic powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Gravy:
- 4 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose (Note 2 for GF)
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock/broth (yes, beef, not chicken! Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
- Seasoning – mix in a small bowl.
- Season chicken – Place chicken in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" baking pan. Drizzle with oil then rub all over Sprinkle & rub in the Seasoning, using most on the skin side.
- Arrange chicken skin side up in the pan.
- Gravy mixture – Whisk flour with about 1/2 cup of stock until lump free, then whisk in remaining stock and pepper (forgot in video!). Pour into the pan around the chicken.
- Bake uncovered for 50 minutes, or until chicken is crispy and golden.
- Whisk gravy – Remove chicken onto a plate, then give the gravy a good whisk to make it smooth. Adjust Gravy thickness if required – Note 4. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve – Pour gravy into a jug. Serve alongside chicken!
Recipe Notes:
- Seasoned Rice (excellent freezer standby to serve with everything)
- steamed veg tossed with the Herb & Garlic dressing from this Cucumber Salad
- creamy mashed potato (or cauliflower for low carb)
- Rocket/Arugula salad with balsamic dressing (super speedy, no chop salad)
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
It would be kind of cute that he stands there for ages with his head pushed through the dog door….except it’s winter here, and ice cold air is blasting into the house through that considerably large hole…😖
Made this for dinner for two and it was scrumptious. Served over leftover sour cream,cream cheese and butter mashed potatoes. Loved the spices.
This was a great hit with the family tonight. Great with creamy mashed potatoes. The gravy was so good and the whole fish so simple and easy to cook with great flavours. Another great recipient Nagi.
Thanks so much Sarah!! N x
Apologies not fish- dish oops.
This is my husband’s favorite recipe. When he saw I was making this for dinner last week he jumped for joy and shouted like a little kid. Super easy to me and just delicious. My daughter loves it as well but my picky son still refuses to eat it (however he has admitted it smells so delicious!). Sometimes I make a double batch and my husband uses the leftovers to make sandwiches. Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Roast chicken is always a hit in this household. But it’s made infinitely better by all your different recipes, Nagi. Thank-you for this easy and delicious alternative. We loved the chicken seasoning on this one.
Nagi, this is such a delicious and easy recipe! Amazing flavor here, and the seasoning tastes rather like the best rotisserie chicken. Love that once it’s together the rest of the cooking is hands-off, leaving plenty of time for getting the rest of the meal together or relaxing a bit. A really fantastic recipe!
ANOTHER stellar recipe Nagi..!!
We had this last night and it was amazeballs…. I was a bit worried i got my gravy ratios wrong before pouring it under the chicken pieces, because my liquid looked thicker than yours in the video, however it turned out perfectly given the chicken leeches juices..!!
The flavour of the gravy is just next level and i feel like a fraduster because it was just so, so easy to make 😉
We all agreed in our household this is now going into the regular rotation of meals..!!!
We use a lot of your recipes and never once have we been disappointed!!
Keep on doing what you do best…..bringing great food to the people 🙂
Oppsie – that was meant to be ‘leaches’ NOT ‘leeches’….not sure we would want to add that additional protein to the dish ;o)
OMG Nagi!! The signs of a truly wonderful meal are ….. Silence, followed by the licking of fingers and the words …. is there anymore?? This was so easy and so tasty!! Thank you!
Love, love, love this recipe. So simple yet so delicious! Thanks again Nagi, you are my go to every time 🙂 Even the kids ask if we are having Nagi for dinner! Winning
Hi Nagi, there are some funky chicken bits lefts in the tray. Am I whisking all these in to the gravy?
I baked 4 thighs. They came out perfect, tender and juicy and the skin was crisp. The gravy was really good. Thanks, N!
This looks so good, easy and quick! I’ll make it this week with some mashed potatoes!!
This went down a treat.
Make all the time now as very popular with son in law who is fussy eater. Gravy baked chicken is the best according to him.
Made this last night with chicken breast and it was delicious (followed the recipe in the notes for chicken breast). The gravy thickened before the first 20 mins were up so I mixed in abit of hot water before putting the chicken pieces in …it was not dry and turned out perfect. So easy ! Thanks Nagi
Made this last night & it was a big hit. I used 4 chicken maryland, they were so juicy & tender & that gravy WOW! My husband & daughter are still raving about it & asking when are you making it again. Thanks for anothe winning dish Nagi.
That’s great to hear Jacinta!! N x
Winner, winner chicken dinner!
I made this last night – delicious! Thanks for another great recipe Nagi.
Love your recipes.
Thanks so much Lucille! N x
It was amazing! Kids loved it. Husband loves it! So easy. No prep. It was awesome!
I baked this twice this past week; one dish was for my family, and the other for a family from church. We all LOVED it. Great recipe, Nagi!
This looks amazing. I’ve got some organic skin-on chicken thighs but they don’t have a bone. Will I still keep the same cooking time?