If you fancy a collagen-rich, easy and delicious gravy recipe... we have you covered! This thick and delightful gravy is perfect for your holiday meal!
While fun, getting the whole family together for the holidays can come with its own challenges, such as finding foods that everyone will be eager to eat! Finding delicious foods for the holidays is super important but you also must accommodate for everyone's dietary needs and restrictions.
Enter: gravy! This tasty topper can be poured on to a variety of meats, vegetables, and other side dishes. And while some variations are not as healthy, gravy can be made in a way that makes it not only yummy, but good for you, too!
In this blog post, we’re sharing the perfect holiday gravy for chicken recipe … and while this gravy goes well with chicken, it can be used on other meats, too!
Types of gravy
A fascinating thing about gravy is that it varies greatly from region to region, both in the United States and across the globe! In the U.S., flourless cornmeal gravy is popular in the South, while hamburger gravy prevails in the Midwest.
What almost all gravy recipes have in common is the use of leftover animal fats, whether that be from pork, hamburger, or chicken. While it adds great flavor, the use of animal fats in gravy is not exactly healthy when eaten in excess.
So what’s a health conscious gravy lover to do? Read on for ideas on how to make gravy healthy.
Ways to make gravy healthy
So you’ve got the PERFECT holiday dish in mind and want to make a gravy to go with it. But you don’t want to use just any ingredients–you want to use the healthiest option possible to leave everyone feeling nourished and satisfied around the holiday table.
Here are a few tips for making gravy a bit healthier:
Opt for homemade versus store bought packets
While there are healthy store bought gravy packet options, many variations are packed with sodium, saturated fats, and chemicals (yikes!). Buyer beware! Only the most wholesome options will do for you and your beloved family members.
While it does take a little extra time in the kitchen, home making gravy gives you complete control over the ingredients going into it. Plus, cooking together is a great bonding opportunity with grandparents or little ones!
Add herbs for flavor
Most gravys add animal fats or salt for flavor. If you’re looking to cut down on those ingredients, fresh herbs can be an excellent solution! Using just a little bit of fresh sage, thyme, or parsley can really liven up a home made gravy dish. Because after all, who doesn’t want to impress family members with their cooking skills. ;)
Garlic is also a great option for adding flavor to a gravy dish. Just a little bit of minced garlic goes a long way.
Go flourless
Flour is often used to thicken gravies. While flour isn’t unhealthy, some people are sensitive to flour with wheat, and in those cases, it’s not a thickening option. Cornstarch can be used to make gravy nice and thick! Add cornstarch to gravy one small pinch at a time until it reaches your desired level of consistency.
Best gravy pairings
Now for the fun part – the gravy pairings! The great thing about gravy is its versatility. The texture and flavor goes with soooo many main and side dishes. The hardest part is choosing!
Here are a few of our favorite gravy pairings:
Gravy for mashed potatoes
We’ve taken the guesswork out of healthy mashed potatoes in this recipe! Potatoes are a great source of fiber, which can help you lose weight by keeping you full for longer. And, fiber helps prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are full of antioxidants, too!
Why does gravy go so well with mashed potatoes? We don’t know, but it sure is tasty!
Biscuits
What can be better than biscuits that use just 3 ingredients? Minimal kitchen time makes for an easy family holiday meal, indeed! We love this recipe from Sinful Nutrition, which takes just 30 minutes and results in soft, fluffy biscuits to enjoy around the dinner table.
White whole wheat flour, baking powder, plain Greek yogurt, and salt is all it takes to make these biscuits. If you’re wanting to mimic breakfast biscuits and gravy, you can even add sausage to mix in the gravy for a savory touch.
Crispy oven baked chicken
Simplicity is key in this baked chicken recipe! But never compromising on flavor of course. We combine chicken breasts with parmesan, breadcrumbs, flour, egg and yummy herbs and spices! Enjoy the chicken on top of our quinoa and rice blend plus green beans and voila! Holiday meal at your fingertips. Try drizzling gravy on top!
Roasted mixed vegetables
Sometimes it’s tough to persuade children to eat their vegetables. But not with this roasted vegetables dish! Red potatoes, brussel sprouts, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli make up this recipe. Add in parsley, dill, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper and you’ve got yourself a crowd pleasing side dish! Top with gravy for extra oomph and flavor.
Split pea and kale casserole bake
This vegan casserole is great to make for vegan or vegetarian guests. Proper Good Split Pea and Kale Soup is mixed in with sweet potatoes to make the easiest, yet healthiest, casserole imaginable! Kale is widely considered as a superfood and can help manage blood pressure, boost digestive health, and protect against cancer and type 2 diabetes.
So make this split pea and kale bake which only FEELS indulgent. ;)
Holiday Gravy For Chicken Recipe
Cooking Info
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pouch - Proper Good Chicken Bone Broth
1/4 Cup - All purpose flour (use gluten free flour if desired)
4 Tbsp - Grass-fed Butter
1 tsp - Thyme (fresh or dried)
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Method
- Melt butter in saute pan on medium heat.
- Stir in flour until well mixed.
- Slowly add Proper Good Chicken Bone Broth, while stirring continuously.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
- Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
- Serve with Proper Good Mash Potato and Proper Good Wild Rice Stuffing
Well there you have it! Gravy made fast, delicious, and nutritious all in one! We hope this recipe and the dish ideas above make hosting your next family holiday meal that much simpler.
