Simple Chicken Veloute Sauce (Dairy Free)
One easy swap makes this simple chicken veloute sauce (also known as velouté sauce) a dairy free version of the classic French sauce. Serve it with basic sautéed chicken breast or as a gravy for rotisserie chicken. It can work wonders for accidentally dry chicken.

When we first moved to France, I told my mom that I wanted Julia Child’s famous cookbooks for Christmas because I was in a particularly adventurous phase, and Julie and Julia had just come out on DVD, so naturally, I had to have them. Of course, I had no idea how difficult some of the recipes were. I remember two major fails – chicken bouillabaisse and sautéed veal with brown tarragon sauce, but this simple chicken veloute sauce is quite a gem.

What is veloute sauce used for?
Veloute sauce is one of the 5 basic mother sauces, and the only one I’ve learned to make so far. You can make it with any type of stock you have, but you’ll want to use the right stock for your dish.
It’s such an easy way to dress up boring chicken, and it can definitely help save your meal if you over cook your chicken. The sauce makes quite a bit, and I can usually stretch it between two meals if it’s just our family. This sauce can be reheated easily if you have leftovers, just add a little more chicken broth or some white wine to thin it out if necessary.

What ingredients do you need to make veloute sauce?
- Butter (or in our case, butter substitute)
- All-purpose flour
- Chicken stock
- Salt & pepper
How do you make chicken veloute sauce?
Start by making a roux. I use equal parts butter substitute (or butter, if you can have dairy) and all-purpose flour. Use your biggest saucepan, and melt the butter substitute and whisk in the flour. Allow it to cook for about a minute or so, but keep whisking it around so it doesn’t burn.
Then slowly whisk in the chicken broth. I try to add about 1/2 cup at a time so that I don’t get an big lumps, and it allows the sauce to thicken as it cooks.

If I have it, I also add a splash of dry white wine with the broth. It’s not necessary, but I think it adds a little bit of extra flavor. Salt & pepper are absolutely necessary, too. I usually start with 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt and add more to taste. It really depends on the amount of salt in your broth. If I’m using reduced-sodium, I usually lean more towards a full teaspoon. Definitely taste as you go.
Let the sauce simmer until it’s the consistency you want. It should at least coat the back of a spoon, but I tend to make my chicken veloute sauce a bit thicker than that. It all depends on how thick you want it and how long you cook it.


Simple Chicken Veloute Sauce (Dairy Free)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dairy free buttery spread (such as Earth Balance)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth, room temperature or warmed
- Splash dry white wine
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the buttery spread in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the flour to the melted buttery spread, whisking to combine.
- Let the roux cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Pour chicken broth into the sauce pan, whisk until smooth.
- Simmer on low heat – stirring occasionally – for 5 minutes or until ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Calories: 0
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Published: April 25, 2018. Updated: November 5, 2021.
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