# Chicken Velouté
> [!metadata]- Metadata
> **Published:** [[2025-10-31|October 31, 2025]]
> **Key Ingredients:** Chicken Stock, Clarified Butter, Flour, Roux
> **Tags:** #🌐 #recipe #french #mother-sauce #veloute
![[00 - Meta/Attachments/Recipes/chicken-veloute-1.jpg]]
A foundational French mother sauce with a silky texture and neutral flavor, perfect as a base for countless derivative sauces or served alongside chicken and fish dishes.
## Preparation Time
- **Prep**: 5 mins
- **Cook**: 30 mins
- **Total**: 35 mins
- **Servings**: 6 servings (1 1/4 cups)
## Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, more as needed
- 1 ounce clarified butter (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ounce all-purpose flour (about 3 tablespoons)
## Instructions
1. **Heat the Stock**: Bring 2 1/2 cups chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat to keep the stock hot.
2. **Prepare the Roux**: In a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1 ounce clarified butter over medium heat until it becomes frothy. Take care not to let it turn brown, as velouté must be off-white in color.
3. **Make the Roux**: With a wooden spoon, stir 1 ounce all-purpose flour into the melted butter a little bit at a time, until it is fully incorporated. The resulting pale yellow-colored paste is called a roux.
4. **Cook the Roux**: Heat the roux for another few minutes or so, until it has turned a light blond color. This helps cook off the raw flour flavor. Don't let the mixture turn brown.
5. **Combine Stock and Roux**: Using a wire whisk, slowly add the hot chicken stock to the roux, whisking vigorously to make sure it's free of lumps. Keep whisking while adding the stock.
6. **Simmer and Reduce**: Simmer, reducing the heat as needed, for about 30 minutes or until the total volume has reduced by about one-half, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce doesn't scorch at the bottom of the pan or form lumps while cooking. Use a ladle to skim off any solids or impurities that might rise to the surface.
7. **Adjust Consistency**: The sauce should be smooth and velvety. If it's too thick, whisk in a bit more stock until it's just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. **Strain and Finish**: Once you can coat the back of a spoon, remove the sauce from the heat. For an extra smooth consistency, carefully pour the sauce through a wire mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth.
9. **Keep Warm**: Keep the velouté covered until you're ready to use it.
## Notes
- **Mother Sauce**: One of five French mother sauces, velouté serves as base for numerous derivative sauces like Allemande (with eggs and cream) and Suprême (with cream, butter, and lemon juice)
- **Color**: Keep butter and roux light blonde—browning will darken the sauce
- **Storage**: Refrigerate in closed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months
- **Variations**: Can be made with veal or fish stock instead of chicken stock