Does this look familiar?

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-chicken-and-mushrooms-156684

Could she have added a packet of brown gravy mix or a can of Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup or Campbell's Beef/Mushroom Soup?

I know a lot of people to whom gravy is just gravy and they buy a jar of gravy....it goes on turkey, chicken, pork chops and chicken. Could your mother have simply bought a jar of gravy?

Thanks, grainlady...that may be something like it. I'm suspecting onion soup though...

lindac, I know she didn't use a jar of gravy. It was simple, but she wasn't into that kind of prepared food.

She may have used onion soup mix and mushrooms, as you remember, but I'd bet she added some 'Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce'.

How about this one (uses whole chicken and 2 pkgs. dry onion soup mix) ;?)

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-french-onion-chicken-163695

Kitchen Bouquet and Gravy Master are the trick to getting deep color in chicken gravy.

Interestingly I just happen to have made this recipe last night.

It's a braised chicken thigh recipe -- it sounds similar, but doesn't use onion soup mix. If you let the onions really caramelize, you get a rich brown sauce. I used rainbow carrots, full gluten flour and added some garlic. Mushrooms might be nice as well. A really easy dish in a saute pan.

Grainlady, that looks like an option, though I'm sure it'd be parts, never a whole chicken in the crockpot.

Partymusic and mimipad, yes she certain was a fan of gravy master...she always added it in her stews and gravies.

Gooster, that's not it, but it does sound good...I've got co coming on Friday and am thinking that might be a perfect dish to serve...one pot, easy.

I'm beginning to think it was simply cream of mushroom soup and lipton's onion soup mix...not sure if she added water, milk or nothing. Maybe like this one. Not sure if she would've browned the chicken first or not. But I think the onion soup is what added the "beefy" flavor. I suppose I could do that and add my own mushrooms and onions...maybe a splash of wine instead...and some fresh thyme branches?

Thanks lindac...though I suppose I could do beef broth instead of chicken broth to add more beefiness. I can get the low salt beef stock for more flavor.

Oh, I really didn't think you meant truly "beefy", but french onion soup definitely qualifies! (re: the bouillion). You could do a shortcut with a canned french onion soup, I suppose, rather than just broth. Perhaps that is what she used ? With some mushrooms and maybe wine?

You know, at some point, what lindac92 described is starting to get pretty close to coq au vin (minus the bacon and cognac). Julia Child or Ina Garten's Recipe

I think if you chop up at least 8 oz of mushrooms and a medium sized onion and cook VERY slowly in 2 T butter until the onions are almost mahogany brown you will have that deep flavor and color you want without trying to make chicken taste "beefy". Do you want your beef stew to taste "chickeny"? Unless I misunderstand, you ae looking for a depth of flavor....you don't really want your gravy to taste like beef.

The coq au vin looks really delish.

I was thinking of the beef broth in the onion soup...if I was trying to get that flavor, then I'd have to add actual beef flavor to the pot...not enough to overwhelm, but enough to add a meaty body to the flavor...

If you brown your chicken pieces really well, then soften a good mirepoix, put the chicken back, add white or red wine, stock, herbs and seasoning. let cook. Apart, cook your mushrooms and bacon then add them to the pot. Let reduce. You won't need any flour or thickening and have a lovely, rich sauce.

I wanted to add that I often use veal demi glace in chicken dishes. I always have demi in my freezer and it adds great body and flavor.

Well, I made like the coq au vin tonight...a little different, but very similar....browned chicken parts in bacon and EVOO, added mushroom, tomatoes, peppers and onions and garlic. Deglazed with wine, added chick stock and seasonings and simmer. Served over rice. I had to skip the flour as it needed to be gluten free.

It was good, company liked it a lot and it was tasty, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

I think I'll try the simple one, processed food, salt and all and see if that takes me where I want to go. If it does, then I can always try a DIY version to see if I can mimic the same flavors.

I really appreciate everyone's inputs and suggestions. It's been very helpful.

Start with half a pound of chopped mushrooms and an onion sautéed very slowly in 2 T of butter until they are caramel colored, and I believe you will get what you want with out all the processed artificial salty stuff.

Yes, so you said, lindac...I'll keep that in mind.

These are the ingredients in Lipton onion soup mix....do you really want to feed this to your gluten free husband?

Ingredients:
Onions (deyhydrated), salt, cornstarch, onion powder, sugar, corn syrup, hydrolyzed soy protein, caramel color, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, monosodium glutamate, yeast extract, natural flavors, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate.

Made in a facility that processes milk, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame and sulfites.

Lindac, do you think a roux would produce the same results that you suggested upthread? My mom never used packaged stuff but somehow managed to produce a brown sauce involving flour and oil. I recall that it had a rich meaty flavor.

Yes, a roux can go from blonde to mahogany, depending on how long you cook it.

Gumbo, for instance.

A roux where flour is browned in oil would produce a rich brown sauce. But it's really a bit of a pain....
I'll just betcha that caramelized onions and a mushroom duxelles ( fine chopped mushrooms) browned in butter and a little oil would give you that rich brown mushroom gravy>

Thanks for your input. I have visions of my mom standing over the stove and stirring endlessly. And there was a small window of opportunity for the mixture to go from brown to burnt. Hope your suggestion can bring back memories without that ordeal!

Where was your mom raised? Where did she live? Because that sort of a roux is a very deep south, New Orleans sort of thing. An oil based roux is not traditional at all in the Midwest nor the north east...nor the mid atlantic states.

My parents were born and raised in Hungary and emigrated to Los Angeles after WWII. Because of kosher dietary laws, oil was used in lieu of butter.

Bingo!!......I'll bet this is what she was doing....no beef involved at all just a dark roux.
https://books.google.com/books?id=AuM9b9dCG08C&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=roux+in+hungarian+cooking&source=bl&ots=rS_Tg4RxMo&sig=56lHlNj8D5B0e0j0SiYiYgz-aoY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDMQ6AEwBGoVChMInYXEvv-fyAIVSh0-Ch16zQ4J#v=onepage&q=roux%20in%20hungarian%20cooking&f=false

EXACTLY! Thanks so much for your research. I have some cookbooks but they're written in Hungarian and I only know the curse words:)

I recall her telling me that a roux requires enormous patience and skill. Since I have neither (nor the "roux gene") I'm excited to try your suggestion.

I had a college friend with a Jewish Hungarian mother who escaped WW II....and I cherish her "recipe" for cabbage rolls....which involve no measurements!!

Only a day's work:)

Oh @lindac92's post makes me want to make goulash!

Update: I did make the chicken in the crockpot with the cream of mushroom soup and the lipton dry onion soup mix and that was it exactly. Loved it, chemicals and all...