Chicken fricassee could easily be considered a sibling to coq au vin, the classic French dish we all know and love. It is made using the same techniques as coq au vin (click for recipe), but with slightly different ingredients.
As always, this recipe follows traditional French methods. My only modern twist on the recipe is browning the chicken. Traditionally, the chicken used in chicken fricassee is not browned, but I much prefer the texture, flavor, and appearance of the browned chicken.
One of the best things about chicken fricassee is that it’s actually fairly simple to make… but don’t tell anyone — it is sure to impress! I like to serve mine with rice and a chilled glass of white wine.
BEST WINE TO USE FOR CHICKEN FRICASSEE
I like to use either a dry white wine (such as a white burgundy or chardonnay) or dry white vermouth.
MAKE IT AHEAD
Like most stews, chicken fricassee can easily be made ahead. I actually think it tastes even better the next day! Just allow the stew to cool completely before placing it, covered, in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to serve, just reheat it slowly at a low heat.
In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat 1 Tablespoons of olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. You may need to brown the chicken in two batches, depending on the size of your pan or Dutch oven: crowding the pan will prevent proper browning. Note that the chicken will not be fully cooked, just browned.
Once all of the chicken is browned, place it all back into the pan and reduce the heat down to low. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cover and cook for five minutes.
Flip the chicken over and season the other side with an additional ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove all of the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Increase the heat to medium high and add in the sliced onions. Cook them for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened.
Add in the mushrooms and season with another ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned slightly.
Stir in 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour, until the vegetables are evenly coated. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Next, add in the white wine or vermouth and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Then, add in the chicken stock, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaf.
Add in the browned chicken and any additional chicken stock, as necessary, so that the cooking liquid covers at least ⅔ of the way up the chicken.
Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a simmer.
Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes at a very low simmer, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
Turn the heat back up to medium-high and continue to simmer the cooking liquid for about 10 minutes, until it has thickened and reduced to about 2 to 3 cups.
Remove the thyme and bay leaf and discard.
Note that if you want your sauce thicker without reducing it any further, you can add in a slurry of 2 teaspoons of arrowroot or cornstarch and 1 teasooon of chicken stock or water.
Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Taste the sauce for seasonings and add any additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, as desired.
Set the chicken back into the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Chicken Fricassee (Fricassée de Poulet à l’Ancienne)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken (I recommend using thighs and legs)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided (I use Diamond Crystal)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 medium onions, peeled and ¼" sliced
- ½ lb cremini mushrooms, gently scrubbed and ¼" sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (possibly more)
- ½ cup dry white wine (or dry white vermouth)
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, whole
- 1 bay leaf, whole
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (for topping)
Instructions
- In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over moderate heat.1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- In batches, brown chicken for 3 minutes on each side.3 lbs chicken
- Reduce heat to low and set all chicken back in pan, skin side up. Season chicken with ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of black pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip chicken over to other side and season with another ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper. Cover once more and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove browned chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add in sliced onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.2 medium onions, peeled and ¼" sliced
- Add in sliced mushrooms. Season with another ½ tsp of salt and cook until the mushrooms have browned (about 10 minutes more).½ lb cremini mushrooms, gently scrubbed and ¼" sliced
- Add in flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- Add in white wine (or vermouth), scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in chicken stock, followed by the minced garlic, fresh thyme, and the bay leaf.2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced2 cups low-sodium chicken stock½ cup dry white wine (or dry white vermouth)4 sprigs of fresh thyme, whole1 bay leaf, whole
- Add in browned chicken. Add in additional chicken stock, as needed, to cover ⅔ of the chicken. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a low simmer until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165℉ (about 25 to 30 minutes).
- Remove chicken and, once again, set aside on a plate. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until it has thickened and reduced to about 2 to 3 cups (about 10 minutes). Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf.Note: To thicken sauce even more (without reducing it), combine 2 tsp of cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) with 1 tsp of chicken stock (or water) into a slurry and add into sauce.
- Add in cream and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.½ cup heavy cream1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Place cooked chicken back into pan with sauce mixture. Cook on low for 5 minutes.
- Top with freshly topped parsley, as desired. Serve immediately.¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Notes
- Make it ahead: Chicken fricassee can very easily be made the day before. Just allow the stew to cool completely before chilling it, covered, in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply set over low heat until warmed through.
