Serve this amazing chicken fricassee recipe with our creamy mashed potatoes and a crusty bread to experience the fullness of French cuisine. Your friends and family will be so impressed!
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Chicken Fricassee Recipe
Hi, it’s Julia from Vikalinka once again and today we are exploring some of Europe’s best. French cuisine has always had a shroud of mystery surrounding it and rightfully so. Many countries’ cuisines have been influenced by it! However, it doesn’t mean that attempting French dishes like this Chicken Fricassee Recipe at home should be complicated.
What is the Origin of Chicken Fricassee?
This chicken fricassee recipe is not the one that comes from Michelin star restaurants. This recipe is the heritage of country cooks aka home cooks like you and I. It is rustic and simple. This recipe doesn’t require precise measurements but instead relies on quality ingredients and a slow braising technique for its savory and rich taste.
What is Chicken Fricassee?
It is more of a method of cooking than an actual recipe. Chicken Fricassee literally means cut up and fried chicken, so what you add to the chicken is up to the cook entirely. However, what is nowadays accepted as a chicken fricassee is chicken braised in white wine cream sauce.
What Vegetables can I put in Chicken Fricassee?
Good news is you can add any vegetables that can sustain a slow braising process without falling apart. So carrots, mushrooms, green beans or even broccoli will all work well here.
How to Make Chicken Fricassee:
Brown chicken pieces until golden and removing them to a separate plate. In the same pan, sautee onions, carrots, garlic and your choice of herbs. Next we need to thicken the sauce by adding flour and quickly cooking it until it’s mixed with the butter and smells slightly nutty. Add white wine and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a thick sauce. Return the browned chicken with the juices back to the pan and cook in the oven uncovered for 45 minutes.
The final touch is the addition of cream. It’s important to add it last, so it doesn’t separate under the intense heat of the oven. After your chicken has finished its time in the oven, stir in a splash of heavy cream. We used heavy cream for thicker sauce, however you can add light cream, which will result in a slightly thinner sauce with less calories. The choice is yours. We love to enjoy this with Rustic Farmhouse Bread.
More Chicken Recipes
Spatchcock Chicken – best way to roast a whole chicken Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo – in a lighter cream sauce Korean Chicken – sticky glazed chicken thighs and legs Chicken Madeira – famous Cheesecake Factory copycat French Chicken Casserole – creamy and excellent Chicken Marsala in a mushroom wine sauce
I hope this Chicken Fricassee Recipe becomes a new favorite for you. It is an excellent staple for any kitchen and you can change the vegetables and herbs based on what you have on hand.
Love French Cooking? Our Top French Recipes:
Beef Stew – with tender morsels of beef Eclairs – there’s nothing like a homemade eclair Easy Almond Croissants – baker secrets revealed! Almond Nutella Cake – show stopping and gluten free
title: “Chicken Fricassee” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-06” author: “Amber Nickerson”
Chicken Fricassee Recipe
This Chicken Fricassee is one of those recipes that just hits the spot every single time. The tender chicken thighs soak up all the rich flavors from the broth, white wine, and a hint of lemon juice, creating a symphony of tastes that will dance on your palate. The pearl onions and mushrooms add a delightful texture, making each bite a perfect balance of savory goodness. I love making this dish because it’s both elegant and comforting, a rare combination that works wonders on a busy weeknight or a special occasion. As the chicken simmers, the house fills with an inviting aroma that draws everyone to the kitchen, eagerly awaiting dinner. Trust me, once you try this Chicken Fricassee, it will quickly become a favorite in your home too. Start by patting the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper. This step ensures the chicken gets a nice sear and locks in the flavors.
Chicken thighs – I like to buy bone-in chicken thighs with skin because this is a slow simmered stew. You’ll get tons of awesome flavor from that chicken. You can use boneless & skinless thighs or breasts if you prefer. Butter – Always use unsalted butter so that you have full control over the sodium level in your stew. Salt & pepper – Season both the chicken and stew to your own preference. Pearl onions – These soften and get a beautiful mild flavor with a hint of sweetness. You can use chopped regular onion instead. Button mushrooms –I used these because they’re perfectly bite-sized. Cremini mushrooms would also work and if they’re big, just chop them up. Flour – This is used to thicken the stew. You can use a cornstarch slurry instead. White wine – I used a Chardonnay for this recipe. Other dry varieties that you can use are Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc. Chicken broth – this is what will make up the majority of your liquid for stewing. Use a low-sodium broth. Lemon juice – With the richness from butter and cream, a bright pop of lemon helps bring out the flavors in the stew beautifully. Sugar – As everything stews, the sugar will caramelize. Egg yolks – These will thicken your stew at the very end. Heavy cream – I used 35% MF cream for this recipe. You can use heavier or lighter cream depending on what you like best. Fresh parsley – We eat with our eyes first, right? I love to add a super easy pop of color as garnish.
Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Place the chicken, skin side down, and let it sear until it releases from the pan, then flip and sear the other side. Don’t worry about cooking it all the way through; it will finish cooking later. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and repeat with the remaining pieces if needed. Reduce the heat and add the mushrooms and pearl onions to the skillet. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for another minute, stirring well to combine. This will help thicken the sauce. Pour in the white wine and let it cook down for a few minutes to reduce slightly. Then, add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and sugar, stirring to combine. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet in a single layer, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Cover the skillet and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. To make the sauce thicker, whisk the egg yolks with the heavy cream. Slowly add about ½ cup of the hot sauce from the skillet to the egg mixture, whisking continuously to temper it. Then, stir this mixture back into the skillet along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. This will make the sauce creamy and rich. Finally, garnish the Chicken Fricassee with fresh parsley and serve hot.
How to Store Chicken Fricassee
This recipe will keep fresh for 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat it either in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium heat. I wouldn’t recommend keeping this in the freezer. Because of the fat content in the cream, yolks, and butter, your sauce will likely break and separate once it’s thawed.
Did you love this classic French recipe? Try these!
French Onion Soup Classic French Cassoulet Beef Bourguignon Homemade Croissants French Baguette
Recipe inspired from this French book!
