What is chicken fricassee?

Chicken fricassee is a classic French-inspired dish that combines sautéing and stewing techniques. The chicken is first browned, then gently simmered in a flavorful sauce, often made with broth, cream, milk, herbs, and vegetables.

What does 'fricassee' mean?

Fricassee is a classic French cooking technique that combines sautéing and stewing. Meat, often chicken or veal, is lightly browned in fat and then simmered in a flavorful sauce, creating a tender, rich, and comforting dish. It's typically served with rice, potatoes, or bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Can I make chicken fricassee in advance?

Yes! Chicken fricassee reheats beautifully, making it a great make-ahead dish. Store it in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop to preserve the creamy sauce's texture.

Traditional Chicken Fricassee Recipe

Name: Chicken Fricassee
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 medium or 6 small chicken thighs, bone in and skin on (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds); 4 Tablespoons of butter; 1 Medium Onion, chopped; 2 Carrot, Chopped; 2 Celery Rib, chopped; 1 8 Ounce package of mushrooms, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon (or more to taste); ¼ teaspoon pepper; ½ Cup flour; 4 Cups chicken stock; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 bay leaf; ¼ teaspoon dried thyme; 1 Cup whole milk; 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Description

A comforting classic, tradition Chicken Fricassee features tender chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, flavorful sauce with vegetables and herbs. Perfect for family dinners or special occasions, this dish is rich, hearty, and satisfying!

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 medium or 6 small chicken thighs, bone in and skin on (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Carrot, Chopped
2 Celery Rib, chopped
1 8 ounce package of mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Melt butter – In large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add Vegetables – Add Onions, carrot, celery, and mushroom to a large saucepan.
Cook Vegetables – Cook and stir until tender, but not browned.
Add Chicken – Push veggies to the side, increase heat to medium-high and add chicken skin side up to same pan that the veggies are cooking.
Brown Chicken – Flip chicken every 3 to 4 minutes until it is just a light golden brown and at the end, place skin side up.
Lightly cook chicken – Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Make flour mixture – Combine salt, pepper, and ¼ Cup of flour
Season chicken – Turn heat to medium and sprinkle mixture over chicken to completely coat, turning to complete covering the chicken and ending up with skin side up. If some gets in the veggies, that is fine.
Add liquid and seasoning – Add chicken stock, parsley, bay leaf, and thyme
Simmer – Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for 25 minutes at medium
Create slurry – In separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ Cup flour and milk
Remove chicken – Remove chicken from dish and set aside. Turn up heat to medium-high
Add slurry – Add milk slurry and cook until it starts to bubble and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should just take a few minutes.
Add lemon juice, any additional salt and pepper to your taste, and stir.
Assemble meal – Remove from heat and add chicken back in or assemble in separate casserole dish with chicken and the sauce poured over the top

Notes

Make sure you are using a saute pan that has enough room for the chicken, veggies, and a quart of chicken stock.
You can use fresh herbs, as well. Tie into cheesecloth
Substitute one cup of the chicken stock for a dry white wine for a more complex and acidic flavor.
Use any cut of chicken that you want, but try not to overcrowd the sauce pan too much!