Chicken Fricassee

A stew-like rustic and comforting French chicken dinner made with bone-in chicken and veggies in a creamy, flavor-packed sauce.

Seared and browned chicken pieces lying in a delicious and creamy sauce with flavors from mushroom and stock.

The general description of chicken fricassee is browning chicken pieces in butter and then braising them in a sauce. In this case, mushroom and chicken stock enhance the sauce’s flavor. This French-origin dish sits well between a saute and a stew.

No meat lover can let the call of a fricassee go unanswered. The browned crisp crust on the chicken is appealing, and you can never have enough of this creamy, delicious sauce. The hero of the dish is the sauce. I tell you, this is one recipe where the sauce beats the browned chicken pieces hands down. That’s how good the sauce is.

Typically, that depth of flavor comes with long hours of slow cooking, whereas this recipe gives that complex flavor, aided by mushrooms, white wine, and chicken stock, in far less time. Delivers the most bang for an hour of your time.

This dish shall always be a much-applauded luxury in busy weekday dinners and an indulgence over the weekends. This is one of the stars among the array of chicken and gravy recipes I have made.

Close view of browned bone-in chicken thigh pieces with a creamy sauce packed with flavors from mushroom and stock.

Ingredients

Bone-in chicken with skin – Suggest using bone-in chicken thighs with skin for the most flavor. The skin crisps when fried in butter. Skinless would work, but you will miss the crunch. Boneless thighs or breasts risk overcooking since meat without bones cooks faster.
Unsalted butter – the source of fat used to fry the chicken pieces. Butter gives a better flavor than oil for browning the meat. Butter is also used with flour to make the roux, the thickening and binding agent for the sauce.
Diced onions & minced garlic – typical aromatics to provide a flavor base to the gravy. Use finely minced garlic.
Carrot – softens and absorbs the sauce’s extra water, thickens the gravy, and adds sweetness.

White mushrooms – boost the flavor profile of any gravy or sauce.
Bay leaf – commonly used to up the aroma of most gravies.
Plain/all-purpose flour – is used to make the roux which helps thicken the sauce.
White wine – gives a complex flavor to the sauce.
Low-sodium chicken stock – gives a body to the sauce and enhances the flavor.
Thickened/heavy cream – makes the gravy creamy and thick.
Egg yolk – acts as a binder, binds everything else in the sauce, and avoids splitting.
Salt and black pepper – add as per taste and your tolerance. Remember, the stock has salt already in it.
Herbs – like celery, fresh thyme sprigs, or chopped parsley.

Seared chicken pieces and sauce from fricassee with carrots served on a bed of mashed potato and served with sauteed green beens.

How to make chicken fricassee

Browning the chicken

First, pat the chicken thighs dry to ensure the skin is not wet, and season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

We will sear the chicken pieces in batches without overcrowding the skillet. Heat a heavy bottom skillet and then heat butter in it. First, place the sides of the chicken pieces with the skin down. Sear the pieces until the skin turns brown and appears crispy. Flip them and cook for another 3 minutes. Take chicken pieces out and keep them aside.

Make the sauce

To the same skillet, add the onion, celery, and carrots. Saute until the onion loses its rawness and appears translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and saute them for up to 3 minutes. Mushrooms will shrink as they lose water; you should see the water evaporate.

Now add the aromatics and spices – garlic, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Next, add flour to thicken the soup and give it a body. Let the mixture cook until it mixes well. Add white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to release any stuck bits of flour. Once you see bubbles, add chicken stock and give it a good stir. .gets the consistency you desire.

Cook with chicken

Add the seared chicken pieces with the skin side up and let it cook in the sauce for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces and keep them aside.

Build up the sauce

The sauce now needs heavy cream and egg yolk. Whisk them with a fork in a bowl and slowly stir them into the skillet. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Place the chicken pieces onto the skillet and spoon the sauce on the chicken pieces. Serve and enjoy!

Serve with

This creamy and saucy chicken is best served with mashed potatoes and other greens like sauteed beans, broccoli, or Oven-roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Store

Store chicken fricassee in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave.

This can be frozen for months. Ensure a double layer of foil to wrap the container tightly. Reheat it in the microwave. You may need to add a little water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.