Chicken Fricassée

Overhead view of a skillet of chicken fricassée.

If you've ever craved a meal that seamlessly blends the warmth of comfort food with the sophisticated allure of French cuisine, my Chicken Fricassée recipe is for you.

Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 715kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large skillet

Ingredients

3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 chicken drumsticks
1½ teaspoons salt divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion (52g)
½ cup chopped carrot (26g)
½ cup chopped celery (26g)
8 ounces white mushrooms sliced (227g)
3 garlic cloves minced
½ cup white wine (120mL)
1½ cups chicken broth (360mL)
1 cup heavy cream (240mL)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, cooking until the skin is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let rest on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl until melted. Add the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine reduces by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the broth, cream, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Return the chicken and the resting juices to the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, registering 165F on a meat thermometer when inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken pieces, and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with parsley.

Notes

For a thicker sauce, remove the chicken after 25 minutes of cooking and continue to simmer the sauce until you reach your desired consistency. Alternatively, dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water and stir the slurry into the sauce, cooking and stirring until thickened. Then, return the chicken to the creamy sauce.
Consider air-drying your chicken. Moisture is the enemy of browning. In order to achieve the signature golden skin on traditional chicken fricassee, I find that patting the chicken pieces dry with a clean paper towel, seasoning them, and then placing them on a plate back in the fridge (uncovered) for 4-24 hours to dry is the best method. It adds a little bit of prep work, but it’s worth it in the end.
Invest in an instant-read meat thermometer. For food safety, chicken should hit an internal temperature of 165°F, but you also don’t want to overcook it or risk drying out the meat. Using a thermometer is the easiest way to get deliciously replicable results every single time without guessing about the cooking time.

Nutrition