Chicken Fricassee, a classic French dish, is a versatile addition to your culinary repertoire. Whether you’re having a cozy family dinner or a romantic date, it will impress you.
I love this French recipe because it uses products that are often available in your local store or that you will have at home.
How to choose the best ingredients for Chicken Fricassee
French cuisine always guarantees an excellent taste and aroma of butter. Butter is also the case with this Chicken Fricassee, and it can be successfully called the art of French cooking. The famous Julia Child also had her version of this delicious dish with chicken in the main role.
Good quality ingredients are essential in this recipe.
So, to get the best effect, choose the best you can. For Chicken Fricassee, you will need:
Chicken Thighs (with skin and bones are the best). Choose the chicken parts you like; I suggest chicken drumstick, chicken thighs or chicken legs because they have skin and bones, and this gives the dish an additional aroma during stewing. You can also choose boneless chicken breasts to reduce the preparation time by about 20 minutes. If you do not accept fat for various reasons, then you can also peel everything off the skin; chicken fricassee you can also be made from baked leftover chicken. Then, you make the sauce yourself and skip stewing the chicken until soft.
Butter is an irreplaceable base in French cuisine. Everything is based on the aroma of butter, and I love it. Choose unsalted butter to maintain the flavor and balance of salt.
Chicken Stock: You can buy this from your local store or make your own. For greater aroma and taste, I recommend making your own. It will be the best way to get the full aroma of this wholesome French dish. You can make it from my recipe, which includes a few of my grandmother’s tricks.
Dry White Wine There are versions of this recipe without wine, but in my opinion, it is a must-have! You can use a classic French wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Wine gives the dish a light acidity, and you will not replace this specific taste with any amount of lemon. In French cuisine, wine and butter reign in dishes; there is no way around it.
Chesnut mushrooms, also called cremini mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, give the dish a characteristic mushroom aroma and taste. This ingredient goes perfectly with creamy sauce and chicken. I know that there are versions without mushrooms, but if you don’t have an aversion to this ingredient, I definitely wouldn’t give it up. If you don’t have this version of mushrooms, you can replace them with white button mushrooms.
Frozen Pea: If you have fresh peas, you can add them. I always have frozen baby peas in the freezer because they are sweeter and more delicate than the whole dish. For me, the best choice will be the baby pea version.
Onion one medium brown or white onion gives the dish a delicate sharpness.
Garlic: Don’t be scared by the amount of garlic in this dish. Garlic is not traditionally seasoned but caramelized. I love this garlic version because its pieces go perfectly with creamy sauces.
Dijon Mustard is the basis for creamy sauces. A small amount does not make it too spicy but gives it a slight spiciness, and the meat takes on a distinct flavor to pamper our taste buds.
Nutmeg is a basis in French cuisine, and it is an indispensable ingredient in béchamel sauce. This ingredient can’t be missing in Chicken Fricassee to complement the taste of this French dish.
Lemon Juice: is not an essential ingredient for me because white wine and sour Cream give the dish acidity. But a little juice doesn’t hurt because each ingredient has its purpose and flavor.
Fresh Tarragon goes perfectly with chicken and also gives a light aroma. I love using it in dishes with the addition of lemon, not only with chicken.
Fresh Parsley’s aroma and taste add a finishing touch to the dish. It is irreplaceable, and you will get the best value if you add it at the end so that it does not lose its color.
For the cream sauce, you will need:
Sour Cream: To emphasize the dish’s acidity and creaminess, I combined sour Cream with heavy Cream. This way, the dish is too fatty but has the perfect sour aftertaste.
Heavy Cream I love heavy cream sauces. As the name suggests, they are creamy and thick. They stick to the main course, i.e., chicken. Also, additions such as groats, rice, or pasta taste better when poured with such a sauce with the addition of heavy Cream. I will add it to Chicken Fricassee to obtain this flavor effect.
Flour is an option to thicken the sauce. You don’t have to add it; you can use all-purpose flour.
Egg Yolks is a sauce base that serves as a flavor and makes the sauce slightly thicker.
Tips and Tricks
- You can prepare the meat a few hours before and marinate it in salt and pepper to enhance its aroma.
- Simmer the dish on low heat to extract all the aroma from it.
- You can add spices such as thyme, bay leaves, and allspice. I use the aromatic Homemade Chicken Stock, so I skip these spices in Chicken Ficassee.
Sides To Serve Chicken Fricassee
The best side dishes for this classic French dish would be Mashed Potatoes, Orzo Rice, or Bulgur Pilaf. However, nothing will happen if you serve it with your favorite pasta, artisan Bread, similar bread, classic French bread, or Italian ciabatta.
How to store Chicken Fricassee
Chicken Fricassee can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If you reheat it the next day in a deep pot, adding a little cold water to the bottom of the pan is best. This procedure guarantees that the dish will not burn during reheating.
French Chicken Fricassee recipe Step-by-Step instructions
Chicken Fricassee is a fantastic French chic dish. To prepare it, you will need a large pan. A cast iron pan is ideal, but a non-stick pan with a lid will do.
Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly with the paper towels. You can also cut off some of the skin so that the dish is not too fatty. I usually cut off the inside as is, leaving the outside so that a super crispy skin appears when frying. The fried chicken skin additionally gives the dish a flavor when fried in butter.
Although the sheer number of ingredients may seem overwhelming for beginners in the kitchen. I assure you this is an easy recipe. With my detailed step-by-step instructions, you are guaranteed to succeed in making this dish!
Step 1: Before you start this fantastic French dish, prepare the ingredients that you have to chop, i.e., onion into cubes, garlic and sliced mushrooms, tarragon, and parsley. It is also good to salt and pepper chicken thighs.
Step 2: Heat the pan well and melt one tablespoon of butter (set the burner to medium-high heat). When the butter melts, fry the meat, starting from the skin side. This procedure will seal the meat, and most of the juice does not escape, making it juicy. Fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is golden brown. It takes me about 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t worry if the pan burns a little; that will also flavor the meat and sauce.
Step 3: Remove it from the pan once the meat is well-fried. Reduce the heat to low and add another tablespoon of butter. There should be quite a lot of fat from the chicken, but butter is still essential in French cuisine to give it the right flavor. Caramelize the onion and garlic in the fat. First, add the onion, and after 2-3 minutes, add the garlic. The garlic can burn very quickly; we don’t want that because it would still give the dish slightly bitter taste.
Step 4: Once the garlic and onion are ready, add the chopped mushrooms and simmer all the time on low heat. There will be a lot of mushrooms but they will reduce their volume by half during stewing. When the mushrooms are soft, make a creamy mushroom sauce, add the chicken pieces, pour in the broth, and add the Dijon mustard. Stew for about 20 minutes under cover. After this time, add the wine, chopped tarragon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then stew for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the chicken over.
Step 5: Meanwhile, while the meat is stewing, prepare the cream mixture. Pour the sour cream, heavy cream, egg yolk, and flour into a larger bowl. Mix well with a whisk to combine the ingredients.
Step 6: Add the lemon juice when the chicken is soft, i.e., it will fall off the bone without a problem.
Step 7: Since the sauce contains sour cream, you will need to temper it before adding it to the meat. For example, add a little chicken sauce to the cream sauce to even out the room temperature and mix well.
Step 8: Add the previously prepared and tempered sauce and mix well, the sauce should thicken thanks to the egg yolk and flour.
Step 9: Now you can add the peas (I add the peas at the end because they cook very quickly, and if they are in the hot water for too long, they burst and look ugly)
Step 10: You can serve the parsley with your favorite additions. I love it with bulgur pilav, orzo rice, or pasta. It will also be perfect if you serve it with crusty bread. Bread dipped in the sauce with chicken fricase is pure poetry. An essential addition to these versions is a crisp green salad, such as my Salad with Roasted Seeds.
Bon Appetit!
Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, you will definitely be interested in my other chicken recipes.
Chicken Alfredo Linguine This Italian dish is just as aromatic and tasty as this French dish. It can be prepared in just 15 minutes!
Old Delhi–Style Curry Chicken This is a recipe I discovered in a book of Indian recipes called Curry. I love being inspired by it all the time!
Spinach Chicken Mascarpone Pasta Sauce another simple and quick dish for the whole family that you can prepare in just 15 minutes!
The Best Spicy Creamy Chicken Curry My whole family loves this recipe. I always serve it with a fruit salad to enhance the flavor. You absolutely have to try this!
Chicken Fricassee
Ingredients
Chicken Fricassee
- 35 oz chicken thighs
- 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 9 oz mushrooms
- 1/2 cup frozen pea
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Lemon Juice
Chicken fricassee sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon
- 2 tbsp parsley leaves
- 1 tsp flour
- 1-2 egg yolk
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly with the paper towels. You can also cut off some of the skin so that the dish is not too fatty. I usually cut off the inside as is, leaving the outside so that a super crispy skin appears when frying.
- Although the sheer number of ingredients may seem overwhelming for beginners in the kitchen. I assure you this is an easy recipe. With my detailed step-by-step instructions, you are guaranteed to succeed in making this dish!
- The fried chicken skin additionally gives the dish a flavor when fried in butter.
- Before you start this fantastic French dish, prepare the ingredients that you have to chop, i.e., onion into cubes, garlic and sliced mushrooms, tarragon, and parsley. Also good for salt and pepper chicken thighs.
- Heat the pan well and melt one tablespoon of butter (set the burner to medium-high heat). When the butter melts, fry the meat, starting from the skin side. This procedure will seal the meat, and most of the juice does not escape, making it juicy. Fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is golden brown. It takes me about 2-3 minutes per side. Don't worry if the pan burns a little; that will also flavor the meat and sauce.
- Remove it from the pan once the meat is well-fried. Reduce the heat to low and add another tablespoon of butter. There should be quite a lot of fat from the chicken, but butter is still essential in French cuisine to give it the right flavor. Caramelize the onion and garlic in the fat. First, add the onion, and after 2-3 minutes, add the garlic. The garlic can burn very quickly, and we don't want that because it would still give the dish a slightly bitter taste.
- Once the garlic and onion are ready, add the chopped mushrooms and simmer all the time on low heat. There will be a lot of mushrooms but they will reduce their volume by half during stewing. When the mushrooms are soft, make a creamy mushroom sauce, add the chicken pieces, pour in the broth, and add the Dijon mustard. Stew for about 20 minutes under cover. After this time, add the wine, chopped tarragon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then stew for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the chicken over.
- While the meat is stewing, prepare the cream mixture. Pour the sour cream, heavy cream, egg yolk, and flour into a larger bowl. Mix well with a whisk to combine the ingredients.
- Add the lemon juice when the chicken is soft, i.e., it will fall off the bone without a problem.
- Since the sauce contains sour cream, you will need to temper it before adding it to the meat. For example, add a little chicken sauce to the cream sauce to even out the room temperature, mixing well.
- Add the previously prepared and tempered sauce and mix well, the sauce should thicken thanks to the egg yolk and flour.
- Now you can add the peas (I add the peas at the end because they cook very quickly, and if they are in the hot water for too long, they burst and look ugly)
- You can serve the parsley with your favorite additions. I love it with bulgur pilav, orzo rice, or pasta. It will also be perfect if you serve it with crusty bread. Bread dipped in the sauce with chicken fricase is pure poetry. An essential addition to these versions should also be a crisp green salad, such as my Salad with Roasted Seeds.Bon Appetit!Enjoy!
Nutrition
FAQ
Can you make dairy-free Chicken Fricassee?
If you use vegetarian cream, you will have a dairy-free version. I recommend that the cream is not based on coconut because, in my opinion, it is more suitable for dessert. The rest gives the same possibilities. If you make it, share the results. I am waiting for news!
Is Chicken Fricassee gluten-free?
Chicken Fircassee is not gluten-free by default because it contains flour, which contains gluten. The flour makes the thicker sauce, but you can also achieve this effect by slightly reducing the sauce or adding two egg yolks instead of one. However, you can leave it out, as cream should not contain gluten, but always check the information on the packaging.
Can you make a vegan version of the dish?
Of course, you can make a vegan version of chicken fricassee. Currently, many substitutes for both cream and meat taste very similar to chicken. You can also swap the chicken for chickpeas. I think this combination will also work.
Can I use chicken broth instead of chicken stock?
You can also use chicken stock, but I would then add more spices, such as bay leaf, thyme, or allspice, to enhance the flavors.
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