Despite its fancy name and elegant flavors, chicken fricassee is a pretty simple dish. Busy moms will appreciate how quickly it comes together as well as how well-flavored the vegetables turn out. (Read: your kids will eat them without complaining.) Thanks to the chicken thighs, it’s also a budget-friendly meal. Not expensive, cooks up in a jiffy, kid-friendly; what’s not to love here, my friend? A good fricassee starts with sauteing, or some would say browning, the meat, followed by a handful of aromatics and spices. Depending on where you live, it could also include a tomato base. However, in this case, we’re using dry white wine and heavy cream to accompany the chicken stock. Then let the meat simmer to cook it through, and voila – you made chicken fricassee!
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Simple Chicken Fricassee
Wash the chicken thighs, then pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, season them with salt and rub both sides with a generous amount of Creole seasoning or your favorite spice mix. (Photo 1) Sear Chicken – Heat a Dutch oven or skillet with oil over medium-high heat (I used a 12-inch skillet for this recipe). Add the chicken thighs skin-side up to the pan, browning for 4-5 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side. Place the browned chicken on a plate, discard excess oil, and clean the skillet with a paper towel. (Photo 2) Saute – Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (more as needed). Add the onions, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mushrooms, and sauté until soft (2-3 minutes). Then, stir in the flour for about a minute. (Photo 3) Sauce – Pour in the chicken stock and wine, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly, for about 4-5 minutes. (Photo 4) Assemble – Next, add the cream, season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and return the chicken to the pan. (Photo 5) Cook – Cover the skillet with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is almost cooked through (12-15 minutes). Take the lid off, and then stir in the carrots and asparagus. Put the lid back on and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165-180℉ (75-85℃) and asparagus is tender (7-10 minutes). (Photo 6) Serve immediately with rice, potatoes, and a side salad.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make this dish a day or two ahead of time. Let the chicken cool and refrigerate it for 3-5 days in an airtight container. It also freezes well; the same goes for leftovers. Pop individual servings in the microwave or heat the whole dish on the stovetop over medium heat to reheat. Stir occasionally until the chicken heats through. But keep the heat low to keep the sauce nice and creamy as it reheats.
What Goes With Chicken Fricassee
Try chicken fricassee with rice pilaf and green beans and potatoes or mashed potatoes. For dessert, try serving a lemon tart, which will pair well with that white wine you are sipping. 🥂
More Effortless Chicken Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”b50yI0fS” upload-date=”2020-10-11T04:36:05.000Z” name=”Chicken Fricassee” description=”Chicken Fricassee – a comforting and flavorful one-pan chicken stew and vegetables in a velvety sauce that is perfect as a family weeknight meal and a casual intimate dinner for entertaining. A great dish just in time for spring season!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
