Chicken Fricassèe | Quick French Creamy Chicken Stew | Kitchenstagram
Chicken Fricassèe is a classic French stew featuring tender chicken braised in a creamy white mushroom sauce. This rustic, family-style dish is simple enough for midweek yet elegant enough to impress. The chicken is browned to perfection, then gently simmered with hearty vegetables, mirepoix and aromatic herbs in a velvety wine-infused sauce. The result is a comforting, flavourful meal that’s both rich and refined. Whether you are hosting a dinner or treating yourself to something special, Chicken Fricassèe’s golden-brown skin and luscious sauce make it a standout entrée. Serve with crusty bread or over rice to soak up every delicious drop of this irresistible dish.
What is Chicken Fricassèe?
Chicken Fricassèe is a classic French dish that masterfully balances comfort and sophistication. This hearty stew features tender pieces of chicken simmered in a creamy white wine sauce infused with the flavours of mushrooms, fresh herbs and aromatics. The result is a rich and satisfying dish that exudes both indulgence and elegance, making it a timeless favourite for cozy dinners and special occasions alike.
Fricassèe is a stew, involves browning piece of meat- commonly chicken, veal or rabbit-in butter before simmering them in a flavourful sauce made from the cooking stock. This technique creates a dish that’s deeply flavourful yet versatile, as the choice of vegetables, herbs and additional ingredients can be adopted to what’s available.
The origin of Fricassèe date back to at least the late 15th century, with memories of the term appearing in both French and English cookbooks. Early recipes, referred to as “Fregacy” or “Friquassèe”, all adhere to the fundamental method of sautéing followed by braising. Despite its long history, there’s no definitive version of the dish, which lends itself to countless variations across cultures and kitchens.
What sets Chicken Fricassèe apart from other stews, such as coq au Vin, is its creamy white sauce. Unlike stews with dark, rich gravies, fricassèe’s light and velvety texture allows the flavours of the wine, chicken and mushrooms to shine enough. This makes it an excellent choice for those seeking a comforting yet refined meal that doesn’t require hours of slow cooking. Whether served with rice, noodles or with crusty bread, Chicken Fricassèe remains a quintessential dish in French cuisine, celebrated for its timeless appeal and adaptability.
Why you’ll love Chicken Fricassèe?
It’s a one-pot wonder.
It requires simple pantry ingredients.
It’s a French classic made easy, perfect for weeknight dinner.
Its creamy white sauce, unlike stews with dark, rich gravies, fricassèe’s light and velvety texture.
Ingredients needed for Chicken Fricassèe:
Here’s what you need to create this classic French dish:
Chicken: Bone-in chicken pieces are ideal for this recipe as they stay juicy and flavourful during the 30-minutes simmering process.
Garlic and Onion: These form the base of the dish, delivering a savory depth essential to the sauce.
Mushrooms: Traditionally, mushrooms are used in Fricassèe. I have used Button mushrooms, their earthy notes and velvety texture enhances the sauce.
Vegetables: This versatile dish can also accommodate other braising-friendly vegetables, such as carrots or leeks. Add quicker cooking vegetables like green beans or asparagus, towards the end of cooking.
Butter: Butter is a hallmark of French cuisine. Butter enhances richness of the sauce.
Flour: Flour is used to coat the chicken and thicken the sauce, ensuring a smooth and luxurious texture.
White Wine: A dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, is ideal for this dish. It provides acidity and a depth of flavour that pairs beautifully with the creamy sauce.
Chicken Stock/ Broth: High-quality store bought chicken stock or homemade chicken stock elevates the flavour. For store bought version lower-sodium options are recommended for better control over seasoning.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream contributes richness and creaminess to the sauce, giving it velvety texture.
Herbs: Fresh parsley, thyme and a dried bay leaf add a vibrant, aromatic layer to the sauce. Parsley provides a fresh, lemony note, while thyme complements the earthy flavours of the dish.
Serving suggestions:
To complement Chicken Fricassèe, serve it with buttery mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, fluffy white rice, spaghetti or noodles to soak up the creamy mushroom sauce. Add a fresh touch with a crisp green salad or lightly balanced vegetables like green beans or asparagus for contrast. Finish the meal with crusty bread or warm dinner rolls, perfect for enjoying very drop of the flavourful sauce. These sides balance the dish, creating a satisfying and well-rounded meal for any occasion.
Storage tips:
Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To serve, reheat in the microwave or skillet until warmed through.
Ingredients:
For Chicken Marination:
4 Chicken Drumsticks
6 Chicken Thighs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Freshly cracked Black pepper
1-2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
For Stew:
250 gm Button Mushrooms, cleaned
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Butter
2 nos. Bay Leaves
1 cup Onion, chopped
6-7 nos. Garlic Cloves, skin-on & whole
2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Chardonnay
3 cup Chicken Stock
2 nos. Carrot, diced
Salt to taste
1 tsp Freshly cracked Black pepper
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
Preparation:
- Step 1: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Then properly coat the chicken with flour. Set aside. Slice the mushrooms in half, rotate the mushroom 90 degree, then slice the halves into quarters.
- Step 2: In a heavy-bottom pot, heat oil and 1 tbsp butter. Add the chicken pieces and fry until golden on all sides. Reserve the chicken.
- Step 3: Add the bay leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt, sauté until golden. Then add the whole garlic cloves and sauté for few minutes.
- Step 4: Add the quartered mushrooms and sauté for few minutes until they have released their water.
- Step 5: Then push the mushrooms to one corner of the pan and add 1 tbsp butter to the empty space. Allow the butter to melt and add flour to it. Cook until the raw taste of flour is disappeared, stirring continuously.
- Step 6: Add Chardonnay, stir, scraping the base of the pot to dissolve the brown residue stuck to the pan into the sauce.
- Step 7: Then add the chicken stock, stir to combine. Add carrots, salt to taste, freshly cracked Black pepper, dried thyme and dried rosemary, stir to combine.
- Step 8: Return the fried chicken back into the sauce. Once it comes to a simmer, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Step 9: Cover and cook the chicken for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Step 10: Then add the cream, stir to combine. Cover and cook the chicken for 10 minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Step 11: Serve warm Chicken Fricassèe over mashed potatoes, noodles, pasta or rice. Enjoy!!
About Me
DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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