This comforting, flavorful chicken fricassee is a one-pot wonder featuring a velvety gravy. Enjoy a versatile and economical recipe that’s perfect as a weeknight family meal and an intimate date-night dinner.
Despite its fancy name and elegant flavors, this chicken stew is a 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 budget-friendly. Not expensive, cooks up in a jiffy, kid-friendly; what’s not to love?
What Is Chicken Fricassee?
Fricassee is a French word referring to a cooking method that’s a cross between a sauté and a stew. As always, there’s a heated discussion over a cook’s interpretation of this dish. But we’re not going to add any fuel to that fire.
A good fricassee starts with sautéing, 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. Let the meat simmer, add the vegetables, and voilà – you’ve made an impressively elegant dish!
How to Make Simple Chicken Fricassee
- Prep the vegetables for your mise en place, season and sear the chicken, and sauté the aromatics.
- Sauté the sliced mushrooms, add flour for the roux, then add the wine, broth, and cream.
- Return the chicken to the pan, add the carrots, and simmer until almost tender. Add the asparagus, simmer until it’s tender, and enjoy.
Recipe Variations
- For bright, citrus notes, add the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon to your sauce at the end.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a pinch of tarragon to the aromatics for more French vibes.
- More vegetables (bell peppers, green beans, summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) deliver a plant-forward one-pan meal.
- Make Cuban chicken fricassee (fricase de pollo) by adding a splash of mojo marinade, some cumin, and tomato paste. Toss in a handful of green olives close to the end.
- If you prefer using a slow cooker, sear the chicken, make the sauce, and then put it all in a Crockpot. Turn it on low, then set it and forget it for 6-8 hours.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
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 creamy as it reheats. You’ll probably want to remove the skin from the thighs because it will be soggy.
What Goes With Chicken Fricassee
Make this dish even more satisfying with rice pilaf and green beans and potatoes or mashed potatoes. For dessert, try serving a lemon tart, which will pair well with a sweet white wine.
More Effortless Chicken Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.