I am an avid reader. Well, that’s saying it lightly. I have a Master’s degree in African American literature, political science, and black feminism. And now I’m writing this blog for fun! Go figure. Anywho, a number of years ago I read Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders. The second in this series, Moonlight Murders, recently released. It had been so long since I read the first installment that I decided to reread it to refresh my memory. What I loved about this book was that it was a murder mystery within a murder mystery. Very Percival Everett, if you ask me. Although, Everett doesn’t write mystery. Horowitz certainly has an air of Agatha Christie, though, with a nice new age spin.
Okay, I’m not here writing a literary review. While rereading Magpie Murders, there is a reference to Chicken Fricassee, and I’m like, whaaattt??? I’ve mentioned before how my husband LOVES chicken that is cooked in anyway in a French style, even if it isn’t a straight up French recipe. So, I went about my way to do some research on what Chicken Fricassee consists, and I thought, I can make a spin at this!
So, almost every recipe you see out there, chicken fricassee has pearl onions and mushrooms. Some recipes skip the pearl onions (they’re not always easy to find) and use a regular onion chopped up. Now, my hint is that many grocery stores sell pearl onions frozen, which is a double bonus. First, year round pearl onions! Second, they’re already peeled for you!
Now, we never say no to mushrooms. Usually we say, double the mushrooms! I also decided to add carrots, and I’m so glad I did! After I seared the chicken, there was a good amount of chicken fat left in the pan, which I cooked the carrots in. They sucked up all that delicious flavor and really made the dish pop! I actually kind of wish I had doubled those!
I find most recipes either use way too little or way too much sauce. You don’t want a soup, but you do want enough sauce to share with the table. The sauce is simple: wine, chicken broth, and cream with a squirt of lemon at the end. I also added a bit of Dijon mustard. You can taste its flavor coming through, without being overbearing, but instead really complimenting the addition of lemon.
The one trick I’ll share with you is to tie your herbs up with chicken string. That way you aren’t wasting your time removing thyme leaves, which can take forever. The flavor infuses into the sauce as it cooks, and because its tied together, it is super easy to remove before serving!
This is probably the easiest French chicken dish you can make. I opted for chicken thighs, only because the store didn’t have split chicken breast available. But, you can use any medley of chicken you want. You can cut up a whole chicken, use thighs, use legs and thighs, use split chicken breast. Whichever you’re feeling most! Just keep in mind that some cuts of chicken take longer to cook through and adjust accordingly!
I served our chicken fricassee over mashed potatoes, but I’m sure it would pair lovely with pasta or even rice, if you prefer. This is an absolutely delicious Sunday dinner, but easy enough to make any night of the week!
Enjoy!
Classic Chicken Fricassee
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: French, Sunday Dinner
- Cuisine: Dinner
- Diet: Diabetic
Ingredients
4 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs ~ about 2½ to 3 lbs total
14 oz frozen pearl onions
24 oz brown button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 large carrots, cut roughly on the bias
8 garlic cloves, minced
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
large sprig of fresh parsley
½ cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
⅔ cups heavy cream
2 TBs Dijon mustard
3 TBs butter, divided
4 TBs flour
juice ½ a lemon
salt & pepper
Instructions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Add in the chicken, skin side down, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy. Turn over and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the remaining butter and carrots. Cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms and lightly sprinkle with salt. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms have turned golden and shed some of their moisture. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant ~ about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to fully saturate it with the butter. Slowly add in the chicken stock, stirring constantly, until fully incorporated with the flour. Add in the wine, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once the sauce has thickened slightly, add in the thyme, parsley, pearl onions, and chicken (I like to tie the thyme and parsley together with kitchen twine for easier disposal). Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F ~ about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Discard the thyme and parsley. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Serve immediately! Best served over mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
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