Classic Chicken Fricassee
A timeless French dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms, carrots, onions, and thyme for a refined yet comforting meal.
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 ¾ lb)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt plus additional to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper plus additional to taste
- ¼ c all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 c button mushrooms quartered if large and halved if small
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 c)
- 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped (about 1 c)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ c dry white wine
- ¾ c chicken broth
- ¼ c heavy cream
- Minced fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Prepare and Sear the Chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure crisp browning. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
- Place the chicken, skin-side down, in a large, unheated skillet or Dutch oven. Set the pan over medium heat and cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until the skin becomes golden and crisp and the rendered fat covers the bottom of the pan. Turn each piece and cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, skin-side up, and set aside. The chicken will not yet be fully cooked.
Sauté the Mushrooms and Aromatics
- Add the butter and mushrooms to the same pan. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes to promote browning. Stir and continue cooking another 3 minutes until the mushrooms have reduced in size by about half.
- Incorporate the garlic, onion, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions appear translucent and fragrant.
Deglaze and Simmer
- Pour the white wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the surface. Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover loosely. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165 °F (74 °C) internally, the carrots are tender, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Finish the Sauce and Serve
- Stir the heavy cream into the center of the pan, mixing gently to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
To prepare a gluten-free version of this Classic Chicken Fricassee, replace the all-purpose flour with a certified gluten-free flour blend or fine rice flour. Ensure that the chicken broth and heavy cream are labeled gluten-free, as certain brands may contain additives derived from wheat. The remainder of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free, making this modification simple without compromising texture or flavor.