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    December 4, 2023

    Chicken Fricassee

    Chicken fricassee features browned chicken and mushrooms nestled in a rich and creamy sauce. We like to serve it with mashed potatoes or a fluffy grain on the side.

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    chicken fricassee made with mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg and sprinkled with parsley in a skillet
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    More Skillet Chicken Recipes

    What Is Chicken Fricassee?

    In addition to being fun to say, traditional chicken fricassee is meat browned in butter and served in a creamy mushroom sauce so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. It’s a great addition to some of our other easy classic chicken recipes like Chicken Cacciatore and Creamy Tarragon Chicken. Believe us when we tell you that you’ll want to serve Classic Mashed Potatoes (or Couscous or White Rice) with this.

    skin on chicken thighs and legs, spices, mushrooms, butter, onion, flour, wine, stock, cream and parsley in prep bowls

    Ingredients For Easy Chicken Fricassee

    • Chicken–chicken drumsticks and skin-on chicken thighs

    • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

    • Dairy–Salted butter, heavy cream

    • Cremini mushrooms, yellow onion, garlic

    • Herbs–Fresh thyme leaves, bay leaves, ground nutmeg, fresh parsley

    • Dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc) or chicken stock

    • Pantry–Chicken stock, flour

    4 skin on chicken legs and 4 bone in chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper on a baking sheet
    chicken seasoned with salt and pepper cooked in melted butter in a skillet
    4 bone in chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper cooking in melted butter in a skillet
    4 chicken drum sticks seasoned with salt and pepper cooking in melted butter in a skillet

    How To Make Homemade Chicken Fricassee

    1. Heat butter in a large pot or braiser, and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes until browned. Using tongs, transfer to a plate.

    2. To the same pot, add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden and onions are softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and nutmeg and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

    3. Make a roux (butter and flour) in the same pot.

    4. Pour in the wine, stirring vigorously, until reduced by a quarter, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock.

    5. Add the chicken back to the pot, raise the temperature, and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Move the chicken to a serving plate.

    6. Make the sauce. Stir the cream into the pot and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.

    7. Return the chicken to the sauce. Top with the parsley and serve family style.

    mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and nutmeg cooking in a pot
    mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg, butter and flour cooking in a pot
    chicken cooking in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg, butter, flour cooking in a braiser
    chicken fricassee cooking in a pot

    How to Store + Tips

    • If you would like to make this recipe using boneless breast or thighs, brown them per recipe, then simmer the sauce with the lid off for 15 minutes (to reduce), then add breast or thigh, and simmer with lid on for 8 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

    • While you’re looking for easy weeknight dinner recipes, consider our Baked Chicken Thighs, Butter Lettuce Salad, Mushroom Roundup, Chicken Roundup, Chicken Thigh Roundup for inspo.

    • Leftovers are good in the fridge for 3-4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe, because the texture will change.

    chicken fricassee made with mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and nutmeg in a pot

    Our Best Winner Chicken Dinners

    homemade chicken fricassee with mushrooms and onion served on top of classic mashed potatoes

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    Chicken Fricassee

    December 4, 2023

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  10 min
    • Cook Time:  55 min
    • Calories: 431
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    Ingredients

    • 4 skin-on chicken drumsticks (about 1 pound)
    • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds)
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 4 tablespoons salted butter
    • 10 ounces small cremini mushrooms, trimmed
    • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, grated
    • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc) or chicken stock
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

    Method

    1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper.

    2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add chicken thighs, skin side down, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn and continue cooking 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Add the drumsticks to the pot, skin sides down, and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the same plate.

    3. To the same pot, add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden and onions are softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and nutmeg and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

    4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the mixture. Once the butter melts, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until completely absorbed.

    5. Pour in the wine, stirring vigorously, until reduced by a quarter, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer, then return the chicken to the pot skin sides up along with any collected juices. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter.

    6. Stir the cream into the pot and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the sauce. Top with the parsley and serve family style.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories431
    • Protein24 g
    • Carbohydrates13 g
    • Total Fat30 g
    • Dietary Fiber2 g
    • Cholesterol140 mg
    • sodium746 mg
    • Total Sugars2 g

    Chicken Fricassee

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • M

      Hubby is allergic to nutmeg. What would you suggest as a substitute?
      Thank you

      Cardamom or cloves might be ok or you can just omit it. It's a very small amount and will still be good without it.

    • Laura

      If using chicken breasts, would you recommend bone-in or boneless?

      We use bone-in, skin-on chicken in this recipe so we'd recommend bone-in. Hope you enjoy Laura.

    • Jordyn

      Turned out so delicious

      Thanks Jordyn, we are so glad you loved it!

    • Laura

      Making it now, smells so good!

      Hope you love it!

    • Kay

      This was an exceptional chicken dish and I will definitely be making it again.

      Thanks Kay, we are so happy you loved it!