Easy Chicken Fricassee Recipe

Many meals I ate as a kid in the Midwest had three main components: meat, starch or carb, and a vegetable. While this might seem a bit limited, when you account for the variety within each as well as the techniques you could use to cook them, you’ll find that it’s quite the opposite. It’s a well-rounded way to look at your plate. 

Chicken fricassee is a great example of a relatively simple and straightforward meal that ticks all of the boxes. The French recipe brings chicken and savory vegetables with a thick, creamy gravy. It’s a classic, retro recipe worthy of making a weeknight reappearance on any modern dinner table.

What Is Chicken Fricassee?

In “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” first published in 1961, fricassee is described as “halfway between a sauté and a stew.” The basic technique for any fricassee is to sauté some protein and vegetables in a pan, add liquid, bring to a simmer, and finish the cooking process as a braise. Starting from about 1490, there are references to “fregacy” and “friquassée” in both French and English cookbooks, all generally used about the same “sauté then braise” definition.

That being said, it’s difficult to pin down exactly where and when the fricasse as we know today was invented. It’s one of those dishes with no single tried and true version, as it can be made with a variety of proteins, aromatics, and vegetables. 

Some Modern Updates

While many traditional fricassee recipes call for sautéing the chicken and vegetables in butter, the aim is not to brown the ingredients, but simply to cook them. For a better visual appeal, more flavor, and nice texture, my recipe starts the chicken thighs skin side down in a cold pan, allowing the fat to render out as the skin crisps up. I then add butter to the chicken fat and use it to sauté the vegetables.

This recipe also adds a luxurious finish to help thicken and enrich the gravy even further: a little heavy cream. Many traditional recipes of days past would thicken the gravy with egg yolks, but here we use a mixture of flour and cream to achieve a similar texture with less effort. 

Substitutions and Variations

• I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you could use boneless thighs, whole chicken legs, or separated thighs and drumsticks; just note that cooking time may differ.
• Instead of fresh thyme, use fresh marjoram, rosemary, or even tarragon.
• For more veggie action, fry leeks with the vegetables and add frozen peas when you add the chicken back to the sauce to braise.
• For a lighter take, leave out the heavy cream and finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or a light drizzle of white or red wine vinegar.
• Instead of or in addition to the heavy cream, add one or two rounded tablespoons of sour cream to add more body, creaminess, and a bit of tang to the gravy.

How To Serve Chicken Fricassee

Chicken fricassee has plenty of rich, creamy gravy, so I like to serve it simply with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or boiled egg noodles. You could also serve it atop a bed of creamy polenta, with dumplings, or alongside a fresh green salad with sliced baguette for sopping up the extra gravy.

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