Fricassee
Ingredients
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- 3 1/2 pounds chicken, bone-in, skin-on, cut into 8 pieces – cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 small yellow onion – finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot – sliced 0.25-inch thick
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 sprigs thyme sprigs
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 10 ounces button mushrooms – quartered
- 8 ounces pearl onions – peeled (~26 small pearl onions)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley – finely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
Instructions
1. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream, egg yolks, and lemon juice until smooth; set the liaison aside at room temperature.
2. Melt the unsalted butter with the neutral oil in a wide Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer and cook until just pale golden in spots but not deeply browned, 6–8 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the finely chopped onion and sliced carrot to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened without browning, 5–6 minutes. Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook 2 minutes to make a blond roux. Add the dry white wine and simmer 1 minute, scraping up any fond. Whisk in the chicken stock until smooth, bring to a bare simmer, then return it and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
4. Uncover, stir in the button mushrooms and pearl onions, re-cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through (juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part), 10–15 minutes.
5. Transfer it to a warm platter and keep loosely covered. Discard the herbs. If needed, simmer the sauce uncovered until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, 5–8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk a ladle of hot sauce into the liaison to temper, then stir the tempered liaison back into the pot; do not boil.
6. Return it to the sauce, add the fresh parsley, and warm gently 1–2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve hot.
Fricassee is a classic French white stew known for its tender pieces of meat simmered gently in a velvety, pale sauce. The flavors are delicate yet deeply savory, with the richness of a cream-and-egg liaison lifted by a touch of lemon. Mushrooms and small onions add sweetness and earthiness, while a handful of parsley brings fresh, herbal brightness to the finish.
Historically, fricassée dates back to early French cookery texts and became a hallmark technique of the cuisine by the 16th and 17th centuries. Unlike brown stews, the meat is cooked without deep browning to preserve the sauce’s light color. While chicken is the most widespread version today, the method has long been applied to veal, rabbit, and other delicate meats, and it remains a foundational preparation taught in classical culinary schools.