Chicken Fricassee Recipe with Tarragon

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This post was originally published on January 26, 2018.

Are you craving chicken tonight?  Why not try our chicken fricassee with tarragon.  It is French comfort food that is welcome any time of the year. 

Our version creates a velvety white sauce that is seasoned with lemon juice and fresh tarragon.  There are many variations to this dish, so feel free to add your own twist.

Jump to:

• About
• Questions
• How to Make
• Variations
• Pro Tips
• Recipe

About

It is a French stew with a white sauce.  In the modern version, the meat is browned first before braising in a liquid. 

There are many variations of fricassee using different kinds of meat.  Chicken and veal are the most common, but lamb, rabbit, and shellfish are also used. 

A vegetarian fricassee uses mushrooms in place of the meat along with other vegetables.  Abraham Lincoln considered chicken fricassee as one of his favorite dishes.

Questions

What does fricassee mean in cooking?

Fricassee is a method of cooking that uses both dry and wet heat.  The dry heat happens when the vegetables are sauteed.  The wet heat happens when the meat and vegetables are braised in a liquid, usually a stock.  To paraphrase Julia Child, a fricassee is half way between a saute and a stew.

How do you pronounce fricassee?

Fricassee is a french word that is pronounced fri-kuh-SEE, with the accent on the last syllable.

What do you serve with this recipe?

It is most commonly served over rice, mashed potatoes, polenta, or buttered noddles.

What sides go well with this main course dish?

• Salad: green, leafy, and fresh
• Bread: crusty rustic bread with a soft center, like our cob loaf
• Vegetables: peas, asparagus, and pearl onions
• Fruit: figs, apples

How many calories are in one serving?

One serving size of one piece of chicken and 1/3 cup of sauce will have 10.1g carbs, and 11% DV vitamin A, C, and iron.  It will also have 485 calories.  For more nutritional information, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card.

Can you make this recipe with leftover meat?

Yes, you most certainly can.  Of course, it would be a modern twist, but it would still taste wonderful.  Instead of browning chicken pieces, use leftover meat that was roasted or poached.  Shred or cut up the cooked meat and add it in near the end of the recipe.

Can you freeze this dish?

Yes and no; it depends on if you put cream in your sauce.  If you know you want to freeze half of the recipe, remove half of the sauce before adding the cream or the liaison.  You can freeze the meat and the sauce, without cream, separately in airtight containers for up to one month.  Thaw overnight in the fridge.

When ready to serve, reheat the sauce in a skillet over medium low heat.  Add a thickening agent (a liaison of tempered egg yolks and cream), fresh lemon juice, and fresh tarragon.  To finish, add the thawed meat and heat through until warm over medium low heat.

How to Make

Gather all the ingredients.  Chop the onion, then dice the celery and carrots.  Squeeze the lemon juice, and separate the eggs.  Set aside the whites for another use.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken.

Sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper.

Heat the butter and oil in two large skillets, then place the chicken pieces skin side down.

Sear for 5 minutes each side turning once.

When the meat is done place it on a clean plate, and drain the fat from both skillets.

Place one tablespoon of reserved fat in each skillet and turn the heat to medium.  Sauté half of the onion, carrot, and celery in each skillet until softened.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and cook the flour until it smells nutty, roughly 2 minutes.

Deglaze the two skillets by pouring white wine over the vegetables and scraping the bits off the bottom with a wooden turner.  Let the wine boil and thicken.

Slowly pour in the stock.

Make two bouquet garnis by gathering up fresh thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf and tying the bundle with some kitchen twine.  Return the browned meat to the skillets, then add a bouquet garni to each pan.

Partially cover the skillet with a lid or some foil.  Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes. 

Check the temperature of the meat; it should be 165 F in the thickest part.  Once it is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a clean plate.

To let the sauce thicken, let it simmer for 5 minutes uncovered over medium low heat.

Meanwhile, make the liaison by constantly whisking the cream into the room temperature egg yolks.  Temper the liaison by adding 1/2 cup of the simmering sauce, one tablespoon at a time, to the egg cream mixture.  Make sure to whisk constantly.

Slowly add the tempered liaison to the simmering sauce, whisking constantly.

Whisk in two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice into each skillet, and then a generous sprinkle of fresh tarragon.

Add the chicken pieces back to the two skillets and heat through over medium low heat.

Serve the warm chicken on a platter and pour the gravy in a gravy boat.

Once you get started in the kitchen, the time will fly by, and before you know it, you’ll be cheerfully saying to your family, “Bon Appétit!”

Variations

• Need a vegetarian version?  Use morel or button mushrooms instead of the meat.
• Need a gluten free sauce?  Use rice flour, potato starch, or tapioca.
• Don’t want to use dairy cream?  Use coconut cream.
• Don’t want to use white wine?  Use vermouth.
• Want more ways to finish the sauce?  Use lemon zest, freshly chopped herbs, a splash of vinegar, or a dollop of crème fraîche.
• Want brightly colored vegetables?  Blanch them.  Do leeks for 3 minutes, carrots for 1 minute, and peas for 1 min.

Pro Tips

• Want to use a whole chicken?  Go for it!  Just put aside the wing tips for another dish.
• Want crispy chicken skin?  Pat the chicken dry, then only flip it once while searing.
• Leftover gravy?  Store covered in the fridge and use on mashed potatoes, rice, or toast.
• Want a thicker sauce?  Add an additional tablespoon of flour when making the roux and simmer the sauce longer uncovered.
• Serving this to children?  Cut the meat off the bone and pour the sauce on top before serving.

Recommended Tools

• 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet: this pre-seasoned skillet is a secret weapon for making this fricassee.
• Set of 3 Stainless Whisks: these sturdy whisks are perfect for making smooth sauces and gravies.
• OXO Wooden Turner: we love this wooden turner for stirring vegetables as they cook.
• 4-Cup Measuring Cup: measuring and pouring liquids is easy with this durable jug.
• Aluminum Foil: good ol’ Reynolds wrap is a great choice for cooking and storing food.

Love chicken?  Check out our other delicious skillet recipes.

• Southern Smothered Chicken
• Creamy Lemon Chicken
• Sticky Asian Chicken Thighs

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