Chicken Fricassee

★★★☆☆
Prep: 30 mins Cook: 1 hr 20 mins Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste10 ml kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil15 ml vegetable oil
  • 2 cups thickly sliced fresh mushrooms480 ml thickly sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion240 ml diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup sliced shallots (optional)120 ml sliced shallots (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 ml freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne1 pinch cayenne
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour10 ml all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups white wine360 ml white wine
  • 6 sprigs thyme6 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup chicken broth240 ml chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream120 ml heavy cream

Instructions

  1. 1. Season chicken thighs with salt on both sides.
  2. 2. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and place chicken skin-side-down into the hot oil. Cook until there is a good sear and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until seared as well, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  3. 3. Leave 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pan and add sliced mushrooms. Cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion, shallots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and cayenne and stir in flour to thicken the mixture, about 1 minute.
  4. 4. Pour in white wine and cook, stirring, until alcohol has evaporated. Raise the heat to high and keep cooking until sauce has reduced to half, 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. 5. Add chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken and any accumulated juices back into the skillet, skin side up. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, turning over thighs halfway through.
  6. 6. Remove lid and turn thighs back to skin side up. Continue to simmer uncovered, basting occasionally, until chicken is tender and sauce reduces even more. If the pan gets dry before the chicken is tender, add some more water or broth.
  7. 7. Add cream and simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. Heat can be raised to medium to reduce cream faster if chicken is already tender. Sauce can be served thin and runny, or reduced to a thick sauce. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve.
Note: The original ingredients list mentions bay leaf in step 5 but doesn't include it in the ingredients list. This classic French technique involves browning the chicken first to render fat, which is then used to build the sauce. The sauce consistency can be adjusted to preference - thin and light or reduced to a thick coating sauce.
Wine Pairing: Medium White — Chardonnay — The wine's buttery richness complements the cream sauce while its acidity cuts through the rendered chicken fat and balances the savory mushroom flavors
Source: Chef John (John Mitzewich), Allrecipes
chicken, braised, creamy, mushrooms, white wine, thyme, comfort food, one-pan