Chicken Fricassee With Vermouth

The chicken fricassee was absolutely delicious. Because there are only two of us, I only used two 3/4 lb skin-on bone-in chicken thighs. I also made the full amount of sauce given in the recipe and added 50% more carrots (to not cook a vegetable side dish). The sauce was fantastic. I would highly suggest making more sauce and vegetables to deliver further richness to the chicken and rice.

You will have a much more pronounced taste of raw leeks if you don't boil them first. With the carrots it may be more for texture. I'd have suggested putting in the leeks first, and then after three minutes add the carrots and then drain them all together.

No big difference. :) But it is good culinary practice to blanch the veggies to sanitize them and help them retain their color brilliance. I would just fill a metal bowl (same bowl I used to wash the veggies in) with boiling water from a kettle and blanch the veggies for the same amount of time indicated in the recipe.

I'm so amazed how many people have intolerance to so many ingredients that most of us take for granted. It's a classic recipe but if the ingredients don't work, move on to something else.

I really thought the dry vermouth made this dish rather than just a dry white wine. To me dry vermouth has a more refined taste and I use it on occasion instead of wine with classic dishes that include cream.

Would anyone please comment on how the chicken skin works out in this recipe since it is not browned?

I found that the best substitute for flour in all thickening matters is potato starch. It does not get lumpy and gluey, and even when reheating the dish later will maintain nice saucy consistency.

I nearly always use extra dry vermouth in place of white wine in recipes. I usually drink red and don't want to open a bottle of white just for cooking. Also, vermouth is cheaper and lasts for several months in the fridge (I pump the air out of the bottle--not sure if it makes a difference but makes me feel better). So I always have it on-hand. Julia Child recommended using a smaller amount if substituting vermouth for white wine, but I just go one-for-one.

Please be considerate of others' wishes to cook the classics with modifications due to intolerence, addiction, etc. There's no need to disparage the request. We are all here because we love to cook!

Does it really make a difference if the carrots and leeks are added directly to the chicken in the pot rather than dirtying up two additional pots? Claiborne and Franey obviously had people washing the dirty pots for them.

If you have a pressure cooker, or a combination sautée-pressure cooker, try lightly sautéing the chicken, then adding all the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook for 20 minutes. The whole dish is ready in a half hour. Serve over noodles. For my taste, I would reduce the amount of thyme by half.

Chicken fricassee is an old time family recipe handed down from my grandmother to mother to me. Our recipe calls for milk (cream was too expensive) added at the end. Carrots and large chunks of celery cooked with the chicken during the last 10 minutes and the final addition of dumplings cooked in with the chicken and made with Bisquick. A hearty one-dish meal for a cold and rainy evening.

Didn't have heavy cream on hand. Used 4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt, stirred in one tbsp at a time. Recipe got high praise from my family.

You can use coconut cream.

My butter turned dark brown quickly even on medium low heat. Must I clarify butter for this recipe?