Name: Chicken Fricassée With Lemon Mustard Sauce
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1/2 hours
Yield: 4–6 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) free-range chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 carrots, chopped; 2 onions, chopped; 5 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 1/4 cups dry white wine; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/4 cup Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf; 1/2 cup water; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Chicken fricase with lemon mustard sauce on a blue plate.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson

Active Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1/2 hours

There may be more sauce than you need to serve with the chicken. Use the leftovers on mashed potatoes or simply freeze for another time.

Ingredients

4–6 servings

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) free-range chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/4 cups dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
Step 2
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then dredge, 1 piece at a time, in 3/4 cup flour (total), knocking off excess. Brown in 4 batches, turning over occasionally, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter as browned.
Step 3
Stir together carrots, onions, garlic, cream, wine, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, then bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Add chicken (chicken will not be completely submerged) and partially cover pot, then braise in oven 25 minutes.
Step 4
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and braise 20 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a clean platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
Step 5
Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, then stir in water. Melt butter in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Add cooking liquid in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, then cook at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, 5 minutes.
Step 6
Serve chicken with sauce.

Leave a Review

Reviews (22)

Excellent dish, rave reviews from the family, perfect for entertaining as well. As did others, I used boneless breasts and thighs and left the carrots and onions in, but otherwise followed the recipe. A little extra time on the treadmill will take care of the cream; it’s worth the calories!
- Anonymous
- Lititz PA
- 11/25/2021
This was actually a really flavorful tasty dish! I did not do step three, as I was not wasting the carrots and other goodies. I kept it all together, baked it and when I tell you it was finger licking good, it was worth the 5,000hrs and 30min it took to cook it! 👍🏽
- William_Love
- Gary, IN
- 5/3/2020
Active time: 45 minutes Total time: 1/2 hours Time machine setting: Backward 15 minutes
- hotfive
- Chicago, IL
- 2/11/2020
Fricassée: small bits of meat, no bones, no skin, served in a creamy sauce. Crispy-skinned large sections of chicken: fried chicken - if served in a creamy sauce: weird.
- ottoturk
- Cognac, France
- 2/10/2020
I think this sounds very interesting but 970 calories per serving? I would try a lighter version.
- smithteamracing
- Redding, California
- 10/16/2019
My sauce curdled like I knew it would when you pour cream directly on white wine and lemon juice. Sauce was too thin. I made much better than this, should have gone with my know-how and experience.
- Anonymous
- Honolulu
- 4/20/2011
Terrific. Used thighs and breasts then deboned and tossed in sauce to create a kind of fricassee stew. Also blitzed a cup of the vegetables to add to the dish. Served over egg noodles which was good and plan to try it over mash next time... Definitely will repeat!
- cflynncook
- San Fran
- 1/14/2011
Easy and wonderful recipe, although a bit time consuming. I did make a few changes, however. I added crushed red pepper to the sauce during the boil as well as cayenne pepper when I dusted the chicken. I also used 4 pounds of chicken thighs with the bone in. Everything came out wonderfully. The taste was to die for. I served it with blue cheese au gratin potatoes and a nice salad.
- Anonymous
- Charlotte, NC
- 9/11/2008
You can use this sauce with debonded chicken pieces that are cut very thin. Just dust them with flour before cooking them. Also take the chicken out after it's cooked and keep it warm. Then make the sauce. Put the chicken on top of egg noodles and pour the sauce over it.
- Anonymous
- virginia
- 5/3/2006
A lot of work to produce what turned out to be a mildly interesting dish. Wish I had cooked the sauce longer to make it slightly thicker.
- avidcook1
- Westchester County, NY
- 1/8/2006
This recipe is perfect for company or special occassion. Rich flavors. I made it again last night for a dinner party and there were no leftovers. We had a holiday party with a small group including children so I served it without sauce for the children and everyone raved about it.
- Anonymous
- Novato, CA
- 12/19/2004
I think that if I were planning to spend this much time, go through this many steps, and use all these ingredients, I might consider a different dish. Enjoyable, though I have enjoyed other fricassees more than this one. They seem to be an older style dish--it's difficult to find many recipes for them, though I would be interested to try more fricassee recipes rather than repeating this one.
- Anonymous
- Southern CA
- 9/19/2004
Delish! I used half and half instead of cream with no loss of richness to the dish or difficulty with sauce breaking. I also reserved the carrots, per another reviewers advice, and served them along side the chicken with good results. (Peeled baby carrots instead of chopped.) Good call! Perfect match for a nice white Burgundy.
- Anonymous
- Chicago, IL
- 6/23/2004
I made this dish on a tues. nite for my husband it was really delicious, it has a few steps but I like to cook. I used fat free half and half and it was still very good. I cut the amt. of dijon, I would add more for even more flavor next time. Yummy!-- I also used just chicken pieces, because of just the two of us.
- Anonymous
- 5/18/2004
YUM! Comfort food at it's finest. -I made this dish for my family. While my husband loves everything I make, my 12 and 15 yr old daughters are pickier and they ate every bite. This is definately special enough to make for guests. The preparation was very easy. I cut back 1/2 cup on the cream and did not add the extra flour. Sauce was not compromised in the least and we saved a few calories. Make sure you use organic or home grown lemons for the fullest flavor.
- Anonymous
- Novato, CA
- 2/24/2004