Chicken Fricassee With Mushrooms & Thyme
This one-pan, all-stovetop meal is a comfort food winner. Historically, fricassee is traditionally a lightly sautéed mixture of meat and vegetables, cooked into a creamy stew. I firmly believe foods taste better once they have been seared golden—so in this version, I burnish chicken until its skin is rendered crispy, which deepens the flavor layers. Then I add aromatics like garlic, nutmeg, bay, and thyme to round out the flavor of the cream sauce. This long-loved braise appears in various ways across many cultures, with just as many types of meat or sauce: a Spanish version braises chicken in tomato sauce and incorporates olives; in Puerto Rico, fricassee uses red wine. There’s even a Jewish fricassee, from way back in the 17th century, incorporating offal. In some versions, egg yolks replace flour to thicken the sauce. Once you have the basic cooking rhythm down, use it as a lift-off to achieve satisfying, layered flavors for all your favorite cold-weather feasts. Chicken fricassée is terrific spooned atop warm rice, couscous, or potatoes.
Chicken Fricassee With Mushrooms & Thyme
INGREDIENTS
1 (3- to 4-pound) free range chicken
Kosher salt
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
8 ounces small cremini mushrooms, larger ones halved
3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white wine
7 sprigs thyme, leaves plucked from stems
2 bay leaves
1½ cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
3 cups (about 5 ounces) broccoli florets
Flaky salt, for sprinkling
3 tbsp chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Cooked rice, couscous, or potatoes, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Break down the chicken into thighs, drumsticks, and breasts. Halve the breasts crosswise. (Refrigerate or freeze the back and wings for making stock later on.) Place the chicken parts on a tray, skin-side up, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit at room temperature as you prep the other ingredients.
In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the foaming subsides, add the chicken skin-side down, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 7 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden.
Flip the chicken, cook for another minute, then transfer the pieces to a platter or big plate. Add the onion, scraping the bottom of the pan to free up any browned bits. Cook for about 3 minutes, still over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Scoot onions to cool side of pan, then add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once it’s melted, add the mushrooms and stir to coat in butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned.
Add the garlic and nutmeg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Once it’s melted, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the thyme and bay leaves, followed by the stock, and stir. Nestle in the chicken pieces, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat if needed to maintain a steady simmer, rather than vigorous boil. Cover the pan and cook for 12 minutes.
Remove the lid and transfer the chicken pieces to the platter or plate you used earlier. Stir in the cream. Uncovered, bring the liquid to a simmer and let reduce for 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and return the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, until broccoli is bright green and just-tender. Sprinkle with flaky salt and black pepper to taste, and scatter parsley on top if you’re using it. Serve with rice, couscous, or potatoes, as you like.