Chicken Fricassee (French White Wine Cream Braised Chicken)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 60 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Chicken fricassee is a French white braise where chicken thighs are lightly seared, just enough to firm the surface without deep browning, then set aside while mushrooms, onion, and garlic are sauteed in butter and dusted with flour to form a roux.
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Chicken stock is whisked in to dissolve the roux into a smooth base, the chicken returns for a twenty-five-minute covered simmer, and heavy cream is added for a final ten minutes of gentle reduction. The deliberately light sear is what distinguishes fricassee from darker braises; heavy browning would muddy the pale, delicate sauce. Drying the chicken thoroughly before it touches the pan is important: surface moisture causes the pan temperature to drop sharply, making it harder to develop even the modest color the dish calls for. When building the roux, the flour should cook in the butter for an extra minute or two after it is fully absorbed so the raw starch taste cooks out and the roux disperses smoothly when the stock is added. The roux provides body without heaviness, and the cream transforms the broth into a silky coating that clings to the meat. Mushroom earthiness and onion sweetness emerge quietly within the cream. Bread or boiled potatoes are the traditional side, used to soak up the sauce completely.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Pat 600g chicken thigh completely dry.
Heat a pan over medium heat, brown the surface lightly, and remove it.
- 2Control
Melt 20 g butter in the same pan and cook 120 g onion with 15 g garlic first.
When fragrant, add 180 g mushrooms and cook over medium heat until their moisture reduces and the pan looks glossy rather than watery.
- 3Heat
Lower the heat and sprinkle in 1 tablespoon flour, stirring until it is fully absorbed by the butter and vegetables.
Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes so the raw flour smell fades, but do not let the roux brown.
- 4Control
Gradually add part of the 300ml chicken stock while stirring to remove lumps.
Return the chicken, cover, and simmer gently over low heat for 25 minutes.
- 5Control
Add 180 ml heavy cream and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 more minutes.
Stop reducing when the sauce lightly coats a spoon, and avoid a vigorous boil so the cream stays smooth.
- 6Finish
If the sauce becomes too thick, reserve some of the measured chicken stock at first and add it gradually to adjust the consistency.
Check that the chicken is tender and serve with baguette or boiled potatoes.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Chicken thighs are lightly seared just enough to firm the surface, then braised in a roux-thickened cream and wine sauce.
- Finish cue
- Check that the chicken is tender and serve with baguette or boiled potatoes.
- Avoid this
- Avoid over-browning the chicken to keep the sauce delicate.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
60min, 8 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
Official cooking and safety guidance
-
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
Sources checked 2026-08-03
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