How to Make Chicken Fricassee

A classic dish, chicken fricassee sometimes refers to the way the chicken is cut. A whole chicken is cut into eight pieces and served with a mushroom cream sauce. This dish serves four to six.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 large whole chicken
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. picked fresh thyme
• 2 c. mushrooms
• 2/3 c. cream
• 1/3 c. dry sherry
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 14.5-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• salt and pepper
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• 2 cups mushrooms
• 1 tbsp picked fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1 14.5-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry sherry

1. Cut the chicken into eight pieces, leaving bones in. Cut away the drumsticks and thighs, then cut out the backbone, cut the breasts away, and cut each breast into two pieces.

2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, and brown each chicken piece well on both sides. For extra flavor, brown the neck and backbone as well (rinse the backbone well first, and pat it dry).

4. Pour off the excess oil.

5. Add the chicken broth, then add enough hot water to completely cover the chicken.

6. Simmer as gently as possible for 45 minutes, skimming off the foam as it accumulates.

7. Remove the chicken pieces and bring the broth to a full boil. Discard the neck and backbone, if using.

8. Skim off as much foam from the top as you can. Let the broth boil down until it measures about 2 cups.

9. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until just tender. Add the flour and stir. The flour will stick - try to stir it well and cook it for three to five minutes without burning it.

10. Stir in the cream and let it simmer. The sauce will quickly become quite thick. Add the sherry and keep stirring for one or two more minutes to keep from burning on the bottom.

11. Add the reserved broth and thyme and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten or fifteen minutes.

12. Taste and correct seasonings. Canned broth has enough salt, but you may want some extra pepper.

13. Reheat the chicken pieces in the sauce and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• The sherry is optional, but if you use it, use real sherry. Any type is fine, but stay far, far away from cooking sherry.
• Slice the mushrooms very thick, or quarter them. Thin mushrooms will lose too much volume as they cook.
• It's important that the chicken pieces have their bones in when they cook. The bones make the meat taste better, and without them the chicken wouldn't cook properly.

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