Simple Chicken Fricassee with Peas and Carrots
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 19, 2011
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole chicken 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and breasts (see illustrations), and breasts then quarteredSalt and ground black pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth1 medium onion, chopped fine1 small carrot, diced small½ cup dry white wine ½ cup frozen peas, thawed3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup half-and-half 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Before You Begin
If you own a large Dutch oven that can hold all the chicken in a single layer without crowding, use it to brown all the pieces at once. If not, divide the task between a smaller Dutch oven and the same skillet that you will use to sauté the vegetables. This eliminates the need to brown in batches in one pot and shortens the cooking time by about 10 minutes. Dark meat fans can substitute eight bone-in, skin-on thighs for the whole chicken.
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon each olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in both a Dutch oven and medium skillet over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add chicken pieces skin side down and cook until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons fat from Dutch oven. Add chicken from skillet, arranging pieces in a single layer as much as possible. Add stock, partially cover, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is fully cooked, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat, transfer chicken to bowl; cover with foil and set aside.
- While chicken is simmering, drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the now-empty skillet. Add onion, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add wine; cover, and cook until carrots are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in thawed frozen peas, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and whisk until golden in color, about 1 minute. Add half and half, whisking vigorously until smooth. Immediately whisk this mixture into hot chicken cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in carrot and pea mixture, thyme, lemon juice, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer chicken to pot and simmer until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley. Transfer chicken pieces to serving or individual plates, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 whole chicken 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and breasts (see illustrations), and breasts then quartered
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 small carrot, diced small
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 whole chicken 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and breasts (see illustrations), and breasts then quartered
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 small carrot, diced small
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 whole chicken 3 to 4 pounds, cut into 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and breasts (see illustrations), and breasts then quartered
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 small carrot, diced small
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
A chicken fricassee is nothing more than poached chicken and its cooking liquid, from which a simple sauce is made. To get the best flavor and to avoid a long cooking time for our chicken fricassee recipe, we used chicken broth and wine rather than water for the poaching liquid, and sautéed the chicken (we liked a whole chicken broken down into eight pieces, but chicken thighs alone work well, too) before poaching (for a brown fricassee). We finished our chicken fricassee recipe with half-and-half (using a light hand), lemon juice, and parsley.
Before You Begin
If you own a large Dutch oven that can hold all the chicken in a single layer without crowding, use it to brown all the pieces at once. If not, divide the task between a smaller Dutch oven and the same skillet that you will use to sauté the vegetables. This eliminates the need to brown in batches in one pot and shortens the cooking time by about 10 minutes. Dark meat fans can substitute eight bone-in, skin-on thighs for the whole chicken.
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon each olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in both a Dutch oven and medium skillet over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add chicken pieces skin side down and cook until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons fat from Dutch oven. Add chicken from skillet, arranging pieces in a single layer as much as possible. Add stock, partially cover, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is fully cooked, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat, transfer chicken to bowl; cover with foil and set aside.
- While chicken is simmering, drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the now-empty skillet. Add onion, carrot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add wine; cover, and cook until carrots are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in thawed frozen peas, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and whisk until golden in color, about 1 minute. Add half and half, whisking vigorously until smooth. Immediately whisk this mixture into hot chicken cooking liquid in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in carrot and pea mixture, thyme, lemon juice, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer chicken to pot and simmer until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley. Transfer chicken pieces to serving or individual plates, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
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