This Gordon Ramsay Chicken Fricassee recipe is a creamy and comforting dish, which is made with tender chicken and a rich white wine sauce. It’s a classic French recipe, ready in about 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Jump to RecipeGordon Ramsay Chicken Fricassee Recipe Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 1¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¾ tsp black pepper, divided
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large white onion, sliced
- 8–10 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 1¼ cups warm water
- 2 sprigs parsley + chopped parsley for garnish
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 large egg yolks
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Chicken Fricassee Recipe
- Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. Season them with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Melt the butter in a large, wide pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, working in batches if necessary, for 12–15 minutes, turning until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the sliced onion and quartered mushrooms to the same pot. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown.
- Create the Sauce Base: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste. Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half.
- Simmer the Fricassee: Add the warm water, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and the bay leaf. Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then let it cook uncovered for about 50 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Temper the Yolks: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. While whisking constantly, slowly ladle about half a cup of the hot sauce into the yolks. This gently warms them. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Let the fricassee rest for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.
Recipe Tips
- Why simmer the fricassee uncovered? You want the sauce to reduce and concentrate its flavor while the chicken cooks. Covering the pot would trap steam, leading to a thinner, less flavorful sauce.
- How do I add egg yolks without scrambling them? The technique is called “tempering.” By slowly whisking a small amount of the hot sauce into the egg yolks first, you gently raise their temperature. This prevents them from scrambling into clumps when you add them back into the hot pot, ensuring a silky, smooth finish.
- Why rest the chicken in the sauce? Letting the finished dish rest off the heat for 10 minutes is a crucial step. It allows the chicken to relax and reabsorb some of the delicious, creamy sauce, making it even more juicy and flavorful.
- What is the best pot to use? A shallow, wide pot like a braiser or a large skillet is ideal. It provides more surface area, which helps the sauce reduce more effectively and develop a richer flavor.
What To Serve With Chicken Fricassee
This classic French stew with its rich, creamy sauce is perfect with sides that can soak it all up:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Fluffy white rice
- Buttered egg noodles
- Crusty bread
How To Store Chicken Fricassee
- Refrigerate: Cool the fricassee completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing is not recommended for this dish, as the cream and egg-yolk-based sauce can separate and become grainy upon thawing.
Chicken Fricassee Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 489kcal
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What does u0022fricasseeu0022 mean?
A fricassee is a classic French method of cooking where meat (typically chicken or veal) is cut up, seared, and then braised to create a stew, traditionally finished with a creamy white sauce.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken?
You can, but bone-in, skin-on chicken provides much more flavor to the sauce. If you use boneless chicken, you will need to reduce the simmering time significantly to avoid overcooking and drying out the meat.
What is the difference between Coq au Vin and Chicken Fricassee?
The main difference is the sauce. Coq au Vin is a stew braised in a rich red wine sauce, giving it a dark color and deep flavor. Chicken Fricassee is braised in a white sauce, typically made with white wine and finished with cream and/or egg yolks for a lighter color and creamy texture.
Gordon Ramsay Chicken Fricassee Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: FrnechDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes50
minutes489
kcalA creamy and comforting chicken fricassee with tender meat, rich white wine sauce, and a silky finish—classic French cooking done right.
Ingredients
3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
1¾ tsp kosher salt & ¾ tsp black pepper, divided
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large white onion, sliced
8–10 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry white wine
1¼ cups warm water
Parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf
¾ cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
Directions
- Pat chicken dry, season, and sear in butter until golden brown on all sides (12-15 mins). Remove from pot.
- Sauté onion and mushrooms in the same pot until soft.
- Stir in flour for 2 minutes, then deglaze with wine and reduce by half.
- Add water and herbs. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer uncovered for 50 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Temper the egg yolks by slowly whisking in some of the hot sauce, then stir the mixture back into the pot.
- Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, remove herbs, and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Simmer the fricassee uncovered to allow the sauce to reduce and concentrate its flavor.
- Tempering the egg yolks by adding hot liquid to them slowly is essential to prevent them from scrambling.
- Resting the finished dish for 10 minutes allows the chicken to absorb more flavor and the sauce to settle.
- A wide, shallow pot is best as it provides more surface area for better sauce reduction.
