Comfort Food Recipe Tarragon Chicken Fricassée
Ashley Tinker · Main Course · Poultry · Provencal Recipes · TasteChicken Fricassée is my winter go-to when I want something comforting and delicious. The tarragon and chicken compliment each other so well in this rich delicious sauce.
A fricassée is a dish of stewed or fried pieces of meat served in a thick white sauce.

Tarragon Chicken Fricassée
A traditional chicken Fricassée flavoured with a Tarragon, mustard and veggie cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 200 gr smoked bacon or lardons/pancetta
- 1 free-range chicken cut into 6 pieces**
- 3 leeks green tops removed, sliced
- 3 carrots large, diced
- 2 shallot(s) sliced
- 250 gr button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, diced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 bunch tarragon chopped finely with stems removed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs lemon thyme
- 300 ml dry cider or dry white wine
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1 tbsp hot Dijon mustard or more if you like your mustard like me
- zest of one lemon
- parsley chopped finely, for garnish
Instructions
- ** NOTE - Fermier chicken in France-tasty! Ask your butcher to cut the chicken in to 6 for you. Or you can use de-boned chicken breasts and thighs instead of a whole chicken if you choose not to deal with the bones while eating. However, the recipe is more flavourful with a whole chicken.
- Prepare all your veggies so they’re ready to go.
- Place a large knob of butter into a heavy bottomed pan on medium-high heat.
- Brown the chicken pieces all over.
- Remove from the heat.
- Lower the heat to medium.
- Place bacon, leeks, shallots and carrots into the pan.
- Soften for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the flour, cook for another minute.
- De-glaze with the cider, cook for another minute.
- Add the bay leaf, thyme, tarragon, stock, and chicken to the pot.
- The chicken should be covered in liquid.
- Add more stock if necessary.
- Cover and cook on a low simmer for 35 minutes.
- Add the chopped mushrooms.
- Remove the lid from the pan if the sauce needs thickening.
- Add the mustard and cream.
- Stir well.
- Cook for another 15 minutes.
- The chicken should be falling off the bone.
- Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Add the lemon zest and parsley.
- Serve with steamed rice, fresh baguette or potatoes and a cold glass of white wine.
- Yum.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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