Chicken Fricassee

Chicken Fricassee

Whip up a new dish for your family with the Herald-Guide’s Recipe of the Week.

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 lbs chicken legs and thigh quarters

For browning the chicken:

• 1 cup flour seasoned with:
• 2 tbsp. kosher salt
• A few turns of black pepper
• A healthy pinch of cayenne pepper

For the Fricassee:

• 1 cup lard (home-rendered), bacon drippings, duck fat or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 quart chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bundle of fresh thyme, tied together with butcher’s twine
• Kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. fresh thyme, taken off of the stem and chopped
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. hot sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 recipe Creole boiled rice

Directions:

Heat the lard, or whichever fat you chose to use, over medium high heat until a small sprinkle of flour quickly sizzles when tossed in.

While the fat is heating mix together the flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne, dredge the leg & thigh quarters in the mixture and shake off any excess, set aside on a plate.

When the fat is hot, brown the chicken until golden on both sides, do not cook all the way through, set aside.

Mix together the onions, celery, and bell pepper (holy trinity) in a small bowl.

When the chicken is browned and set aside, pour off 1/2 cup of the fat, leaving about 1/2 cup of it in the pan.

Over medium heat gradually whisk in the 3/4 cup of flour until incorporated and slightly thick, stir constantly until a roux the color of peanut butter is achieved, then stir in 3/4 of the holy trinity, mushrooms, and a pinch of Kosher salt, turn the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes more, stirring slowly but constantly.

Add the white wine and increase the heat to medium, cook 5 minutes more.

Whisk in the chicken stock very gradually to avoid lumps. When it is all incorporated bring the mixture to a full boil to bring the flour to it’s full thickening power, then reduce the sauce to medium low.

Stir in the remaining trinity, garlic, bay leaf, bundled thyme, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and season to taste with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Submerge the chicken in the sauce cover and simmer for about 2 1/2 hours or until falling off of the bone tender. Remove the bundled Thyme and Bay leaf and stir in the chopped Thyme. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.

Serve the chicken with Creole Boiled Rice, and a generous portion of the sauce topped with Green Onions.

If you like, the sauce or gravy for this dish could be finished with heavy cream, sour cream, or creme fraiche. This would also go great with dumplings to replace the rice.