Chicken Fricassée with Lemon Mustard Sauce
A classic French dish featuring braised chicken in a rich, creamy sauce made with white wine, lemon, and Dijon mustard. The chicken is first browned until golden, then slowly cooked with vegetables in a flavorful cream sauce until tender.
Ingredients
- •¼ cup vegetable oil
- •1 whole free-range chicken
- •2 teaspoons salt
- •1 teaspoon black pepper
- •¾ cup all-purpose flour
- •3 whole carrots
- •2 whole onions
- •5 cloves garlic
- •2 cups heavy cream
- •1¼ cups dry white wine
- •¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- •¼ cup Dijon mustard
- •1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- •1 leaf bay leaf
- •½ cup water
- •3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
10 min
- 2.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then dredge, 1 piece at a time, in 3/4 cup flour (total), knocking off excess. Brown in 4 batches, turning over occasionally, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter as browned.
25 min
- 3.
Stir together carrots, onions, garlic, cream, wine, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, then bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Add chicken (chicken will not be completely submerged) and partially cover pot, then braise in oven 25 minutes.
30 min
- 4.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and braise 20 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a clean platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
20 min
- 5.
Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, then stir in water. Melt butter in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Add cooking liquid in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, then cook at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, 5 minutes.
10 min
- 6.
Serve chicken with sauce.
5 min