Crème Fraîche Chicken Fricassée

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (About 12 ounces each; trim away any attached ribs so the pieces fit comfortably in the skillet)
• kosher salt (To taste, plus more for seasoning the sauce)
• ground black pepper (To taste)
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour (For lightly coating the chicken)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (For browning the chicken)
• 1 yellow onion (Finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (Finely chopped)
• 1 celery stalk (Finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (Minced)
• 0.5 cup dry white wine (For deglazing)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Use enough to come about halfway up the chicken)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (Plus additional leaves for finishing, if desired)
• 0.5 cup crème fraîche (Do not substitute sour cream, which may separate during cooking)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (Chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken lightly, turning to coat; shake off the excess flour.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange the chicken skin-side down without crowding and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side for about 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; it will not yet be cooked through.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour in the white wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wine has reduced slightly and the sharp alcohol smell has dissipated.

5. 5

   Add the chicken broth and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine, then return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up, along with any juices collected on the plate. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken, not cover it completely.

6. 6

   Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and braise for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Avoid a rapid boil, which can toughen the chicken.

7. 7

   Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and remove the thyme sprigs. If the sauce is thin, simmer it uncovered for several minutes until lightly thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low. Whisk the crème fraîche into the hot sauce until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Do not substitute sour cream, which may separate when heated.

9. 9

   Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over it. Warm gently for 1 to 2 minutes, without allowing the sauce to boil. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional thyme leaves, then serve with the sauce.

Notes

The source states that the recipe makes 4 servings and takes about 45 minutes to cook. Bone-in breasts weighing approximately 12 ounces each should cook at the same rate. Trim attached ribs if necessary so the pieces fit in the skillet. Crème fraîche is important because sour cream is lower in fat and may separate during cooking.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• French
• braised
• skillet
• chicken
• comfort food