Chicken and Mushroom Fricassee (Gluten Free)

This creamy chicken and mushroom dish has a rich sauce with a slow-cooked flavor that can’t be believed. Today’s classic French chicken stew is easy enough for a weeknight meal and it may wind up being a regular on your menu rotation.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced most of the way through along the long edge and opened like a book
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons butter or more oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or regular black pepper
• 2 pounds (907g) small mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend*
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) white wine, dry vermouth, or chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups (355 ml) chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves or fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, optional
• Chopped green onions or parsley, for garnish
• Cooked rice, pasta, polenta, or potatoes, for serving

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil...: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, add to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. The chicken will not be fully cooked. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Cook in batches if the chicken doesn’t all fit in the skillet.
2. 2Add the butter, shallots, salt, pepper, and mushrooms...: Add the butter, shallots, salt, pepper, and mushrooms to the same skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown and release their liquid, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute, tossing occasionally.
3. 3Stir in the wine, broth, and bay leaf,...: Stir in the wine, broth, and bay leaf, then add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices, and bring sauce to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces). An instant read thermometer should register 160°F to 162°F. Transfer the chicken to plates with some rice, pasta, polenta, or potatoes alongside (you will want to soak up all that delicious sauce; I served mine with saffron rice). Loosely cover the plates with foil to keep them warm.
4. 4Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high...: Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high and cook the sauce, uncovered, until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the minced tarragon or thyme and heavy cream (if using). Discard the bay leaf.
5. 5Spoon the sauce and mushrooms over the chicken....: Spoon the sauce and mushrooms over the chicken. Sprinkle the top with the green onions or parsley and serve immediately.