QUICK & EASY CHICKEN FRICASSEE

A couple of years ago, my husband gave me the 2-volume set of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" cookbooks.  Last night, I had half of a nice plump chicken and NO idea what to do with it.  I needed something different, something delicious, and (hopefully) easy.  I grabbed the first book and began browsing the pages.  Eureka!  There!  In Volume 1, page 258:  Fricassée de Poulet á L'Ancienne . . . or, in English, "Old Fashioned Chicken Fricassee with Wine-Flavored Cream Sauce, Onions & Mushrooms".  Julia definitely had my attention.  A quick review told me that I had most of the needed ingredients -- the important ones, anyway -- but the directions seemed a bit fiddly for my limited time-frame.   I decided to just wing it using Julia's recipe as a reference only, and building from there.  Here is my version of this classic dish:

EASY CHICKEN FRICASSEE WITH PEARL ONIONS & MUSHROOMS 

Serves 6

3 T. butter

3 1/2 lb. meaty chicken pieces with bones and skin  (any combination)

ground white pepper

1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced

1 lb. pkg. frozen pearl onions, thawed & drained

12 ounces sliced fresh white mushrooms

1 can Swanson's chicken broth

1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used Riesling, but a Sauvignon Blanc, a Syrah or Gerwurztraminer would work equally well)

1 bay leaf

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 T. dried parlsey

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup light cream (half-and-half)

1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)

8 ounces dried wide egg noodles, cooked per package directions

In between steps for the fricassee, cook the egg noodles per directions, drain, cover and set aside to keep warm.

Melt the butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat.  

If your pearl onions are not yet thawed, now is the time.  Put them in a colander and rinse under tepid running water until all signs of frost or ice are gone.  Drain well.  Set aside.

Next, rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.  If the breast halves are very large, cut each into 2 or 3 smaller serving-size pieces.  Put the pieces into the skillet and sprinkle with ground white pepper.  Cook gently for about 10 minutes, turning every minute or so, until the chicken meat firms up nicely, taking care not to let it brown beyond a pale golden color.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 10 more minutes.  Turn as needed to avoid excessive browning.

Remove the chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

Add the pearl onions, sliced mushrooms, garlic, chicken broth, wine, bay leaf, parsley and thyme to the skillet.  Adjust the heat as needed to get a gentle simmer, cover, and cook all together for about 10 minutes.  Now return the chicken parts to the skillet.  Cover and adjust the heat so everything is simmering gently; continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces again, using the plate you used earlier.

In a small bowl, whisk the light cream into the flour to make a smooth thickening roux.  Now add the roux slowly to the simmering sauce (about 1/4 at a time, to avoid lumping), stirring or whisking gently as the sauce thickens.  No lumps here!  Taste; add salt as needed. 

Allow to simmer gently for another minute or 2.  Spoon a chicken portion and a generous scoop of the onions, mushrooms & sauce over each serving of hot cooked egg noodles.

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The delicious sauce enhances yet doesn't overwhelm.  The flavor is wonderful!   I served tender spears of first-of-the-season asparagus with our meal.  Green English peas, steamed and buttered, could be served instead.  A crisp salad would also go well.  

My husband, who does not care much for poultry of any sort, declared "This is pretty good".  High praise indeed from my live-in food critic  ;-)