Chicken Fricassée & Rice

Chicken fricassée was a typical Sunday night supper in the Morrison household after having a roast chicken.  My father used to make chicken fricassée and serve it in jumbo vol-au-vonts, sounds old fashioned, but it was extremely comforting.

Unfortunately, my local Waitrose didn't have any sort of vol-au-vent, perhaps they're a little passé these days, but it didn't put me off making this dish, and it's still perfectly yummy with steamed rice - not to mention more healthy!

My father would make a béchamel sauce and then add all the ingredients; however, I like to use homemade chicken stock instead of milk, as I think it increases the flavour ten fold.  I also like to add a little tarragon

Here’s what I used for the two of us:

Homemade chicken stock (made using the bones and carcass of a whole chicken boiled with carrots + celery + bay leaves + parsley stalks + whole black peppercorns)

1 large chicken breast on the bone with skin (you could easily use 2 chicken legs, or 4 chicken thighs if you preferred)

1 carrot, whole

4 shallots, peeled kept whole
handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
bouquet garni
50g margarine/butter
50g plain flour
1 free-range egg yolk
juice of ½ lemon

8 slices of grilled streaky bacon

Parsley, finely chopped

Tarragon, finely chopped

Put the chicken breast, carrots, shallots and bay in a large pan with homemade chicken stock. Add the bouquet garni.

Bring slowly to the boil and simmer gently for 20/30 minutes until the chicken is cooked – obviously this will depend on the sizes of chicken pieces you use.

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot and keep warm.

Strain the stock, reserving the carrots and shallots and stock separately.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and gradually add the stock.

Bring to the boil and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly.  Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes. 

Remove the skin from the chicken, carve the meat and cut it into rough pieces.  I think if the cubes look too perfect – it looks a microwave meal.

Add the meat and sliced shallots and sliced carrots; remove from the heat.

Beat together the egg yolk and lemon juice, then add a little of the left over stock and blend well.  Keep adding until the mixture is hot.

Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat through without boiling.

Add the chopped parsley and chopped tarragon.  Check for seasoning now, adding salt and pepper if necessary. 

Transfer the fricassée to a warmed serving dish and garnish with the grilled bacon.

Serve with simply boiled rice…

…and of course with love…xoxo