French-Style Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee Recipe
There’s something timeless about a classic French dish, and this Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee recipe brings all the elegance of French cooking to your table with a fraction of the effort.
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Inspired by Julia Child’s recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Patricia Wells’ The Paris Cookbook, this slow-cooker meal combines tender chicken, a creamy mushroom sauce, and fresh herbs for a comforting dish that’s perfect for any occasion.
Fricassee is the French term for braising, literally translating into, cut up and cook in a sauce. Therefore, it doesn’t technically refer to a particular dish, but a type of cooking. In most French cookbooks, you will find a whole chicken is cut up or bone-in chicken pieces are used to make chicken fricassee, but we are making a simplified boneless, skinless chicken breast version that is a joy to spoon over bouncy buttered noodles or steamed rice.
Why You’ll Love It
- Effortless Elegance: This recipe is a lifesaver for busy weeknights, letting your crock pot do all the heavy lifting while you enjoy the rich French flavour of a classic dish.
- Comfort in Every Bite: With tender chicken, a creamy sauce, and hearty vegetables, this fricassee is one of my favourite French comfort foods.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or feeding a large family, this slow-cooker meal is a great dinner option that feels fancy but is secretly an easy dish.
Exploring the Different Types of Chicken Fricassee
Chicken fricassee has taken on many forms over the years, from its medieval era origins to its variations around the world. Here’s a quick look at how this classic French stew compares to other styles:
- Cajun Fricassee: A hearty take on fricassee, Cajun cuisine uses a dark roux, cajun seasoning, and ingredients like bell peppers and green peppers to create bold, spicy flavors. If you love this type of cooking, you MUST make my chicken and sausage gumbo.
- Cuban Fricassee: This version often features bone-in chicken pieces simmered in a flavorful sauce made with tomato, olives, and sometimes even soy sauce for a unique twist.
- French Fricassee: The French-style fricassee, like the one we’re making today, is all about creamy mushroom sauce, fresh pearl onions, white wine, and fresh thyme. It’s delicate and comforting.
Looking for more classy and elegant French recipes? Try my Cod with Ratatouille and Lemon Butter.
Ingredients and Why They Matter
- Chicken breasts or bone-in chicken thighs: Chicken breasts are lean and tender, while bone-in chicken thighs add extra richness. Use whichever you prefer for this recipe.
- Butter: Adds richness and depth to the dish.
- Pearl onions: Sweet and mild, they’re a classic addition to French stews.
- White wine: Deglazes the pan and adds acidity to balance the creamy sauce.
- Flour: Helps to thicken the sauce and keep the cream from separating.
- Heavy cream: Creates the velvety, creamy texture that makes this dish irresistible.
- Fresh thyme, bay leaf, white pepper, salt, nutmeg: Adds a subtle touches of supporting flavors that complements the chicken and mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: A key ingredient that adds earthiness and texture to the sauce.
How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee
Prep the ingredients: Cube the chicken breasts (if you’d prefer to use bone-in chicken, leave whole). Trim and peel the pearl onions and quarter the mushrooms.
Cook the base: In a large skillet, melt 1/2 the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and pearl onions, cooking until lightly browned. Transfer to the crock pot then melt remaining butter and sauté the mushrooms. In the last minute add the flour and cook until it is toasted. Add to the crock pot.
Deglaze with wine: Pour the white wine into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Add this mixture to your crock pot.
Combine in the crock pot: Add the heavy cream, bay leaf, white pepper, nutmeg, and fresh thyme to the crock pot.
Cook: Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours or low setting for 6–8 hours.
Serve: Pair with green beans and egg noodles, and garnish with chopped parsley.
Tips for Making It in the Slow Cooker
- Time: This recipe requires about 15-20 minutes of prep time which includes chopping the ingredients, quickly browning on the stove, and deglazing the pan. Plus, set aside a total of 4-6 hours for slow cooking.
- Don’t Skip the Deglaze: Deglazing the pan with white wine adds depth to the sauce.
- Thicken the Sauce: You will toss the mushrooms during the last minute of cooking in flour, then toast the flour for a minute more before adding it all to the slow cooker. This flour will go on to make a velvety sauce.
Other slow cooker favorites include our Moroccan chickpea stew or this slow cooker split pea ham soup with potatoes.
How to Make It on the Stove
Prefer a stovetop version? Follow these steps:
- Use a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat.
- Brown the chicken, onions, and mushrooms all at once using the 4 tablespoons of butter. Deglaze with wine and add the other ingredients.
- Simmer on medium heat for about 30–40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving.
What To Serve With This Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee Recipe
- Crusty bread for soaking up the creamy sauce
- Roasted cauliflower with pickled cherry peppers
- Buttered noodles or white rice for a gluten-free option
- Steamed green beans, asparagus, peas, or broccoli
- A green salad with our favorite maple-mustard dressing
- Don’t skip dessert! Finish the meal with caramel apple pound cake, peanut butter banana fritters, or nutty cinnamon carrot apple bread
Variations
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: Swap chicken breasts for boneless meat if you prefer darker, juicier chicken.
- Vegetable Additions: Add a variety of vegetables like carrots, white potatoes, or even greens like kale added at the end for extra heartiness.
- Dairy-Free: Use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream for a non-dairy version.
- Instant Pot: For a quicker cooking method, try making this in an Instant Pot using the sauté and pressure cook functions.
This Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee recipe is the best thing to happen to your dinner routine. It’s an easy meal that delivers advanced cooking skills-level flavor without the stress. Whether you’re a fan of classic French stews or just looking for an easy recipe to impress, this dish is guaranteed to become one of your favourites. Next time you’re in the mood for a comforting dish, give this slow cooker chicken fricassee recipe a try—you won’t regret it!
French-Style Slow Cooker Chicken Fricassee
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 8 ounces pearl onions, trimmed and peeled (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- buttered noodles, for serving (optional)
- steamed green beans, for serving (optional)
- chopped fresh parley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 pound cubed chicken breast and 1 1/2 cups trimmed and peeled pearl onions. Season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to crock pot.
- Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the 8 ounces quartered mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. During the last minute or so of cooking, sprinkle mushrooms with the 2 tablespoons flour. Stir to coat mushrooms in the flour and toast, cooking about a minute or two longer to get rid of the raw flour taste. Transfer to the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Deglaze the skillet with the 1 cup white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add that to crock pot. Finally add to the crock pot, 1 cup cream, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, last 1 teaspoon salt, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook on high, 4 hours or low 6 hours.
- Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Serve with steamed green beans and buttered egg noodles and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Toasting the flour: You want to cook the flour a minute or two with the mushrooms to get rid of the raw flour flavor. It’s okay if it sticks to the bottom of the pan, you will scrape all of that up when you deglaze with the white wine.
- Make-ahead/Freezing Instructions: Chicken can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container and reheat gently to prevent the sauce from breaking. To freeze, place cooled cooked chicken/sauce into a freezer-friendly container or large zipped-top bag and freeze up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or place the container/bag in the sink filled with warm water. Once thawed, cook in a large pot on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Or reheat in the microwave until warmed throughout.
- Pearl onions: Pearl onions can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores next to the other onions and garlic. If you can’t find them, use 1 large diced yellow onion instead.
- Serving suggestions: Serve with something that can soak up all the delicious sauce like steamed rice, buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or just some good crusty bread.
