Fricassee of Chicken with Winter Vegetables
A cross between a chicken dish and a stew, Fricassee of Chicken with Winter Vegetables is a crowd pleaser, and a great way to get the kids eating their veggies. Seriously delish!
Fricassee of Chicken with Winter Vegetables
Recommended wine: This is a hearty dish that would go well with either a rich barrel-fermented and aged Chardonnay or a lower tannin red like Pinot Noir or Merlot.
Author: John Ash
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 6 large chicken thighs; skin, bones removed
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt, to taste
- freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 Cups leeks, well washed, in 1/2 inch thick rounds
- 2 Cups carrots, scrubbed, in 1/4 inch thick diagonal cuts
- 1 1/2 Cups fennel or celery, in thick crosswise slices
- 1 1/2 Cups parsnips or turnips, in 1/2 inch dice
- 1 Cup sliced crimini or button mushrooms
- 1 Tablespoon slivered garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; or to taste
- 2 teaspoons oregano leaf
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 Cup dry white wine
- 3 Cups rich chicken stock
- 1 large red or white waxy potato (3/4 pound); cut thick julienne
- 1 Cup diced, seeded, fresh or drained, canned tomatoes
- 1 Cup coarsely-chopped Swiss chard or spinach
- chopped fresh parsley; for garnish
- grated lemon zest; for garnish
Instructions
- In a large casserole, saute the chicken in two tablespoons of olive oil until lightly browned on all sides. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Remove chicken and set aside.
- Discard fat in casserole and add the leeks, carrots, fennel, parsnips, mushrooms and garlic with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and saute over moderate heat until lightly colored.
- Add the pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaf, fennel seed, wine and stock and bring to a simmer.
- Add reserved chicken thighs pushing them down into vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes, tomatoes and chard and cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes more or until potatoes are just tender.
- Serve in warm wide-rim soup plates with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley and grated lemon zest if desired.
