⏱ Prep: 15 min · 🔥 Cook: 45 min · 🍽 Serves: 4 · 📊 Medium

A classic French one-pot wonder featuring golden chicken thighs braised in a rich, creamy white wine and mushroom sauce. Elegant enough for a dinner party, simple enough for a weeknight.

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🥬 Ingredients

Chicken

• 900g (2 lb) chicken thighs, skin on bone in
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Sauce Base

• 3 tbsp (45g) unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 340g (12 oz) mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp (25g) gluten-free 1-1 flour blend or all-purpose flour
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs

Braising Liquid

• 240ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 240ml (1 cup) chicken stock
• 240ml (1 cup) heavy cream

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👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Drying the skin is essential for achieving a deep golden sear.
2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 5–7 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are golden brown around the edges. Add the minced garlic and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mushroom and onion mixture and stir well to coat everything. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste and form a light roux.
6. Pour in the dry white wine and stir vigorously to deglaze the pan, scraping up any remaining browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer for 2–3 minutes until it has reduced by about half and the alcohol has cooked off.
7. Pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream, then add the thyme sprigs and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pan, skin-side up, so they sit partially submerged in the sauce but the skin remains above the liquid. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and braise for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F).
9. Remove the lid for the final 5 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken slightly and the chicken skin to crisp back up. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs before serving.
10. Serve the chicken fricassée directly from the pan, spooning plenty of the creamy mushroom sauce over each piece. It pairs beautifully with crusty bread, buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or steamed rice.

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💡 Tips & Variations

• Don't skip the searing step — the deep golden crust on the chicken adds enormous flavour to the final sauce through the fond (browned bits) left in the pan.
• For a gluten-free version, use a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend as listed; the sauce texture will be virtually identical to the original. You can also use cornstarch (cornflour) as a substitute, but whisk it into the cold stock before adding to the pan to prevent lumps.
• Use a dry white wine you would actually drink, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio — avoid cooking wines as their added salt and preservatives can negatively affect the flavour of the sauce.

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📝 Personal Notes

Add your tweaks, ratings, and observations after making this recipe.

Source: Instagram