Chicken Fricassee with Apples
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With its blend of sweet apples and savory chicken, this fricassee is just what you need for a comforting fall dinner.
Halfway between a sauté and a stew, chicken fricassee is a classic French dish of golden sautéed chicken in a creamy sauce. This updated version with apples, adapted from Cook’s Country, is perfect for fall. The sauce is made with equal parts chicken stock, apple cider and cream, giving the dish a savory yet fruity complexity, while a splash of cider vinegar at the end adds brightness. The sautéed apples add tart-sweet flavor and also make the dish feel a little fancy. Serve with a simple green vegetable, like roasted Brussels sprouts, along with rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. This would also be lovely with a glass of dry white wine.
Table of Contents
“This was delicious! Super simple and straightforward. I’ve already made it twice this week.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Fricassee With Apples
- Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins: I recommend using two large chicken breasts and slicing them in half horizontally, which makes four nice portions that cook quickly in one batch. Avoid the pre-sliced chicken breasts sold at the supermarket; they are too thin. If you don’t want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.
- All-Purpose Flour: Coats the chicken, helping to brown it and slightly thicken the sauce.
- Butter: Adds richness to the dish, helping to sauté the apples and chicken.
- Vegetable Oil: Combines with butter for sautéing, preventing the chicken from burning and ensuring even cooking.
- Apples: Add a sweet, tart flavor that complements the savory chicken and creamy sauce.
- Yellow Onion: Adds depth of flavor and sweetness to the sauce as it cooks.
- Fresh Thyme: Brings an earthy, aromatic note that enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Apple Cider: Adds sweetness and acidity, contributing to the sauce’s complexity.
- Chicken Broth: Adds savory depth and richness to the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Provides a creamy, luxurious texture to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the apples.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a tangy brightness that cuts through the richness of the cream mixture.
- Fresh Chives: Offer a mild onion flavor and a fresh, vibrant finish to the dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form four flat fillets. (Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins; instead, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even 1/2-inch thickness.)
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking to remove excess; transfer to a plate and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch large skillet (nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a second plate; set aside.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the remaining tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken.
Cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Set the partially cooked chicken on another plate and set aside.
Add the onion, thyme, a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to now-empty skillet.
Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir periodically with a wooden spoon.
Add the cider and broth to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes.
Add the cream and bring to a boil.
Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and apples. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.
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Chicken Fricassee with Apples
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large), or chicken tenderloins (see note)
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala apples, cored and cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) thick slices (do not peel)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form four flat fillets. (Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins; instead, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even ½-inch/1-cm thickness.)
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking to remove excess; transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch (30-cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a second plate; set aside.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the remaining tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Set the partially cooked chicken on another plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, thyme, a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the cider and broth to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar and apples. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.
- I buy two large chicken breasts and slice them in half horizontally, which makes four nice portions that cook quickly in one batch. I don't recommend using the pre-sliced chicken breasts sold at the supermarket – they are typically very thin, which means you'd need more of them to get 1½ pounds (680 g), and you'd have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don't want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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Autumn perfection! The addition of the apple cider vinegar at the end makes the sauce perfectly balanced. I’ll definitely be making this again.
This recipe is a winner! The sauce is incredibly taste…just check seasonings at the end. A bit of salt and pepper kicked it up a notch. Family loved the flavors but not the slices of apple. When I make it again, I’ll julienne the apples first. That’s all! Another amazing recipe. Thanks!
Hi Jenn
I cannot wait to try this! Can I use chicken cutlets for this recipe?
Thank you so much
Melissa
Hi Melissa, you can but keep in mind that they are typically very thin, which means you’d need more of them and will have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don’t want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.
Delicious! A great blend of flavors. I’m sometimes not a fan of putting apples in a savory sauce, but this totally works with the sweetness of the cider. My husband and I cook more than the average family and everyone gets to rate all new recipes. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
I made this exactly as written this weekend, and it was a big hit with my family. I used Honeycrisp apples. It was not difficult at all, and I will definitely be adding it to Fall menus in the future. Thanks for such dependable, trustworthy recipes!
This is amazing. The whole family loved it. My husband wants to try it with pork next. Do you think pork would work?
Yep 🙂
I made this tonight and it is incredibly flavorful and delicious! It took a little work to put everything together but it was totally worth the work. I don’t have a 12 inch skillet so I used my 10 inch skillet. I cooked the chicken in 2 batches but was able to fit everything in the skillet in the final step. Definitely a winner snd I will make it again.
I want to serve this to guests but dont wan’t to be working in the kitchen while my husband entertains alone. How far ahead can I make this dish and how do you suggest keeping it warm/ reheating.
Thanks
Hi DD, I think you could get away with making this a few hours ahead of time and reheating. Some of the gravy may get absorbed as it sits so if necessary, you can add a bit more cream or broth when you reheat it. Alternatively, you can cook the dish to the point right before adding the chicken back to the pan. Refrigerate it and then proceed from there right before serving it. Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
I made this yesterday and it was a hit. A wonderful unique blend of flavours.
This is a beautiful Fall dish and so easy to make. Thank you Jen, it is another family favourite.
Made this last night and it was delicious! Simple ingredients that I already had on hand turned out so well and balanced. Only change was I used half and half instead of cream because that’s what I had. Excellent directions and the pictures were helpful to me because I was worried about over-boiling the cream and under-browning the chicken. Served this yummy chicken over brown rice blend with a simple green salad and my family raved about it. They’re always so happy when I’m making one of Jenn’s recipes for dinner!