Chicken Fricassée with Beans, Kale & Bacon

Chicken Fricassée with Beans, Kale & Bacon

Chicken Fricassée is a traditional French chicken stew made with browned chicken pieces braised in a creamy white mushroom sauce. A rustic family-style meal that’s easy enough for midweek, it’s a bit like a white sauce version of Coq au Vin except it’s so much faster to make!

INGREDIENTS

• 5 stripes of bacon, cubed
• 3-4 pounds bone-in, skin on, chicken thighs (I used boneless for this video)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 10 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 bundle thyme (5-7 strips), 1/2 of leaves stripped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2-3 large handfuls of curly kale, roughly chopped
• Freshly ground pepper
• Flaky sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat, add bacon. Cook on medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan leaving about a tablespoon of grease.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once the foaming subsides, add the chicken (seasoned with salt and pepper) skin-side down, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 7 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden.
3. Flip the chicken, cook for another 3-4 minutes, then transfer the pieces to a platter or big plate. The chicken will continue to cook later in the recipe, so don't worry if it is still pink. Add the onion, scraping the bottom of the pan to free up any browned bits. Cook for about 3 minutes, still over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Once it’s melted, add the mushrooms and stir to coat in butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned.
5. Add the garlic and dijon, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
6. Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme and bay leaves, followed by the stock, and stir.
7. Add drained beans and gently stir to combine. Nestle in the chicken pieces, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat if needed to maintain a steady simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 12 -14 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Remove the lid and transfer the chicken pieces to the platter or plate you used earlier. Stir in the cream. Uncovered, bring the liquid to a simmer and let reduce for 3 minutes. Add kale and combine. 
9. Return the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, until kale is just tender. Sprinkle with flaky salt and black pepper to taste, and top with cooked bacon. Serve immediately with potatoes or rice.