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Cajun chicken fricassee is one of the most beloved classic south Louisiana dishes for its simple preparation yet unequivocally unique depth of flavor, y'all. Seasoned, bone-in thighs, browned in a cast iron skillet, then transferred to a plate while my Trinity Roux™ cooks down in the pan drippings. Then, the poultry is put back into the pot along with broth to slow-cook into a soul-satisfying experience that stuns everyone around the table. Yep and yay...
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This is One of the Cajun Food Classics, Y'all...
In the same group of time-honored Cajun dishes such as sticky chicken, chicken stew, and smothered chicken, chicken fricassee is one of the most beloved recipes of native Louisianians. This dish tastes similar to the other three. However, it boasts its own individual flavors and textures that make it stand apart from the rest.
My version of Cajun chicken fricassee holds true to the original preparation, but is modernized for grain free and gluten free diets. It begins by seasoning and browning bony chicken pieces. Then, my Trinity Roux™ is made in the pan drippings. Finally, the chicken pieces and broth are placed into the roux, and slow-cooked until the chicken is super tender and the gravy is thick and ultra-flavorful.
The dish is customarily served over rice in Louisiana. But it's also perfectly acceptable to enjoy it with cauliflower rice or even mashed potatoes if rice doesn't fit into your personal diet. Any way you enjoy it, you'll never, ever forget it, as the taste of this dish is nothing short of remarkably south Louisiana special, y'all. Indeed.
Ingredient Essentials
- Bony chicken pieces are a must for this recipe, y'all. The emphasis in this dish is on the chicken and gravy. So, you are going to definitely want to take advantage of the flavor that's released from the bones throughout the dish as it cooks, trust me!
- Since you'll need to make my Trinity Roux™ you'll need to grab some tapioca, arrowroot, or cornstarch along with chopped Cajun trinity veggies.
- Gluten free chicken broth goes in the roux and the gravy. So definitely get a bit more than you need, just in case.
- Minced garlic and a few Cajun spices round out the ingredients list. But, don't be fooled by the small seasoning list, cause they do make a huge impact on the dish.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Fricassee
Start by seasoning the chicken thighs.
Now, brown the thighs lightly in the skillet.
Next, add the gluten free broth to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to pick up the pan drippings from the bottom of the skillet. Then, stir the garlic into the pan and cook for one additional minute. (It's normal for the drippings to be dark like this. But, throw them out if they smell burnt.)
Then, add the Cajun trinity veggies to the pan.
When the veggies are browned, finish making the roux.
Finally, add the GF broth and the browned thighs back into the pan. And, simmer over medium-low heat until the meat is falling off of the bone.
And that's it, y'all!
My Cajun chicken fricassee is one of those spirit-soothing dishes that makes everyone at the table eat in collective joyous silence. The meat is so tender and perfectly seasoned. And the gravy, y'all. Its ideal consistency, flavor, and color are what rice and gravy dreams are made of!
This dish remains delish in the fridge. So leftovers are just as good, if not better, throughout the next couple of days.
Share this Cajun chicken fricassee with those whose love for you is just as deep as it is wide. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Storage
Store the leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze the fricassee without the rice. Just add a bit of broth to the thawed, re-heating leftovers to make them taste freshly cooked again.
Top Tips
Prep the Cajun trinity veggies the night before you make the dish to save a bit of hands-on time. Also, remove the skin and season the chicken a day ahead. This amps up the flavor of the finished dish and allows you to pull this recipe off after work on a weeknight.
Faqs
It's a traditional south Louisiana dish that features browned chicken pieces simmered until fall-apart tender in a roux-based brown gravy.
Yes, absolutely. You can also use legs or a whole, cut-up chicken if you'd like. Just follow the recipe as written without any other substitutions.
Yes, you can. But the chicken flavor won't be as deep and complex in the gravy. It'll still be tasty, though.
Pairings
These are my top recipe picks for serving with this dish.
Related
Want more recipes like this one? Here y'all go.
Note: This post was originally published on March 9, 2017, and updated and republished on May 25, 2023.
Cajun Chicken Fricassee
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Chicken Thighs
- 3 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
For the Cajun Chicken Fricassee
- 6 tablespoons butter or oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth make sure gluten free
- Trinity Roux™
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth make sure gluten free
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the parsley flakes, paprika, onion powder, and salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.
- Add three tablespoons of the oil or butter to a large, deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
- Brown the skinless, bone-in chicken thighs lightly in the pan, then transfer to a paper towel-line plate.
- Add ½ cup of GF chicken broth to the skillet, and use a wooden spoon to pick up the browned pan drippings from the bottom of the skillet. (Use more broth if you need to get the rest of the browned bits off of the bottom before proceeding).
- Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the Cajun trinity veggies to the pan, and prepare the Trinity Roux™ using GF chicken broth.
- When the roux is ready, reduce the heat to medium-low, then transfer the browned chicken thighs back to the skillet along with the remaining GF chicken broth.
- Cook for another 30 to 45 minutes or more, stirring often, or until the chicken thighs become very tender and start to fall off of the bone.
- Serve with rice or cauliflower rice.
Video
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
This looks amazing! I have never tried eating Paleo but would love to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome!! I love this recipe, and eat it at least once a month!! It's a great 'homey' dish that people really appreciate for Sunday dinner. Please let me know how it turns out for you if you try it.
You do know that Fricassee is the Cajun French word for stew right? This looks great
Hi Gene,
Yes I do. My Cajun mom taught me that chicken fricassee is stewed chicken using only bone-in pieces.
Thanks so much! It's one of my favorites.