United by Taste
Recipe photo for Chicken Fricot

Chicken Fricot

by United by Taste

Chicken Fricot

by United by Taste

🇨🇦 Canada ·North America
Prep
Cook
Total
6 portions
Chicken Fricot (Fricot au poulet) is the quintessential comfort dish of Acadian Canada, a hearty chicken and potato stew traditionally enriched with fluffy dumplings called 'poutines à trou' or simply 'pâte'. Born from the resourceful kitchens of the Maritime provinces, this rustic soup-stew is seasoned generously with summer savory (sarriette), the signature herb of Acadian cooking. Simple, soul-warming, and deeply rooted in family tradition, fricot is the dish Acadians turn to for celebrations, cold nights, and gatherings of all kinds.

Ingredients

Fricot

1.5 kg bone-in chicken pieces whole chicken cut up, or thighs and drumsticks
2 tbsp butter
2 piece onion large, chopped
5 piece potatoes medium, peeled and cubed
2.5 l water or enough to cover
2 tsp dried summer savory sarriette - the signature Acadian herb
1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch black pepper to taste

Dumplings (Poutines / Pâte)

375 g all-purpose flour about 1.5 cups
1 tbsp baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
2 tbsp cold butter or shortening
180 ml milk or water about 3/4 cup, enough to form a soft dough

Garnish

1 pinch fresh parsley chopped
1 pinch extra summer savory optional

Ingredients

6 portions

Fricot

1.5 kgbone-in chicken pieces whole chicken cut up, or thighs and drumsticks
2 tbspbutter
2 pieceonion large, chopped
5 piecepotatoes medium, peeled and cubed
2.5 lwater or enough to cover
2 tspdried summer savory sarriette - the signature Acadian herb
1 pinchsalt to taste
1 pinchblack pepper to taste

Dumplings (Poutines / Pâte)

375 gall-purpose flour about 1.5 cups
1 tbspbaking powder
0.5 tspsalt
2 tbspcold butter or shortening
180 mlmilk or water about 3/4 cup, enough to form a soft dough

Garnish

1 pinchfresh parsley chopped
1 pinchextra summer savory optional

Instructions

Build the broth

  1. 1

    Brown the aromatics

    Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring often. This builds the base flavor of the fricot.

  2. 2

    Add the chicken

    Add the bone-in chicken pieces to the pot. Lightly brown them on all sides for a few minutes to develop flavor. Season with salt, pepper, and the summer savory.

  3. 3

    Simmer the chicken

    Pour in enough water to cover the chicken generously (about 2.5 litres). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

Add potatoes and prepare dumplings

  1. 1

    Remove and shred chicken

    Remove the chicken pieces from the broth. Once cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, discarding skin and bones, and tear into bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to the pot.

  2. 2

    Cook the potatoes

    Add the cubed potatoes to the simmering broth. Cook for about 15 minutes until they begin to soften. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and savory as needed.

  3. 3

    Make the dumpling dough

    Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Stir in just enough milk or water to form a soft, sticky dough. Do not overmix.

Finish with dumplings

  1. 1

    Drop the dumplings

    With the broth at a gentle simmer, drop spoonfuls of the dough onto the surface of the fricot. They should sit on top of the liquid, not be submerged.

  2. 2

    Steam covered

    Cover the pot tightly and let the dumplings steam for 12-15 minutes WITHOUT lifting the lid. The dumplings will puff up and become light and fluffy. Resist the urge to peek, or they may fall flat.

  3. 3

    Serve

    Ladle the fricot into bowls, making sure everyone gets chicken, potato, broth, and a dumpling or two. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve piping hot.

Credits & Inspiration

More from 🇨🇦 Canada

Canadian Honey-Garlic Chicken Wings

Canadian Honey-Garlic Chicken Wings

🇨🇦
by
50 min $
0 items in basket