This Cajun Chicken Fricassee Recipe with Mushrooms starts with sautéed chicken. Add a delicious roux and lots of veggies including baby bella mushrooms and baby carrots. Simmer for an hour. Serve immediately or the next day. As you can imagine, leftovers are outstanding.
Updated May 2020
The messiest pages in my 3-ring binder of favorite recipes are those for make-ahead entrees. I couldn’t live without them. Cajun Chicken Fricassee with Mushrooms only gets better as it rests in the fridge.
No worries if you want to eat it immediately. Please do so.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken: Use a whole chicken if you like all the different pieces. One of the advantages of a whole chicken is that you can make broth with the backbone, wings, etc. However, if you prefer only thighs, breasts, or boneless chicken, those will work too. I pull the skin off because after the chicken cooks for an hour the skin will no longer be crispy.
- Butter: Substitute vegetable oil for the butter. Several readers have suggested that oil works better in getting the roux to brown before it burns. Suit yourself.
- Flour: Bleached or unbleached flour will work. If you need to go gluten-free, you can substitute almond flour. However, the texture will not be as smooth and rich as it is with regular flour.
- Onions: Use fresh or frozen diced onions.
- Celery: Celery is an essential part of this dish. I can’t think of any substitutes to recommend.
- Bell Peppers: I like to use lots of different colors of bell peppers: red, yellow, orange, and green. At the very least, use green bell peppers to get the authentic Cajun taste.
- Garlic: Garlic is an important ingredient. Fresh is always better but jarred garlic is acceptable.
- Mushrooms: Baby Bellas hold their shape better than standard white button mushrooms. They are also more attractive in the final dish.
- Carrots: After making this for years, I started adding baby carrots just because it’s easy to throw them in the pot, and then I don’t have to prepare another vegetable for dinner.
- Seasonings: Adding the spices as specified will result in a fairly spicy dish typical of Cajun fare.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
A couple of days ago, I made this for our mid-week family dinner–an informal affair with our married kids, their spouses, and our grandson. Even though it was my day off, I knew I would be gone all day. It was easy to put together early in the morning, refrigerate, and serve for dinner.
This Cajun Chicken Fricassee recipe gets better after hanging out in the fridge for a few hours. The flavors mix, meld and marry, producing a wonderful gumbo-like flavor. Make it 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerate for the best flavor.
What should I serve with this fricassee?
The sauce makes a deliciously rich gravy best enjoyed over a pile of long-grain rice. I use a rice cooker with a timer so the rice will be ready when I walk in the door.
If you are looking for a low-carb alternative, try mashed cauliflower or riced cauliflower.
Round out the menu with a good loaf of homemade French bread to sop up the gravy.
Making Cajun Chicken Fricassee with Mushrooms
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Hope to see you again soon!
Paula
p.s. Questions or suggestions? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com.
Cajun Chicken Fricassee with Mushrooms
Cajun Chicken Fricassee with Mushrooms starts with a roux-based gravy. Add in Cajun seasonings and you've got a winner. A good make-ahead dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cut-up chicken or 5-6 chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup butter (or oil)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
- 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
- 1/2 cup red bell peppers
- 1-2 cloves chopped garlic
- 2-1/2 cups hot chicken broth
- 4-6 ounces sliced baby Bella mushrooms
- 1/4 pound baby carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2-3 drops hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- Parsley for garnish or chop and add for fresh flavor
Instructions
- Brown chicken pieces in a large skillet. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pan over medium heat. Stir in flour and continue to stir until it is a dark butterscotch flavor.
- Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic to the roux. Cook until softened. Stir frequently.
- Add broth to vegetables, stirring as you go.
- Add the mushrooms, carrots, browned chicken, and the remaining seasonings except for parsley. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the chicken is tender.
- Remove bay leaf and add chopped parsley before serving over rice. Even better served the next day.
Notes
I usually cut up a whole chicken but you could use any chicken pieces you already have or prefer such as boneless, skinless breasts or thighs. You don't have to remove the skin but I wouldn't have it otherwise. Because I used a whole chicken, I had the back and wings leftover to make fresh broth--just boil in a pot of water adding a little salt and pepper.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 892mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 56g
Kate Bruno
Tuesday 28th of June 2016
I made this recipe today- it does look gorgeous, and I followed it. This took a long time. Unfortunately, I have been making dark roux gumbos for many years, and this took as long as, if not longer (because of the butter based roux, rather than an oil based roux) than a Gumbo Ya-Ya...which it is.....well, partly. I let it sit and then tested the seasonings, and it was missing a lot. I did add thyme, oregano, Tony's, and some cayenne. I appreciate the recipe, but for the time and effort, would rather make a regular gumbo. The recipe from Mr. B's in New Orleans is very good, with modifications, as is Paul Prudhomme's - as is. Note- to the poor soul who burned the roux....done it many times. You must use a heavy pot- cast iron/ Le Creuset, etc. My trick is to add the flour to - preferably oil - with a whisk quickly on really high heat, then turn the heat down to low. It takes about 1 hour to make a good roux, with constant stirring- don't get the phone, don't have a smoke, don't go to the bathroom, and let the kids cry it out. Then, temper the roux and seasonings, cook for 10 minutes, and add the stock- not water ever- very slowly. I also agree that okra has no place in a Cajun gumbo- File in your own bowl please! Thanks for the recipe and will try other stuff from y our blog!
Ricky
Friday 25th of March 2016
recipe sounds great & looks great, almost identical to the way I make my chicken,sausage & shrimp gumbo. In the pic that I pinned it looked like there was also carrots in the pot...? Is that so or another recipe that I couldn't find on your website?
Paula
Friday 25th of March 2016
Hi Ricky, No carrots. Those are red bell peppers. paula
Donna
Sunday 30th of August 2015
Mushrooms are in the ingredient list, but they are never mentioned again. I suppose they must be added with the other veggies, right?
Paula
Sunday 30th of August 2015
Hi Donna, Mushrooms are included in "the remaining ingredients". Hope it turns out good for you.
Sherri
Wednesday 19th of August 2015
I don't have any celery. Can I substitute celery for okra or a vegetbale in order to have have gumbo flavor. I will make that probably tonight. It does look good. And I can I make it spicy?
Paula
Wednesday 19th of August 2015
Celery is a pretty important part of many Cajun foods. You might sub celery salt for some of the regular salt. Don't know of another good substitute.
frigga
Friday 3rd of April 2015
so i cook the butter and flour in a pot on low.. but by the time it looked like chocolate it suddenly smelled like burnt popcorn... is this normal or did i cook it too fast? is it ruined?
Paula
Friday 3rd of April 2015
As you have probably guessed, it is burned, and therefore, ruined. If you cook it too fast and/or don't stir it continuously (or at least, very often), or use a cheap pan that heats unevenly, it can burn. So sorry. But practice makes perfect. Try again but watch it close. It will not be the color of dark chocolate but more of a milk chocolate/caramelly color.
frigga
Friday 3rd of April 2015
uhg...it tastes like it smells...