Cajun Chicken Fricassee Recipe with Mushrooms

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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Paula

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Yield: 5 servings

Cajun Chicken Fricassee with Mushrooms

Print

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.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

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

1. Brown chicken pieces in a large skillet. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic to the roux. Cook until softened. Stir frequently.
4. Add broth to vegetables, stirring as you go.
5. 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.
6. 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:

5

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 892mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 56g

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