Oven Chicken Fricassee

8 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 1 h 30 m Total: 1 h 45 m Beginner
5.0/5 (7)
Oven Chicken Fricassee
Cajuns love to get together and play cards games like booray (bouree) and euchre. While you fix this chicken fricassee, shuffle yourself a hand of Louisiana cards and play while it bakes. This dish is so easy and great for small dinner card games or any party or gathering. Tastes so much like roux-based chicken fricassee without the time it takes to make the roux. This dish would work if you substituted pork and added potatoes—now it’s pork stew fricassee!

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 10 to 15 pieces of chicken
  • red and black pepper to taste (approximately 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 2 stalks of celery chopped
  • 1 package onion soup mix
  • 2 tbsp or more of Gravy Master Browning Sauce or Kitchen Bouquet
  • 1 can cream of mushroom
  • 1 can cream of celery
  • 1 to 2 tsp each onion and garlic powder optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Season chicken with your favorite seasoning. Spray Pam or coat with oil a large Magnalite, heavy duty aluminum pot or cast iron pot. Place your seasoned chicken in the bottom of the pot. Place the chopped celery on top of the chicken.
  2. In a separate glass bowl, mix well the onion soup mix, the Kitchen Bouquet, and the cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup.
  3. Spread the soup mixture evenly over the chicken. Cover the pot and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour.
  4. Stir the contents and then place in the oven for another half hour (30 minutes). For a thicker gravy, vent the cover slightly to allow steam to escape.
  5. Serve over fresh cooked rice. Now call a break in the card game and let’s eat!
  6. Optional additions: 4 to 5 peeled and cubed red potatoes can be added with the chicken. Onions and bell pepper may be added or substituted for the celery.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my gravy too thin?

A: Vent the lid slightly during the last 30 minutes of cooking to let steam escape and thicken the gravy. You can also cook uncovered for the final 15 minutes if you want it even thicker.

Q: Can I cook this on the stovetop instead?

A: Yes, but you'll need to watch it more carefully. Simmer covered on low heat for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The oven method is more hands-off.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t skip the browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master)—it gives the gravy that deep, rich color that makes it look like you spent hours on a roux. For even more flavor, brown the chicken pieces first before adding the other ingredients, though it’s not required.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • cream of mushroom soup: cream of chicken soup
  • chicken pieces: pork chops or cubed pork shoulder
  • Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master: Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp)
  • onion soup mix: 1 large diced onion, 2 tsp beef bouillon, 1/2 tsp onion powder

Equipment Needed

  • Large heavy-duty pot with lid (Magnalite, cast iron, or oven-safe Dutch oven)
  • Glass mixing bowl
  • Cooking spray or oil

Historical Context

Fricassee is a French technique that Louisiana cooks have made their own, traditionally starting with a roux and slow-simmering chicken until fall-apart tender. This oven method is a modern Cajun shortcut that became popular in the 1970s-80s when cream soups and convenience products made their way into home kitchens.