Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/29/21
serving bowl with creamy slow cooker chicken fricassee
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
803 Calories
59g Fat
16g Carbs
58g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 803
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g 75%
Saturated Fat 23g 115%
Cholesterol 349mg 116%
Sodium 667mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 58g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 76mg 6%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 1029mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This chicken fricassee gets its great flavor from the browned chicken thighs, along with a variety of vegetables and a creamy, buttery sauce. The slow cooker makes a special meal like this fricassee easy because you only have to brown the chicken thighs and give the vegetables a quick sauté—your meal is then braised in the slow cooker, leaving you free to go about your day.

Fricassee refers to a cooking method where meat is braised and then served in a sauce. This chicken fricassee is easy to prepare and cook in the slow cooker, and the creamy sauce and vegetables make it a whole meal. The fricassee makes a hearty meal with rice or noodles, or serve it as a stew with a salad and crusty bread or biscuits on the side.

The recipe calls for bone-in chicken thighs, which stay tender and juicy even after a long period of cooking. Another plus, the browned skin adds to the savory flavor of the sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 1/2 cup diced carrots

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for crock pot chicken fricassee
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place them in the skillet, skin-side down; cook for about 7 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan. Flip the thighs over and cook for 1 minute longer.

    cook the chicken in a large skillet
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. Add the chicken stock to the slow cooker. Place the chicken pieces, skin-side up, in the slow cooker.

    move the chicken thighs to the crock pot
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. Add the onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and thyme to the same large skillet and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Pour the onion mixture over the chicken—cook for about 2 to 3 hours on high or about 5 hours on low.

    add the vegetables to the chicken thighs in the slow cooker
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Remove the chicken thighs to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

    keep the chicken thighs warm on a platter
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. In a small bowl, make a beurre manie with the butter and flour. Knead with your fingers until the flour is completely blended into the butter.

    beurre manie for slow cooker chicken thigh fricassee
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Add about half of the beurre manie into the hot liquids in the slow cooker and continue cooking on high until thickened. Add more of the beurre manie if a thicker broth is desired. Add the heavy cream and heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed, along with 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley.

    thickening the creamy sauce for chicken fricassee
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  8. Arrange the chicken and sauce in a serving bowl and garnish with extra parsley, if desired.

    creamy slow cooker chicken fricassee with chicken thighs
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tips

  • If the broth mixture looks fatty after taking the chicken out of the slow cooker, pour it into a fat separator before adding the beurre manie.
  • Chicken thighs are more forgiving and stay tender and flavorful even when cooked for a long period of time. If you choose to use split chicken breasts (bone-in), check them early to avoid overcooking.

Recipe Variations

  • If you aren't a fan of mushrooms, add an extra cup of carrots and celery.
  • For more color and flavor, add thawed frozen peas along with the heavy cream. Continue to cook until heated through.

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