Chicken Fricassee with Apples
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Chicken fricassee with apples is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.
Halfway between a sauté and a stew, chicken fricassee is an old-fashioned dish of golden sautéed chicken in a creamy sauce. This updated version with apples, adapted from Cook’s Country, is perfect for fall. The sauce is made with equal parts chicken broth, apple cider and cream, giving the dish a savory yet fruity complexity, while a splash of cider vinegar at the end adds brightness. The sautéed apples add tart-sweet flavor and also make the dish feel a little fancy.
I buy two large chicken breasts and slice them in half horizontally, which makes four nice portions that cook quickly in one batch. I don’t recommend using the pre-sliced chicken breasts sold at the supermarket — they are typically very thin, which means you’d need more of them and would have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don’t want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative. Serve with a simple green vegetable, like roasted Brussels sprouts, along with rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Fricassee with Apples
Step-by-Step Instructions
Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form four flat fillets. (Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins; instead, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even 1/2-inch thickness.)
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking to remove excess; transfer to a plate and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a second plate; set aside.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the remaining tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken.
Cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Set the partially cooked chicken on another plate and set aside.
Add the onion, thyme, a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to now-empty skillet. 
Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the cider and broth to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes.
Add the cream and bring to a boil.
Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and apples. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.
You May Also Like
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Chicken Fricassee with Apples
Chicken fricassee with apples is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (1½ pounds total), or 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins (see note)
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala apples, cored and each cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (do not peel)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form four flat fillets.(Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins; instead, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even ½-inch thickness.)
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking to remove excess; transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a second plate; set aside.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the remaining tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Set the partially cooked chicken on another plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, thyme, a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the cider and broth to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar and apples. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.
- I buy two large chicken breasts and slice them in half horizontally, which makes four nice portions that cook quickly in one batch. I don't recommend using the pre-sliced chicken breasts sold at the supermarket – they are typically very thin, which means you'd need more of them to get 1½ pounds, and you'd have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don't want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 599
- Fat: 35
- Saturated fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Sugar: 17
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Sodium: 1,035 mg
- Cholesterol: 202 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
Made this dish once exactly as the recipe says and it was delicious! If I were to make it with boneless-skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts, would I need to make any changes? Thank you!
Hi Lesley, glad you enjoyed it! I really think this recipe is best with chicken breasts but if you’d like to use thighs, the only thing that will change is the cooking time; the thighs will take a little bit longer to cook. Please LMK how it turns out if you make it with thighs!
Hi Jen
I did make this using boneless/skinless chicken thighs which is what I had on hand. Followed the recipe, pounded the chicken less than 1/2″ and increasing the cooking time during browning to about 3 minutes and again when adding the chicken back in. It came out fantastic. Husband and family loved it. Only thing I would change is adding just a little more vinegar but that is a personal preference. I didn’t have chives. Come spring I will have to plant a big tub of these.
My daughter said this is one of her top three all-time favourite meals.
My husband and daughter really liked this dish (I don’t eat meat) and I found it very easy to make with your detailed an precise instructions. My grocery store didn’t have chives, so I garnished with chopped Italian parsley instead, but otherwise followed the recipe as written.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m making this for the second time tonight. I could eat the sauce and nothing else.
I had to go out of town and I left this recipe with my 15 yr old–He made it! He has made it two more times–it is delicious and he is so proud–easy and delicious and a unique marriage of flavors–not the usual chicken dinner–
Jen this is simply divine. My husband who is a gourmand and wonderful cook says this dish could grace the finest Michelin starred restaurants.
This is unbelievably delicious! I was immediately drawn to it because I had some apples left from our trip to the orchard, and it did not disappoint! I would give it way more than five stars if I could! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
I cannot exaggerate how truly spectacular this is. I added mushrooms just because I needed to get rid of them, but the sauce! Oh, my, the sauce. Thank you for this! I will not be using my cream for this rather than ice cream.
So glad I tried this one. I followed the recipe exactly, using chicken tenders, and served it with brown basmati rice and French style green beans. Also had some homemade cranberry sauce (because…apples and cranberries!). Loved the combination of apples with the chicken, and the sauce was delicious. The recipe was easy to follow and came together perfectly.
This is most likely the BEST chicken recipe I have ever made! When a table full of friends all exclaim, “OMG! This is perfection!” you know this recipe is IT. Follow the directions exactly as written. Use all the ingredients as written. It will become one your most exceptional meals ever. All my friends asked for the recipe.
For dessert I made Jenn’s classic carrot cake. Another “wow!”
I think I have friends for life after last night’s meal. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight and everyone enjoyed it. Another keeper of a recipe from Jen.
Okay, so I really goofed up but it was still so good!! I used apple cider vinegar for the whole thing and not apple cider! I did omit the last tablespoon of vinegar at the end because I thought it may be too strong! HAH! My family loved it and my husband thought it tasted like a German dish from the homeland! I’ll have to make it the correct way next time but we enjoyed it this way, too! Thanks, Jennifer ALWAYS love your recipes!
If doubling the recipe, would it be best to cook two batches or is all in one fine? Thank you in advance Chef!
Hi Jona, You’ll need to brown the chicken in two batches, but you can make the sauce and finish the chicken in one pan if it will all fit.
Wow! Absolutely amazing. Thank you!
OMG DELICIOUS! As previous reviewer said your recipes are so wonderful I could serve them to guests the first time I try them. Just a wonderful Fall recipe.
OMG!! This was DELICIOUS!!!!!!
Jen, all of your recipes are FOOL PROOF. I feel confident that I could make any of them for the first time and serve it to guests. This dish was no exception. Made it exactly as written. The dish is extremely flavorful, the apple cider vinegar at the end adds the right amount of acid and the chicken was extremely moist. Thanks for the suggestion to use chicken tenderloins. They worked beautifully.
Excellent! I followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful. Served with roast potatoes. Put the left over chicken and sauce and apples/onions in a pan. Covered with foil and heated for one hour in oven next day. I believe they were even better. Thanks so much for being Once Upon a Chef. :>
HI Jenn,
This was delicious. I added just a dash of cinnamon to the apples…think maybe a splash of bourbon next time may be delicious, too. This was couldn’t-stop-eating great!!
Hey Jen! My daughter has a dairy allergy. Would I be able to substitute oat or rice milk for the heavy cream and plant based butter for the regular butter? Thanks!
Hi Melissa, I think plant based butter should work. And You can use non-dairy milk — the sauce may not thicken, but you could whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water at the end.
Autumn perfection! The addition of the apple cider vinegar at the end makes the sauce perfectly balanced. I’ll definitely be making this again.
This recipe is a winner! The sauce is incredibly taste…just check seasonings at the end. A bit of salt and pepper kicked it up a notch. Family loved the flavors but not the slices of apple. When I make it again, I’ll julienne the apples first. That’s all! Another amazing recipe. Thanks!
Hi Jenn
I cannot wait to try this! Can I use chicken cutlets for this recipe?
Thank you so much
Melissa
Hi Melissa, you can but keep in mind that they are typically very thin, which means you’d need more of them and will have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don’t want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.
Delicious! A great blend of flavors. I’m sometimes not a fan of putting apples in a savory sauce, but this totally works with the sweetness of the cider. My husband and I cook more than the average family and everyone gets to rate all new recipes. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
I made this exactly as written this weekend, and it was a big hit with my family. I used Honeycrisp apples. It was not difficult at all, and I will definitely be adding it to Fall menus in the future. Thanks for such dependable, trustworthy recipes!
This is amazing. The whole family loved it. My husband wants to try it with pork next. Do you think pork would work?
Yep 🙂
I made this tonight and it is incredibly flavorful and delicious! It took a little work to put everything together but it was totally worth the work. I don’t have a 12 inch skillet so I used my 10 inch skillet. I cooked the chicken in 2 batches but was able to fit everything in the skillet in the final step. Definitely a winner snd I will make it again.
I want to serve this to guests but dont wan’t to be working in the kitchen while my husband entertains alone. How far ahead can I make this dish and how do you suggest keeping it warm/ reheating.
Thanks
Hi DD, I think you could get away with making this a few hours ahead of time and reheating. Some of the gravy may get absorbed as it sits so if necessary, you can add a bit more cream or broth when you reheat it. Alternatively, you can cook the dish to the point right before adding the chicken back to the pan. Refrigerate it and then proceed from there right before serving it. Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
I made this yesterday and it was a hit. A wonderful unique blend of flavours.
This is a beautiful Fall dish and so easy to make. Thank you Jen, it is another family favourite.
Made this last night and it was delicious! Simple ingredients that I already had on hand turned out so well and balanced. Only change was I used half and half instead of cream because that’s what I had. Excellent directions and the pictures were helpful to me because I was worried about over-boiling the cream and under-browning the chicken. Served this yummy chicken over brown rice blend with a simple green salad and my family raved about it. They’re always so happy when I’m making one of Jenn’s recipes for dinner!
Just made this last night. Super yummy and easy. I used Gala apples and it was delicious. Thanks again Jenn, for another amazing recipe. My 87 year old mother said it is now one of her all time favorites. A great New England comfort food dinner.
I only have peach cider. Do you think that would work in place of the apple cider?
Sure, I think that should be fine. 🙂
Made this last night, along with your recommended side of roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic and honey and everyone loved it! Served with crusty bread from the oven and finished the meal with your French Apple Cake (which was remarkably easy to make and SO good). Will definitely put this in rotation going forward – the flavors were amazing. Thank you for teaching us how to make this outstanding meal!
This landed in my inbox at the right time as I had just defrosted some chicken breasts, and yesterday a friend gave me a few bags of apples and onions from the garden. Personally I loved this. Sadly, my hubby and kids (5 and 6) did not. They’re in the “fruit should not be cooked in a main course” camp. But still, two thumbs up from the chef.
Absolutely brilliant, this is an amazing main course. Well done Jenn, a real home run. This is “company quality” right from the get go.
Another high-end comfort meal from you, Jenn! Made it exactly as written. Such depth of flavor with those creamy notes of a traditional fricassee but with a fruit-forward zing. Will absolutely make this again. Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was a great hit. Perfect fall dish served over egg noodles.
Thanks again for your wonderful recipes and advice.
JH
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. It was absolutely delicious! Thank you, Jenn. You are my go-to website for everything I cook. You never disappoint!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it! To keep the carbs down, could I dredge the chicken in super fine almond flour?
Sure, Alex – that should be fine. 🙂
I’m making this TONIGHT! I have chicken breasts and apples that need to be cooked and I just searched, “Chicken Breasts, Apples, Once Upon A Chef” hoping you had something and you do! You always do. Thanks.
I haven’t tried this recipe but would like to for company. Any suggestions on making this ahead of time?
Hi Linda, I think you could get away with making this a few hours ahead of time and reheating. Some of the gravy may get absorbed as it sits so if necessary, you can add a bit more cream or broth when you reheat it. Alternatively, you can cook the dish to the point right before adding the chicken back to the pan. Refrigerate it and then proceed from there right before serving it. Hope that helps!
This looks delicious can I make a few hours before?
Hi Chaya, I think you could get away with making this a few hours ahead of time and reheating. Some of the gravy may get absorbed as it sits so if necessary, you can add a bit more cream or broth when you reheat it. Alternatively, you can cook the dish to the point right before adding the chicken back to the pan. Refrigerate it and then proceed from there right before serving it. Hope that helps!
Lactose intolerance, what can I use instead of heavy cream? Also, wondered if apple juice would work instead of cider. Thanks, looks delish!
Hi Lynda, You could try coconut milk, and apple juice should work.
Jenn: what a beautiful recipe, I’ll be printing this out to make soon; great fall recipe.
Can I substitute non fat Greek yogurt for the cream?
Hi Susan, I think Greek yogurt would work, but I would just stir it in at the very end along with the apples (don’t let it boil). Also, you may not need the cider vinegar, as the Greek yogurt is tart. Hope that helps, and please LMK how it turns out if you try it this way!
Tried it the other night. Delicious! I used plain non fat Greek yogurt and left out the vinegar as you suggested. It was creamy and so tasty. The yogurt didn’t incorporate completely but that was probably because the pan was filled with chicken and apples which made it harder to stir in the yogurt. Another favorite Jenn recipe to add to the rotation. Thanks!
This sounds divine. Is there any way to turn it into a crockpot recipe?
Hi Joan, I don’t recommend making this in a crockpot, as the chicken needs very little time to cook. Sorry!
What would you recommend in place of the heavy cream to make the dish lighter? This looks delicious!
Hi Robin, You could use half & half or milk – the sauce may not thicken, but you could whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water at the end.
Sounds delicious but it’s a little high in fat…Can you recommend a substitute for the heavy cream? My doctor will thank you!!
Hi Geri, You could use half & half or milk – the sauce may not thicken, but you could whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water at the end.
Jen, I make a very similar recipe. My husband asks for it every fall. The only difference is that I soak the chicken in buttermilk overnight first. I am eager to try your recipe this weekend. By the way, I am really enjoying your new cookbook. Almost every page has a sticky note on it to mark a recipe I want to try. I keep the book on a completely different counter from where I am cooking so I don’t accidentally spill or splatter on it; it is such a beautiful book! Thank you!
❤️
Question: Many recipes call for a small, medium or large onion. For me it would be better if we could know the weight of the product to use. What’s your thought on this.
Thanks.
Hi Sunny, I don’t include the weight of onions because generally, a few ounces more or less won’t make a big difference in a recipe. If the amount of onion has a significant impact on the finished product, I’ll indicate the amount of chopped onions you’d need in cups and grams. Hope that clarifies!