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This chicken fricassee for one is a creamy, French-inspired chicken dish made in one skillet with tender chicken, onions, garlic, tarragon, and peas. The chicken is browned in butter, then simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce for a satisfying meal that comes together in 30 minutes!
Featured Comment
“Wow! the flavors in this chicken dish are amazing…”
– Suzy
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: Simple steps and ready in under 30 minutes.
- Full of Flavor: Tender chicken in a creamy, herb-infused sauce.
- Customizable: Add vegetables, herbs, or spices to suit your taste.
- Scales Easily: Double the recipe for two servings.
I have to tell you, this chicken fricassee is one of my favorite comfort meals. It’s a classic French-style dish where tender pieces of chicken are browned in butter, then simmered in a creamy sauce made with onions, garlic, tarragon, and peas.
Everything comes together in one skillet, so the flavors blend beautifully while the chicken stays juicy. It feels special enough for a weekend dinner yet is simple enough to make any night of the week.
If you enjoy French cuisine, try our open-faced croque madame, single serving french onion soup, coq au vin for one, and small batch chocolate mousse made with the classic French method.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving chicken fricassee recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chicken Breast or Thigh: Use a 5–6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh. Both cuts cook quickly and stay tender. Leftover chicken? Use them to make chicken fajitas for one, jerk chicken for one, or chicken marsala for one.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth lets you control the salt level. Add more seasoning after cooking if needed. Use extra broth in carrot soup for one, a small mushroom casserole, or single serving risotto.
- Heavy Cream: Creates a smooth, creamy sauce that thickens as it simmers. Extra cream can be used in a small broccoli casserole, chicken divan for one, or banana pudding for one.
- Peas: Use thawed frozen or canned peas for color, sweetness, and texture. Extra peas can be added to chicken fried rice for one, single serving cottage pie, beef stew for one, or minty peas.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try these simple variations to customize your chicken fricassee to your taste.
- Mushroom Addition: Add shiitake, cremini, or portobello mushrooms for a deeper, earthier flavor.
- Include Potatoes: Stir in 1/4 cup diced potatoes to cook along with the chicken and peas for extra heartiness.
- Cheese Topping: Sprinkle shredded cheddar or Parmesan over the finished dish.
- Vegetarian Version: Replace chicken with tofu or tempeh.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
How To Make Chicken Fricassee
Follow these step-by-step instructions to make a single serving of chicken fricassee. For ingredient amounts and full details, see the recipe card below.
- Prep the Chicken: Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Season all sides with salt and pepper.
- Brown the Chicken: In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Cook the Aromatics: Add olive oil to the skillet. Stir in onions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add Broth and Seasoning: Pour in the chicken broth and add tarragon. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in heavy cream and peas. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve over a small batch of white rice, baked brown rice, homemade mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.
Expert Tips
- Read First: Go through the entire recipe before starting to avoid missed steps or surprises.
- Sear for Flavor: Brown the chicken well for a richer taste. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Keep Chicken on Hand: Frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts are convenient. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 25–30 minutes from start to finish, perfect for a quick weeknight meal
Let the chicken fricassee cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
Heavy cream gives the sauce its rich, silky texture. You can use a half-and half, but the sauce will be less thick and creamy.
Yes, everything is cooked in the same skillet, which helps the flavors come together and makes cleanup easier.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serving chicken fricassee or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chicken Fricassee For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt -divided
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ cup peas
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Season all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Add olive oil to the skillet. Stir in onions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add tarragon. Bring to a boil.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in heavy cream and peas. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Notes
- Read First: Go through the entire recipe before starting to avoid missed steps or surprises.
- Sear for Flavor: Brown the chicken well for a richer taste. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Keep Chicken on Hand: Frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts are convenient. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
hate cooked peas, think I could sub carrots?
Sure.
Another great recipe..Thks.
Tasted good. Had pre-made brown rice in refrigerator so heated it in microwave and served chicken over the rice. Sauce wasn’t as thick as I like so added a little slurry of flour/water and after cooking a few more minutes it was just right. Your recipes are easy and good.
Great recipe as usual but made 2 little changes. Changed the peas (absolutely hate peas!) to diced frozen green beans; and used 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Chicken base in 1 cup of water instead of chicken broth. And then of course being Irish – severed it over mashed potatoes. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
The flavors in this dish are amazing. The rice for me was a bit too crunchy, I like a softer texture. How do I do this in the oven? My sauce was on the soupy side, is it surpossed to be that way, if not how do I thicken it??
I too, learned this recipe from Julia Child (Books). This version for “one” is delicious!
Thank you, Colleen. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.