Acadian Chicken Fricot (Fricot au poulet)

Recipe inspired from A Taste of Acadie, by Marielle Cormier-Boudreau and Melvin Gallant

This is by far the most popular fricot in Acadia. For important social occasions, such as frolics and corvées, a chicken was killed to make a big fricot. Even today, most Acadian families still make this delicious dish.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• 2 tbsp. (30 ml) butter
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 tbsp. (15 ml) flour
• 12 cups (3 L) water
• 1 tbsp. (15 ml) summer savoury
• 5 cups (1.25 L) diced potatoes
• 2 cups (500 ml) carrots, sliced (optional, to taste)
• 1 cup (250 ml) celery, chopped (optional, to taste)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cut the chicken into large pieces and brown them in butter, making sure that all sides are golden brown.
2. Remove the chicken and sauté the onion in the butter.
3. Add the flour and sauté the onion for another 1 - 2 minutes.
4. Add the water, the chicken, salt, pepper and summer savoury. Simmer the mixture until the chicken is tender (about a half hour).
5. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery. Cook for another 20 minutes.

Variation:

Pâtes (see recipe below) are frequently added to fricot. When using pâtes, omit the flour from the traditional recipe, and add the dumplings to the fricot about 7 minutes before the fricot is ready to be served, taking care not to uncover the pot while the dumplings are cooking.

PÂTES

1. In a bowl, mix 1 cup (250 ml) of flour with ½ tsp. (3 ml) of salt and 1 tbsp. (15 ml) of baking powder.
2. Gradually add ½ cup (125 ml) of cold water.
3. Drop the mixture into the fricot or pot-en-pot a spoonful at a time.
4. Cover and simmer for 7 minutes.