What does fricassee mean?
A fricassee is a classic French-style dish in which meat — most often chicken, though veal, lamb, or even rabbit may be used — is cut into pieces, lightly browned in fat, and then braised slowly in a liquid that typically yields a smooth, pale sauce enriched with cream or egg yolks. Unlike a standard stew, where ingredients are simmered together from the outset, a fricassee occupies a middle ground between sautéing and braising, giving the meat a delicate texture and the sauce its distinctive light color. The word functions as both a noun for the finished dish and a verb describing the method of preparation. Though the term sounds antique to modern ears, it remains a fixture of traditional cuisine, appearing on menus from New Orleans Creole kitchens to French bistros. Its enduring appeal lies in comfort: a fricassee is homely, warming fare, refined by technique rather than by exotic ingredients.
A dish consisting of pieces of meat (traditionally chicken or veal) that are sautéed and then stewed in a white or light sauce, often containing mushrooms, onions, or herbs.
"The bistro's menu featured a velvety veal fricassee with morel mushrooms."
Usually used with 'of' plus the meat named (e.g. 'a fricassee of chicken'), or with the meat as a modifier ('chicken fricassee').
To prepare meat by cutting it into pieces, sautéing it briefly, and then stewing it in a light sauce.
"You can fricassee the rabbit with white wine and thyme for a tender result."
The plural follows the standard English -s pattern; the accented French plural 'fricassées' also appears in culinary writing.
"The cookbook devotes an entire chapter to fricassees of game birds."
Abraham Lincoln was so fond of chicken fricassee that it's said to have been one of his favorite dishes — a humble French stew fit for a president.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fricassee
Fricassee entered English in the early seventeenth century, borrowed from French 'fricassée'. The French word's ultimate origin remains debated: it may combine 'frire' (to fry), from Latin 'frigere', with 'casser' (to break or cut up), suggesting a cooking process of frying broken or cut pieces of meat. It has close cousins across European cuisines, including related French preparations and dishes such as the Caribbean and Acadian 'fricot', underscoring how widely this hybrid fry-then-stew technique spread.
How fricassee is actually used
The term is somewhat old-fashioned today but persists on classic restaurant menus and in traditional cookery. The spelling 'fricassée' with an accent is common when referring to the French original; in English usage both forms appear. As a verb, 'fricassee' is far less common than its noun use.
Easily confused with fricassee
A ragout is a rich, thick stew of meat and vegetables cooked slowly from the start, whereas a fricassee involves first sautéing the meat and then stewing it, typically in a lighter, often cream-colored sauce.