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Says Wikipedia, “…there are recipes for fricassee as far back as the earliest version of the medieval French cookbook Le Viandier, circa 1300. In 1490, it is first referred to specifically as “friquassee” in the print edition of Le Viandier.”

Roux:

4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped

Heat the olive oil until it gets hot. Then add flour. Whisk.

Whisk- pause-whisk-pause until the flour turns oak color…(do not burn flour or you will need to start over)

…Then add onions and sauté 10 minutes.

Add three cups of chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add 4 chicken thighs with bone and skin on and cook 30 minutes.  The fat in the skin adds a lot of flavor.  You can remove the skin later before serving.

Pinch of salt and pepper at this point.

Then add dumplings to pot and cook another 20 minutes and serve.  Adjust liquids by adding more chicken stock if necessary.

Dumpling Mix:
1 cup flour
1 egg
.5 cup milk
Pinch of salt

Hot Comfort Food on a very cold day.