Chicken Fricassée With Creamy Sweet-And-Sour Dill Sauce

Posted for ZWT6 Scandinavia leg of tour. Traditional Scandinavian fare, this rich stew is comfort food at its best — think chicken potpie without the crust. Boiled potatoes are the perfect starch to balance the sweet carrots and parsnips.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  quarts water
• 6  large chicken thighs (with skin and bones, about 2 3/4 lb total)
• 4  sprigs fresh thyme
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  whole  white peppercorns
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1  lb carrot, peeled and halved, sliced into thirds
• 1  lb parsnip, peeled and halved, sliced into thirds
• 1  onion, halved
• 1  celery rib, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
• 3  garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  whole milk
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1  tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 2⁄3 cup  chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Place thighs in water and bring to a boil in a 6-qt heavy pot. Skim froth frequently.
2. Add thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add carrots, parsnips, onion, celery and garlic.
4. Simmer until carrots and parsnips are tender.
5. Using a slotted spoon, move carrots and parsnips to a bowl.
6. Continue to cook chicken until tender, 10-15 additional minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer chicken to a bowl.
7. Strain broth through a fine sieve into another large bowl.
8. Chill the broth until the fat solidifies and rises to the top. This will take between 3 or 4 hours.
9. Cool chicken until cool enough to handle. Remove skin, bones and other solids and as much fatty parts of chicken as you can. Chill the chicken, carrots and parsnips until fat from the broth has solidified.
10. Reserve 1/4 cup of solidified fat from broth. Melt fat in a wide 4-quart dutch oven over low heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Make sure not to brown the roux. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.
11. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups. This should take 30 to 45 minutes or longer.
12. Add milk and cream, simmer until reduced to about 3 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in chicken, add potatoes and parsnips. Add remaining salt (to taste), vinegar and sugar. Stir gently being careful to not break up vegetables, until heated through. Stir in the dill and serve.