Hühnerfrikassee is one of those cozy German staple meals that just hits the spot on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It’s creamy, lemony, full of tender chicken and vegetables, and served over rice to soak up all that delicious sauce.
And the leftovers? So good.
This is also a great meal to make ahead or freeze for one of those days when you just want dinner to magically happen without work. And you can make it using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to dramatically cut down cook time.
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What Is Hühnerfrikassee?
Hühnerfrikassee is a classic German chicken stew made with tender chicken, vegetables and a creamy, light sauce made with lemon, white wine and capers.
For this version, I use portabella mushrooms, snap peas, carrots and green asparagus. But this recipe is very flexible, so use what looks good or what you already have. Peas, cauliflower, green beans and even fresh spinach would all work beautifully.
Add some steamed rice as the base and you have the kind of meal that makes you want to stay home, light a candle and hide under a blanket afterward.
The Easiest Way to Make Hühnerfrikassee
I use my Instant Pot to cook the chicken and broth while I prep the vegetables and sauce on the stovetop.
It means I can have dinner ready in about an hour, even when starting with a frozen whole chicken.
I really should use my Instant Pot more often because it is kind of a magician.
No Instant Pot? No Problem.
You can also cook the chicken in a 6- to 10-quart pot on the stovetop.
Plan on about:
- 3 to 4 hours for a frozen chicken
- Around 2 hours for a fresh chicken
- Or simply cook until the meat is very tender and you can easily remove a leg
And if you want to make this even easier, skip cooking the whole chicken altogether and use the meat from one rotisserie chicken instead.
That shortcut makes Hühnerfrikassee such a good weeknight dinner.
How Long to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
This was honestly the part I found most intimidating when I first started using my Instant Pot: figuring out how long to cook a whole chicken.
My small 3-pound frozen chicken took about 40 minutes to become fall-off-the-bone tender.
Here is a helpful general guide for whole chickens:
For a 6-quart Instant Pot:
- 3-pound chicken: 50 minutes frozen or 18 minutes fresh
- 4-pound chicken: 60 minutes frozen or 24 minutes fresh
- 5-pound chicken: 70 minutes frozen or 30 minutes fresh
For an 8-quart Instant Pot:
- 4-pound chicken: 40 minutes frozen or 18 minutes fresh
- 5-pound chicken: 50 minutes frozen or 24 minutes fresh
- 6-pound chicken: 60 minutes frozen or 30 minutes fresh
I originally found this helpful cooking-time chart on ifoodreal.
Natural Pressure Release
For this recipe, let the Instant Pot naturally release its pressure.
That simply means leaving the valve sealed and waiting until the pressure pin drops on its own.
Natural release can take around 15 minutes for a 6-quart Instant Pot and up to 40 minutes for an 8-quart version.
Keep in mind that the chicken continues cooking during that time too.
Watch the Instant Pot Max Line
With the liquid in this recipe and my 3-pound chicken, my 6-quart Instant Pot was already getting close to the Max line.
Because of that, I would stick with a chicken around 4 pounds or smaller when using a 6-quart Instant Pot.
If your chicken is larger, simply reduce the amount of added water so you stay below the Max line.
You will end up with extra homemade chicken broth from this recipe anyway, which is definitely not a bad problem to have.
Can You Make Hühnerfrikassee Ahead?
Absolutely.
In fact, I think this is one of those meals that makes especially good leftovers.
You can make the Hühnerfrikassee ahead and reheat it gently when you're ready to eat. I also love freezing portions for busy weeks, rainy days or those evenings when nobody wants to think about dinner.
I recommend making the rice fresh when serving.
More Cozy German Recipes
If you're craving more warming German food, try my lentil soup. You can even top it with Spätzle for a version inspired by my Oma's lentils with Spätzle.
For something completely different, try my German Coast-inspired gumbo with Andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp. It is so good.
And if you love cooking and baking German food at home, subscribe here so you don't miss my newest recipes.
The BEST German Chicken Stew Instant Pot (Hühnerfrikassee)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken & Broth
- 2 kilo whole chicken I used a 3 pound chicken this time and it worked just fine. Make sure to adjust cooking times using the cooking chart I posted. No time to cook a whole chicken? Just skip this step and use a cooked rotisserie chicken instead!
- 2 liters water
- 1 lemon peel including white pith cut away to avoid bitterness
- 1 yellow onion peeled and cut in half
- 2 tomatoes diced
- garden herbs I used parsley and sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Veggies & Sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 125 milliliters cream
- 1 kilo seasonal veggies I used green asparagus, heirloom carrots, snap peas, carrots and sliced mushrooms)
- 30 grams butter for roux, plus more for sautéing veggies
- 15 grams flour for roux
- 125 milliliters dry Riesling I used Affentaler Riesling
- 1 small jar capers
- salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the chicken and stock, combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an Instant Pot. Add the gasket, seal the lid and cook over high pressure for the recommended cooking time (for a 4 pound frozen chicken in a 6-quart Instant Pot, that's 60 minutes for frozen and 24 minutes for fresh).If you don't own an Instant Pot, combine all ingredients in a stockpot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for four hours. To test if the chicken is ready, pull off a leg (if it comes off with ease, you're good to go!2 kilo whole chicken, 2 liters water, 1 lemon, 1 yellow onion, 2 tomatoes, garden herbs, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Strain the stock, allow the chicken to rest, and slightly cool off for 10 minutes, then pull the meat off the bones and cut or tear into bite-sized pieces. Store any leftover stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- In the meantime, prep the veggies by cutting them into bite-size pieces. Sauté the veggies in some butter in a deep skillet or a large pot and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate.1 kilo seasonal veggies
- Add the 2 tablespoon of butter for the roux to the same pot or skillet and melt on medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, then gradually add in 4 cups of chicken broth, cup after cup, to avoid lumps from forming. Bring to a boil while constantly whisking, until the sauce has thickened.30 grams butter, 15 grams flour
- Add in wine and capers. Whisk together the egg yolks and cream and add into the sauce.125 milliliters cream, 125 milliliters dry Riesling, 1 small jar capers, 2 egg yolks
- Finally, stir in the veggies and chicken, allow to heat back up, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with parsley.salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice
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