A humble, comforting Acadian chicken stew simmered with potatoes and onions, crowned with dumplings. The defining seasoning is summer savory, which gives it its unmistakable flavor. Considered the national dish of Acadie.
Acadian fricot is considered the national dish of Acadie, a humble chicken stew that fed families through exile, resettlement and long winters. It is simmered slowly with potatoes and onions and crowned with dumplings (grand-pères). The defining seasoning is summer savory, sarriette, which gives fricot its characteristic flavor and is grown in every Acadian garden. Strongly tied to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Acadian culture, the dish has French 18th-century roots and is a staple of Acadian family meals.
A clear, light, deeply savory broth with tender chicken and soft potatoes, the summer savory threading a green, peppery, almost thyme-like note through everything, a soft dumpling soaking it up. Eaten with bread, it is restorative, mild and homey.
The chicken is simmered whole or jointed with onions and water until tender, building a clear, light broth. Potatoes are added and cooked until soft. Summer savory is the defining herb, added generously; it gives fricot its characteristic flavor and no substitute works. The dumplings (grand-pères) are dropped on top and steamed covered in the last minutes, so they puff and soak up the broth. The long, gentle simmer keeps the broth clear.
Variations
A salt-pork version adds diced salt pork for richness. A rabbit fricot uses wild rabbit.
On the Palate
Where Acadian Fricot sits in the Canadian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
6 steps · 25 min
- 15 min
Joint 1 chicken (about 1.5kg); place in a pot with 2 litres water, 2 chopped onions, 1 tsp salt and a generous handful of summer savory.
- 218 min
Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer covered 45 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Watch outSkim and keep it at a gentle simmer — a hard boil clouds the broth, and fricot is meant to be clear and light.
- 310 min
Add 4 diced potatoes; simmer 20 minutes until soft.
- 45 min
For the dumplings, mix 150g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt and 80ml milk to a soft dough; drop spoonfuls on top of the stew.
- 515 min
Cover tightly and steam 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked.
Watch outCover tightly and steam the dumplings 15 minutes without lifting the lid — peek and the escaping steam leaves them dense and raw.
- 64 min
Taste for salt, ladle into bowls with a dumpling each, and serve hot.
Archive tool suggestions — not reviewed
These legacy suggestions have not been evidence-reviewed and are not presented as required tools.
