flipMary Todd's Chicken Fricassee
Mary Todd's Chicken Fricassee
Why this dish? Chicken fricassee served over biscuits was said to be Abraham Lincoln's favorite dish, prepared by his wife Mary Todd Lincoln for entertaining in Springfield. It was the special-occasion meal in an otherwise frugal household.
Chicken browned then simmered in its own thickened juices, ladled over buttermilk biscuits (beaten biscuits). A comforting, hearty dish reserved for guests and Sundays.
Mrs. Lincoln keeps this recipe from her Kentucky family, and I tell you I have never found a more welcoming table. She browns the chicken until it's a fine color, then lets it take its time in the sauce while the biscuits bake. When guests arrive in Springfield, we set it all out steaming, and for one evening I forget the worries of the law. A good dish, you see, loosens tongues better than a long speech.
- •Farm chicken, cut into pieces — one chicken (meat)
- •Wheat flour — enough to coat (browning and thickening)
- •Butter and lard — as needed (cooking)
- •Broth or water — to cover (sauce)
- •Milk or cream — a little (creaminess)
- •Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Mary Todd's Chicken Fricassee
Chicken browned then simmered in its own thickened juices, ladled over buttermilk biscuits (beaten biscuits). A comforting, hearty dish reserved for guests and Sundays.
Why this dish? Chicken fricassee served over biscuits was said to be Abraham Lincoln's favorite dish, prepared by his wife Mary Todd Lincoln for entertaining in Springfield. It was the special-occasion meal in an otherwise frugal household.
Mrs. Lincoln keeps this recipe from her Kentucky family, and I tell you I have never found a more welcoming table. She browns the chicken until it's a fine color, then lets it take its time in the sauce while the biscuits bake. When guests arrive in Springfield, we set it all out steaming, and for one evening I forget the worries of the law. A good dish, you see, loosens tongues better than a long speech.
Ingredients (period version)
- Farm chicken, cut into pieces — one chicken (meat)
- Wheat flour — enough to coat (browning and thickening)
- Butter and lard — as needed (cooking)
- Broth or water — to cover (sauce)
- Milk or cream — a little (creaminess)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks — 6 pieces (meat)
- Flour — 4 tbsp (coating and thickening)
- Butter — 40 g (cooking)
- Chicken broth — 400 ml (sauce)
- Heavy cream — 100 ml (creaminess)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
- Brown chicken in butter in a Dutch oven on all sides. Set aside.
- Sprinkle remaining flour into the fat, stir for 1 min, then whisk in broth.
- Return chicken to pot, cover, and simmer over low heat for 35 to 40 min.
- Stir in cream, adjust seasoning.
- Serve ladled over split buttermilk biscuits (or plain scones if unavailable).
How it was made : In the 19th century, this dish was served with beaten biscuits: a yeast-free dough beaten with a mallet for aeration, a tradition from the Southern kitchens where Mary Todd grew up. The sauce, simply thickened with flour and milk, reflects a well-to-do but not luxurious household.
The contemporary twist : Plate the chicken on an open-faced biscuit, sprinkled with chives, like a Springfield-inspired brunch.
Sources : Rae Katherine Eighmey, Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen, Smithsonian Books, 2014 · Mary Todd Lincoln, Kentucky family recipes (transmitted tradition)
Abraham Lincoln · Charactorium