Manu Feildel's Chicken Fricassee: French Comfort Food in 15 Minutes

The MKR judge signature dish, delivered to your door.

Manu Feildel has spent three decades making French food accessible to Australians. First through his restaurants. Then through My Kitchen Rules, where he judged home cooks attempting the food he had spent a lifetime mastering. Now through Providoor, where his Classic Chicken Fricassee has become one of the most popular dishes on the menu.

4.6 stars. Customers ordering it again and again.

Who Is Manu Feildel?

Born in France, trained in French kitchens, and living in Australia since the late 1990s. Manu became one of the most recognisable chefs in the country through his role as co-host and judge on My Kitchen Rules. But before television, he ran restaurants. His food has always been about making classic French technique approachable without dumbing it down.

The Dish: Classic Chicken Fricassee

Price: $29, serves 2
Rating: 4.6 stars
Pair with: Manu Pomme Puree ($13, serves 2)

A chicken fricassee is one of the foundational dishes of French home cooking. Chicken pieces braised in a creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms and herbs. The kind of dish French families have been making for generations, and the kind Australian home cooks find intimidating to attempt.

Manu version is rich, creamy, and deeply flavourful. The chicken is tender. The sauce coats everything beautifully. And when you pair it with his pomme puree (silky smooth mashed potato in the French tradition), it becomes one of those meals where nobody talks for the first five minutes because they are too busy eating.

Why This Dish Works So Well as a Frozen Meal

French braises and stews are arguably the best cuisine for the premium frozen format. The creamy sauce protects the chicken during flash-freezing at minus 18 degrees Celsius. The flavours have already developed during the cooking process. When you reheat, you are eating it at the exact point Manu intended.

Compare that to trying to freeze a steak or a piece of grilled fish. Those textures suffer. A fricassee thrives.

How to Serve It

Defrost: Move from freezer to fridge the night before.

Reheat: Oven or stovetop, following the instructions on the pack.

Plate: Wide bowls. Fricassee in the centre, pomme puree alongside. A sprinkle of fresh parsley if you have it.

Elevate it: Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. A glass of Chardonnay or light Pinot Noir.

Time from fridge to table: About 15 minutes.

Pair with Manu Pomme Puree ($13, serves 2) for the complete French experience.

The Value Equation

A chicken fricassee at a French restaurant in Sydney or Melbourne: $38 to $45 per serve, plus sides, plus drinks.

Manu Providoor version: $14.50 per serve. Add the pomme puree and it is $21 per serve for the complete dish. Dinner for two with wine and bread from the shops: under $60. The same experience at a restaurant: over $150.

Who Orders This

The weeknight upgrader. People tired of the same rotation who want something genuinely special on a Tuesday night without the effort.

The dinner party host. Paired with a Providoor entree and Anna Polyviou dessert, this becomes the main course of a three-course French dinner at home.

The MKR fan. People who watched Manu judge food for years and want to taste what he actually cooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same recipe Manu serves in restaurants?
Developed by Manu specifically for the Providoor format. Same standards, optimised for flash-freezing and reheating.

Can I cook it from frozen?
Defrosting in the fridge overnight gives the best results. The cream sauce reheats more evenly from a defrosted state.

How long does it last in the freezer?
Up to 12 months. Check the best-before date on the label.

Order Manu Feildel Chicken Fricassee at Providoor. $29, serves two. See the full Providoor mains range for more from Manu and seven other celebrity chefs.