A lower-calorie way to make Chicken Fricot
Chicken Fricot With Skinless Thighs—Keep the Dumplings Small and the Broth Clear
Skinless chicken thighs and teaspoon-size herb dumplings preserve the comfort of Acadian fricot while keeping one full bowl near 420 calories.
Fricot becomes heavy less from one ingredient than from proportions: too much chicken skin clouds the broth, and oversized dumplings absorb it. This pot keeps thighs for tenderness but removes the skin, then drops small dumplings late enough to remain light rather than turning the soup into dough.
What changes—and what stays
From conventional 550–750 kcal with skin-on chicken and large dumplings to 420 calories
Remove thigh skin, use 1 teaspoon oil, and portion the dumpling dough into 16 teaspoon-size pieces. A brief chicken sear leaves fond without rendering skin fat. Summer savory and onion lift that fond into the broth, while small dumplings cook through quickly without stealing all the liquid.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Remove thigh skin, use 1 teaspoon oil, and portion the dumpling dough into 16 teaspoon-size pieces | A brief chicken sear leaves fond without rendering skin fat. Summer savory and onion lift that fond into the broth, while small dumplings cook through quickly without stealing all the liquid. |
How the flavor stays
A brief chicken sear leaves fond without rendering skin fat. Summer savory and onion lift that fond into the broth, while small dumplings cook through quickly without stealing all the liquid.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Chicken thighs stay tender in a simmer and are often less costly than breast. Potatoes, carrots, onion, and a small flour dough turn the same pot into four complete meals.
Ingredients for 4
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 1 1/4 lb (560g)boneless skinless chicken thighs— 4 pieces
- 1 lb (450g)Yukon Gold potatoes— 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cups (260g)sliced carrots
- 1 cup (150g)diced onion
- 6 cups (1.4L)low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp (5g)canola oil
- 1 tspdried summer savory— or thyme
- 3/4 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- 3/4 cup (90g)all-purpose flour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 1/3 cup (80ml)1% milk
- 1 tbspchopped parsley
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Brown only the broad faces of the chicken
Season thighs. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high and sear 2 minutes per side; remove while raw inside. Do not chase an all-over crust.
Look for: Two broad golden faces leave brown fond, but no pool of rendered fat covers the pot.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Turn the fond into broth
Lower heat, cook onion 4 minutes, add savory for 20 seconds, then pour in 1 cup broth and scrape. Add remaining broth, chicken, potato, and carrot.
Look for: The bottom feels smooth under the spoon and the broth is golden rather than gray.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Simmer gently before making dough
Partly cover and simmer 25 minutes. Mix flour, baking powder, parsley, and milk just until no dry flour remains.
Look for: Chicken is cooked through, potatoes yield at the edge, and dumpling dough looks shaggy—not smooth or elastic.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Drop sixteen small dumplings
Use two teaspoons to drop 16 pieces over the simmer. Cover 7 minutes without lifting, uncover, and simmer 3 minutes more. Rest 5 minutes.
Look for: A centre dumpling is fluffy and dry inside, while enough clear broth still moves around the spoon.
Calories at the same serving size
189 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 4 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Store dumplings separately if possible because they continue absorbing broth. Freeze the chicken-and-vegetable base without dumplings.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Store dumplings separately if possible because they continue absorbing broth. Freeze the chicken-and-vegetable base without dumplings.
Frequently asked questions
What is summer savory?
It is a peppery herb strongly associated with Atlantic Canadian cooking. Thyme is a workable substitute, but the flavour will be different.
Can I use bone-in thighs?
Yes. Remove the skin, increase the simmer before dumplings, and weigh the edible cooked meat when estimating portions.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 1/4 lb (560g)
- Yukon Gold potatoes1 lb (450g)
- sliced carrots2 cups (260g)
- diced onion1 cup (150g)
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Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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