Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. In a large, deep skillet with a lid, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Add the drumsticks to the pan and brown them as best you can (3 sides for about 2 minutes each). Transfer the drumsticks to the plate with the thighs.
PREP THE MUSHROOM SAUCE:
Add the mushrooms, onion, bay leaf and thyme to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are lightly golden. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, chicken broth, salt and pepper and stir, scraping the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the sauce.
SIMMERING:
Return the chicken, skin-side up to the pan with the sauce. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, adjust the heat so it's bubbling gently (medium-low should do it). Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid and let the fricassee simmer for 20 more minutes. The chicken will be cooked with the meat's internal temperature reaches 165℉.
FINISH UP AND SERVE:
Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the sauce in the pan. Stir the cream into the sauce. Once the sauce comes back up to a simmer, taste it and add more salt if desired. Return the chicken to the sauce, then remove the pan from the stove. Sprinkle with parsley (if using) and serve. Traditionally fricassee is served over creamy mashed potatoes or white rice and with steamed vegetables.
Notes
The chicken needs to be skin-on, bone-in thighs and leg pieces so they don't overcook and dry out.
To make this recipe non-alcoholic, it's okay to replace the wine with chicken broth.