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Easy Cassoulet

Easy Cassoulet - hearty and oh-so-filling French recipe made EASY. A one-pot meal loaded with beans, sausages, chicken, carrots and more cooked low and slow in a rich aromatic sauce topped with buttery garlicky breadcrumbs for added texture. Truly an elevated comfort food!
Course Main
Cuisine French
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 6 - 8
Calories 815kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  •  1 pound (453 g) dried great northern beans
  • 5-6 cups (1.1 -1.4 L) water
  • fresh herbs (2 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs oregano)
  • salt to taste
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • salt and pepper , to season chicken
  • 8 ounce (224 g) thick bacon , cut up
  • 12 ounce (336 g) sausage (smoked; about 4 pieces)
  • 1 medium onion , chopped 
  • 1 tablespoon (8 g) minced garlic
  • 2 celery sticks , diced (yields about 1 cup)
  • thyme
  • oregano
  • 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 large carrots , sliced thickly
  • 2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth
  • 1 cup (235 ml) white wine

Crumb Topping 

  • 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (8 g) minced garlic
  • 2 cups (100 g) bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Rinse beans and pick through and discard any foreign object. Add beans to a large pot cover with 3-4 inches of cold water. Cover and let sit overnight or 6 to 8 hours.
  • When ready to use drain the soaked beans rinse and add about  5-6 cups water, fresh herbs and salt. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes or until the beans are just barely tender.
  • Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F, if using the baking method.
  • Pat dry chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper or use poultry seasoning, if desired.
  • Place chicken skin side up in a skillet, Dutch oven OR oven safe pot/pan for about 3 minutes each side. Be very careful with the chicken; it shouldn’t burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add bacon, saute for a few minutes, then add sausage - cook until bacon is cooked through and crispy. Remove bacon and sausage, set aside.
  • There will be some bacon drippings left in the pan/pot. Add the onion, garlic, celery, thyme, bay leaves and oregano. Cook for 2- 3 minutes – stirring frequently.
  • Throw in can tomatoes, beans, carrots, chicken broth/or bean stock and white wine. 
  • Return bacon, sausages and chicken thighs to the cast iron pot, nestling them as evenly as possible among the beans.
  • Cover pot and  bring to a boil . Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stovetop Method

  • Let it simmer for  about 50 minutes or more , until chicken is cooked through and desired thickness of cassoulet has been reached.
  • Adjust thickness soup and flavor with broth, water and/ or salt. Discard bay leaves.
  • Meanwhile in a skillet over medium heat, add butter and garlic. Stir, then include breadcrumb and parsley, until crispy and fragrant. Remove and serve .Top cassoulet with breadcrumbs and serve warm.

Oven Method

  • Place pot  it in the oven, cover  and bake for about 45 minutes.
  • Remove the  pot from the oven, add breadcrumbs mixture. Return the dish to the oven to bake, uncovered for another 30-45 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with crusty French bread.

Notes

  1. A 5-6 quart Dutch oven or 12 inch Cast Iron would work for this dish.
  2. You may use canned white beans to replace the dry beans . Cook the sauce for about 30 minutes for adding the beans and placing it in the oven for about 30 minutes or less.
  3. A quicker way to soak beans is to place in a large pot, bring to a boil , turn off heat and let it soak until soft enough to cook. This may take 
  4. about 2 hours.
  5. You can  use cooked water from the cooked beans, to replace chicken stock or wine.
  6. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 815kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 1606mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3512IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 6mg