Chef John’s Quick Cassoulet

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Description

We’ve taken some short cuts to make a quick version of the French classic, cassoulet. Chicken thighs replace the classic, and time-consuming, duck confit; canned beans replace dried; and bacon serves as a convenient substitute for other, more involved smoked pork options.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 8 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
  • 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
  • 1 onion, diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
  • cayenne pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

  1. Add bacon to a large
  2. cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes
  3. until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl
  4. reserving the grease in the pan.
  5. Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes
  6. until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil
  7. but don’t wipe out the pan.
  8. Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes
  9. until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
  10. Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl
  11. stir all the beans into the pan.
  12. Stir in cayenne
  13. rosemary and thyme. Add reserved meat back to the pan. Stir in remaining cup of stock or more if needed to cover. Return to simmer.
  14. Mix bread crumbs
  15. Parmigiano-Reggiano and melted butter together in a small bowl.
  16. Preheat the oven’s broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
  17. Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes
  18. until browned.
  19. Remove the pan and push bread crumbs down into the cassoulet. Top with remaining bread crumb mixture. Return to oven and continue broiling 5 more minutes
  20. until browned.
  21. Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins

Servings: 4

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