Chef John's Quick Cassoulet
Description
This meaty cassoulet recipe makes a quick and tasty version of the French classic with chicken thighs, smoked sausage, canned white beans, and crispy bacon.
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 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
•
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
•
cayenne pepper to taste
•
1/4 cup melted butter
•
1 cup bread crumbs
•
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
1
Gather the ingredients.
2
Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
3
Stir in sausage slices; cook 3-4 minutes. Add chicken thigh pieces; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove meat to the plate with bacon. Discard all the oil, but don't wipe out the pan.
4
Add chopped onion and turn the heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
5
Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
6
Stir in cayenne, 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.
7
Mix bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and melted butter together in a small bowl. Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 7 inches from the heat source.
8
Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
9
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, until browned.
10
Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.