Midweek Cassoulet

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breast halves
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb thick slab bacon, sliced into large lardons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup wine
• 2 cups cooked northern beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tomato, sliced very thinly
• garlic breadcrumbs
• 1 baguette, sliced, for serving

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. rinse and dry the chicken well and season with salt and pepper. let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• 2 in a large dutch oven, over medium-low heat, add the bacon and slowly render the fat. remove the bacon to a plate when crispy, leaving the fat in the pan. raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, skin side down. brown the chicken on both sides and then remove to a plate. add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. deglaze the pan with wine and reduce by half. stir in the beans, bay leaf and thyme. nestle the chicken breast and bacon into the pot. add the chicken stock, cover and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. remove from the oven, remove the lid and top the cassoulet with sliced tomatoes and the garlic bread crumbs. return to the oven and bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer. serve the cassoulet with baguette slices.