Country Cassoulet
Submitted by cocook
A rustic American cassoulet with navy beans, browned chicken legs, crispy bacon, and smoked sausage baked in a tomato and herb broth. Hearty French-inspired comfort food for 4 to 6.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
2 hrsREADY
4 hrsYou don’t need to be in the French countryside to make a proper cassoulet. This country version delivers the same layered, slow-baked satisfaction with ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Navy beans soak and simmer in chicken broth until they’re creamy but still hold their shape.
Chicken legs browned in bacon drippings nestle on top of the beans with carrots, onions, tomatoes, garlic, marjoram, sage, and whole cloves.
Smoked sausage goes in for the last 30 minutes uncovered, letting the top develop a golden crust while the sausage renders its smoky fat into the beans below.
The whole thing takes about four hours, but the hands-on time is minimal. The oven does the heavy lifting.
Pro Tips
- Brown the chicken in the reserved bacon drippings. That layered fat builds flavor you can’t get any other way
- The quick-soak method (boil 2 minutes, rest 1 hour) saves you the overnight soak and works just as well
- Keep the beans submerged in liquid as they bake. Add a splash of broth if the top dries out before the beans are tender
- That final 30 minutes uncovered is what gives you the signature crusty top. Don’t skip it
Ingredients
Directions
In a large skillet, combine water, beans, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Cover and let soak for 1 hour.
Add chicken broth; cover and cook 1 hour. Meanwhile, fry bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon and reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
Brown chicken; set aside. In a 3-qt. casserole, mix beans and cooking liquid, bacon, carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, garlic, marjoram and sage.
Sprinkle with cloves; top with chicken. Cover and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 1 hour.
Add sausage. Uncover; bake about 30 minutes more or until beans are tender.
Discard bay leaf. Garnish with chopped.
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