Easy Chicken Cassoulet

It's that time of year again, folks, and of course, I mean it's Bastille Day. Is there any better way to celebrate than by storming our hunger? Non. This dish is essentially a simplified and easy-to-make version of cassoulet, with inexpensive and relatively easily found ingredients. Along with some variants, it has become one of the most common and favorite meals in our house, where it is simply known as "beans." 

The basic formula lends itself to variation, substitutions, and experimentation for many bean-based dishes; the recipe here is really just a suggestion. Swapping the mustard for some garam masala and coconut milk puts an Asian spin on the dish, for example. Different meats (duck, of course, among others) or different types of beans can work well, too. If changing the bean type, you should be careful to stick with beans that hold their shape well after a long cooking time. Any type of kidney bean, as well as chickpeas fit the bill nicely.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced
• 1/2 tbs butter
• Olive oil
• 2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1/2 large lemon
• 1 sprig fresh parsley, removed from stem
• 1 bay leaf
• Herbes de Provence
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour or Wondra for thickening

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat a bit of olive oil on medium-high heat. Rub both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove from the pot and set aside. Add butter and more olive oil as needed. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and sausage. Cook the mixture until the vegetables become soft. Salt and pepper to your preference.

Next, add the chicken back in, along with the beans and chicken stock. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the pot, then stir in mustard, parsley, Herbes de Provence (a few good shakes), and bay leaf. Finally, add the thickening agent. If using Wondra, a few generous shakes is sufficient; if using flour, mix with water first. Stir thoroughly. I have also had some success with, in addition to the lemon juice, putting a piece of lemon rind in the pot before baking. I used the rind from a quarter of the lemon here. 

Ready to reduce

Put the pot in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. It is recommended to stir a few times and taste during baking. If the dish is not thickened to your liking after 1 hour of baking, you can remove the chicken and then reduce the liquid on the stovetop on high heat. I generally do this for at least 5 minutes. At the end, you should always be sure to taste and add salt or pepper if needed.