Chicken Cassoulet With Crisp Breadcrumb Topping Recipes

SLOW COOKER CASSOULET WITH CRUMB TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place bread crumbs in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered until crumbs are lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 8-12 minutes. Set aside., Combine the remaining ingredients in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, about 7 hours. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in 3/4 cup bread crumbs. Top individual servings with remaining bread crumbs. If desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

CHEF JOHN'S QUICK CASSOULET

Steps:

• Add bacon to a large, cold oven-ready skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, until almost crisp. Transfer to a bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.
• 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.
• 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.
• Mash about 1/4 of the beans in a small bowl, stir all the beans into the pan.
• 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.
• 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.
• Sprinkle the cassoulet with half the bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.
• 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.
• Turn off the broiler and leave in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy.

SAUSAGE, CHICKEN, AND WHITE-BEAN GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together breadcrumbs, cheese, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon sage, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper; set aside.
• Cook bacon in a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Brown chicken all over in fat in pot, about 6 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate. Cook sausage in pot, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.
• Add garlic and onion to pot; cook stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine, and deglaze pot by scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in chicken, sausage, beans, tomatoes, and stock; the remaining teaspoon each rosemary and thyme; the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage and 2 tablespoons parsley; and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top; pat down with a wooden spoon.
• Cover pot; transfer to oven. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Crumble reserved bacon on top. Let cool slightly before serving.

CHICKEN CASSOULET

Steps:

• Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet with an ovenproof handle, over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to med-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and add it to the skillet, skin side down; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Turn the chicken and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the onion (about 1 C). Finely chop the rosemary (about 1 1/2 t) and the thyme (about 1 1/2 t). Combine the rosemary and thyme in a bowl. Press the garlic (about 1 T plus 1 t) into the bowl. Rinse and drain the beans then mash 1 C of the beans into a separate small bowl with a fork.Set the rest of the whole beans aside. Cut the kielbasa in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/2 inch thick pieces.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and drain off all but 1 T of the fat from the skillet. Reduce heat to med-low and add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until it has softened. Add the herb and garlic mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer over low heat until it has reduced by half.
• Return the chicken to the skillet along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add the kielbasa, chicken stock, both the mashed beans and the whole beans and the mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken has just cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, preheat the broiler.
• Toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 T olive oil. Remove the lid from the skillet and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Put the skillet under the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source, and broil for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the crumbs are golden. When you serve the cassoulet, sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs over each serving.