Go Back
–+ servings
White Bean Chicken Confit Cassoulet

Cassoulet Confit of Chicken Thigh and Andouille Sausage

Martine Bertin-Peterson
Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine February 2016. Makes Four (4) quite generous servings, or plenty of leftovers.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 17 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
Servings 4 People

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Confit Chicken:

  • 1 ½ pounds Chicken Thighs skin-on bone-in
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 head of garlic cut crosswise
  • 2 large Shallots halved
  • 4 sprigs Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Juniper Berries
  • 1 cup olive oil

For the Cassoulet:

  • 1 large Onion chopped
  • 4 Garlic Cloves chopped
  • ½ of 14.5-oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
  • 4 cup (1½ dried) Cooked Large White Beans such as Tarbais
  • 1 cup Cooking liquid from the beans
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper freshly ground pepper
  • 2 large Andouille or other smoked sausages
  • 1 thick slice Sourdough Bread

Instructions
 

Chicken Confit

  • Preheat oven to 225°F.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a small Dutch oven or other heavy pot.
  • Arrange garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaves, and juniper berries around chicken; drizzle oil over.
  • Bring to a very low simmer over medium-low heat, cover, and transfer to oven.
  • Cook until meat is very tender, 2–2½ hours.
  • Let cool in oil (preferably overnight).
  • Cover and chill.

Cassoulet

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Heat ⅓ cup oil from chicken confit in a large skillet over medium.
  • Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10–12 minutes.
  • Squeeze garlic cloves from chicken confit from their skins into skillet and add tomatoes, crushing with your hands.
  • Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Add beans and their cooking liquid.
  • Skim off remaining fat from chicken confit and pour juices (about ½ cup) into skillet (reheat fat in pot just enough to loosen juices underneath if needed).
  • Bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer bean mixture to a 2–2½-qt. baking dish.
  • Nestle chicken into beans, leaving as much skin exposed as possible, then tuck sausage and shallots from confit chicken around.
  • Cook until chicken skin is very crisp and cassoulet is nicely browned, about 2 hours.
  • Pulse bread in a blender or food processor to medium-fine crumbs.
  • Toss crumbs in a small bowl with 1 Tbsp. oil from confit chicken (use remaining oil for sautéeing vegetables); season lightly with salt.
  • Top cassoulet with breadcrumbs and cook until they are golden brown, 20–25 minutes.

Notes

Do Ahead: Chicken can be cooked 3 days ahead.
Keyword Main Course
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!