Not too heavy, not too light, Curtis Stone’s chicken cassoulet is just right

August 11, 2023

Curtis Stone’s chicken cassoulet with fennel and bacon is a great winter warmer. William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4

Few dishes are better suited for warming you up on a cold night than cassoulet, a slow-cooked casserole from south-western France. My version is much lighter than the original, but it is just as satisfying. Fresh herbs, bacon and a pecorino breadcrumb topping kick the flavour up a notch.

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in, excess fat removed
2 tsp olive oil
4 slices streaky bacon, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cut into 1cm pieces
1 carrot, cut into 1cm pieces
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
250ml (1 cup) reduced-salt chicken stock
400g can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
45g (¾ cup) fresh breadcrumbs
45g (½ cup) freshly grated pecorino cheese

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional).
Step 2
Coat the chicken pieces with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a large rimmed baking tray and roast for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and barely pink at bone when pierced with the tip of a small sharp knife and much of their fat has been rendered. Remove from the oven; leave oven on.
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until crisp. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the fennel and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, garlic and ground fennel seeds, and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the stock and beans.
Step 4
Transfer the bean mixture to a 32x23x5cm baking dish. Nestle the chicken pieces into the beans.
Step 5
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and pecorino to blend. Sprinkle most of the breadcrumb mixture over the beans (don’t worry if the crumbs soak up some of the juices) and the rest over the chicken.
Step 6
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the bean mixture is bubbling all over and the breadcrumb topping is crisp and golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Tips and tricks

Make ahead

The cassoulet can be assembled (unbaked) without breadcrumb topping up to 4 hours ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over the cassoulet just before baking. Allow a bit more time when baking from cold.

Take the chill off

“Tempering” meat is a fancy term for bringing meat to room temperature before cooking. This step is often overlooked, but it’s essential for any cut of meat – small or big. Meat that is cooked straight from the refrigerator will cook unevenly. Take the meat out of the fridge half an hour or so before cooking and keep it covered.

Layer on the flavour

This isn’t a “throw everything in the pot” recipe. We build layer upon layer of flavour by cooking the chicken, bacon and vegetables separately. It’s a bit more work, but it’s a labour of love.

Is it done yet?

How do you know your chicken is done? Second to their chef’s knife, a kitchen thermometer is a must-have in a chef’s kitchen arsenal. If you don’t have a thermometer, don’t fret. If you insert a knife into the thickest part of the chicken and the juices run clear, then you’re good to go.

A meat thermometer is essential kitchen kit.

Let it rest

Resting meat is a crucial step to allow the juices of the meat – which were being forced to the centre of the meat while cooking – to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in flavourful and juicy meat. A good rule of thumb: Rest a piece of meat for a quarter of the time it was cooked.

Keep it simple

While my version is much lighter than the traditional cassoulet, it’s still hearty. Pair it with a simple green salad with a tart vinaigrette to cut through the richness.