If you’ve ever wondered what the French actually make at home, this Chicken Cassoulet is just the sort of thing! It is JB‘s easy take on classic French cassoulet, swapping duck confit and Toulouse sausages for chicken, and dried beans for canned. Gorgeously cosy, rustic, and hearty. I’m completely besotted!
JB’s Chicken Cassoulet
I know this might shock you, but believe it or not, the French aren’t whipping up Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Vin and fancy soufflés every night of the week! Just like us, they want delicious dinners that don’t take hours to make. And today’s Chicken Cassoulet is just the sort of thing JB tells me French families actually cook at home on Monday nights.
Inspired by the French classic cassoulet, JB has traded the duck confit and Toulouse sausages for chicken and bacon, and skipped the overnight bean soaking in favour of canned beans. But he’s kept all the things that make cassoulet so wonderful – tender meat, creamy beans, the crunchy topping (LOVE THIS!) and a beautiful tomato-based sauce that rich with wine and herbs.
Plus, he gets bonus points for making it a complete meal – protein, starch and a surprising amount of vegetables (tomato, onion and carrots!).
Ingredients In JB’s Chicken Cassoulet
Here’s what you need to make this chicken and bean casserole.
1. The chicken and bacon
Boneless chicken thighs – Using boneless chicken thighs makes the baking time so quick (just 20 minutes), putting this within reach midweek. To use chicken breast, you’ll need to cook it through on the stove, then bake the beans without the chicken (else it will overcook), then pop it back on just at the end for the grilling/broiling part.
Bacon – It’s best to use streaky bacon as the dish relies on the fat from the bacon to cook the chicken. Extra flavour! If you use lean bacon, you might need to add a bit of extra oil to brown the chicken.
2. FOR THE CASSOULET
Cannellini beans – Traditional cassoulet is made with dried Tarbais or Lingot beans which are slow cooked with the meat. For this easy version, JB uses canned cannellini beans. Much faster to just crack open cans than soaking overnight and slow cooking! 🙂 Feel free to use other beans, like kidney beans, butter beans or navy beans, though white beans are more traditional.
Cherry tomatoes – JB wants me to tell everyone, tomato isn’t strictly traditional but it’s a modern variation. He likes how they soften and burst as the casserole cooks, releasing their sweet juices into the sauce. They also add lovely little pops of freshness that balance the richness of the dish. I like how they had bright pops of colourful red into an otherwise rather brown dish!
Onions – Just regular brown onions, finely chopped.
Carrots – Medium or large ones, we peel, cut into quarters lengthways then into small pieces.
Garlic – 3 big cloves, finely minced with a knife. Actually, you could use a garlic crusher here.
Herbs – rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. The sauce of Cassoulet is perfumed with herbs and it is what makes it so delicious! So really try to use fresh if you can (all 3 are very hardy, hard-to-kill plants – if I can grow them, anyone can!). But in case you don’t have fresh herbs, we’ve included dried herb amounts too.
Chardonnay or other white wine – The French love to cook with wine, because they know it brings a wonderful depth of flavour to sauces, and that’s the role it plays in this Cassoulet. Chardonnay is JB’s favourite to cook with because it adds more flavour – he thinks sauvignon blanc is boring (😂) – but really, you can use any dry white wine. No need to use an expensive one either. I stock up on heavily discounted bottles around $5 that I use exclusively for cooking.
Cornflour / cornstarch – Thickens the sauce slightly. Traditional cassoulet cooks for hours, allowing the sauce to thicken naturally. This quicker version needs a little help, otherwise the sauce is watery.
Chicken stock – The liquid for the sauce. Use low sodium if you can, if not, skip the salt in the sauce.
3. CRUNCHY TOPPING
The crunchy topping is a signature part of Cassoulet! Here’s what you need:
Panko breadcrumbs – larger than regular breadcrumbs, for extra crunch. Find it in the Asian aisle of regular grocery stores, or cheaper in Asian stores.
Olive oil – To mix through which makes the crunchy topping brown beautifully.
Parsley – For lovely little green bits in the topping. I used chives as a substitute (because I have a thriving bunch in my garden whereas my parsley has been decimated).
How To Make Chicken Cassoulet
Cornflour slurry – Make a cornflour slurry by mixing the cornflour / cornstarch with a splash of the chicken stock. This will thicken the sauce slightly so it clings to the beans.
Bacon first – Cook the bacon first, until golden. Then remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
Brown chicken – Next, we brown the chicken. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, then brown the first side in the bacon fat for 3 minutes. Then flip and cook the other side for just 1 minute. We don’t want to cook it through, as it will finish cooking on the beans.
Sauté – Add the onion, carrots and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion has softened, then cook the tomato paste and herbs for 1 minute. Don’t skip this step of cooking off the tomato paste, it cooks out the sour edge and deepens the flavour.
Beans – Add the wine and let it reduce for 30 seconds. Add the beans, chicken stock, cornflour slurry, bacon, salt and pepper. Give it a stir, then place the chicken and cherry tomatoes across the top.
Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced). Then take it out of the oven and flick to the oven grill/broiler to 240°C / 460°F (220°C fan-forced).
Crunchy topping – Sprinkle the beans with the crunchy topping (avoid the chicken and tomatoes, for visual effect). Then pop it under the oven grill / broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until browned.
Serve – Then that’s it! Ready to serve. Spoon the beans into bowls and top with chicken!
How To Serve Chicken Cassoulet
As mentioned earlier, this is a complete meal with vegetables, starch and protein so there’s no need to add sides to fill it out. If you’re wondering – what veggies? Well, there’s two onions (yes, it counts towards your veg daily intake!), two carrots and cherry tomatoes which averages out to be a reasonable amount per person, assuming 5 servings.
Finish with a slice of JB’s French Apple Cake, lightly warmed, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. What a meal! – Nagi x
FAQ – Chicken Cassoulet
No it’s not, but JB says he is sure that there are many French people making it at home because Cassoulet is such a famous dish, but not even French people consider duck confit something within reach on a Monday night!
Yes, you can use bone-in thighs, or chicken breast (though the latter won’t be as juicy as thighs). We’ve included directions in the recipe notes for both these.
Yes you can. Make the casserole ahead and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly in the oven covered, until piping hot. then, sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping and grill until golden and crunchy.
I haven’t tried it and it would actually be quite a different recipe. So I can’t give advice on adapting it for a slow-cooker version. But, please if you try making it, let us know how you go! 😊
Watch How To Make It
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JB’s Chicken Cassoulet (French Chicken & Bean Casserole)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 800g / 1.75lb boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets , ~6 pieces (Note 1)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , divided (half for table salt, 50% extra for flakes)
- 1 tsp black pepper , divided
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g / 7oz streaky bacon , cut into 1cm / 0.4" pieces
- 2 brown onion , finely chopped
- 2 carrots , peeled, quartered lengthways, cut into 1 cm / 0.4" thick pieces
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 thyme sprigs (substitute 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
- 2 rosemary sprigs , ~10cm / 4" long (substitute 1 tsp dried rosemary)
- 2 fresh bay leaves , or dried
- 1/4 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine , (sub low-sodium chicken stock)
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock / broth , low-sodium (homemade if you want)
- 3 x 400g / 14oz cans cannellini beans , drained (or other beans)
- 12 cherry tomatoes
Topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs , substitute regular breadcrumbs (or gluten-free)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley , substitute 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , (half for table salt, 50% extra for flakes)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Make cornflour slurry with 1/4 cup stock. Cook bacon, remove. Brown chicken but don't cook through, remove. Sauté garlic, onion and carrot, then cook tomato paste and herbs. Deglaze with wine, add beans, stock, cornflour slurry, bacon, salt and pepper. Top with chicken and cherry tomatoes, bake 20 min at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan). Sprinkle with topping, grill/broiler 2 – 3 min to brown. Serve!
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced).
- Slurry – Whisk the cornflour in a small bowl with 1/4 cup of the chicken stock until lump free. Set aside.
- Season chicken – Sprinkle both sides of the chicken using 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Cook bacon – Heat the oil in a shallow 30cm / 12" ovenproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. (Note 2 for baking dish) Cook the bacon until golden (about 4 minutes), then transfer into a small bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving all the fat in the pan.
- Brown chicken – Turn the heat up to high. Add more oil if the pan is looking dry (eg if you used lean bacon). Place the chicken into the pan, smooth side down and cook for 3 minutes until golden brown, flip then cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove onto a plate and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics – Add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Stir for 1 minute.
- Deglaze – Add the wine and simmer for 30 seconds, scraping the base of the dish.
- Add the rest of the stock, cornflour slurry (give it a quick stir to redistribute the cornflour), beans, cooked bacon and remaining salt and pepper. Stir until combined, place the chicken on top (pour over any juices pooled on the plate), smooth side up. Press the chicken down slightly. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes.
- Bake – Bring it to a simmer, then place into the oven for 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Topping – While the chicken is cooking, mix the topping ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Brown topping – Turn the oven grill/broiler on to 240°C / 460°F (220°C fan-forced). Pull the dish out and sprinkle the panko topping on top, avoiding the chicken and tomatoes. Place the dish back into the oven (15cm / 6" away from the grill) and leave for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the surface to brown.
- Serve – Remove from the oven and serve hot!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life Of Jaffle
He really wants to do a face plant in that!!! 🤣
Yes JB!! my husband and I loved this dish! I’m so happy when I have all the ingredients on hand! It was fairly simple to prepare, and the flavors were spot on. Perfect meal for a chilly fall evening. I’m sure the leftovers will taste even better in a day or two. I’ve never been one to watch videos but I find myself doing this frequently on RTE-and they’re very helpful! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe with your readers.
Can this be made in advance?? Thank you.
Hi Caroline, you can make it ahead then reheat slowly in the oven before adding the topping.
This was so delicious. There was some prep, but it came together so easily once the ball got rolling. I did omit the carrot, tomatoes and bay leaf (didn’t have any on hand) and subbed more chicken stock for the wine (don’t drink), but the flavor didn’t suffer at all. It was cozy, hearty and the crunch from the panko? *chef’skiss* This recipe goes in the rotation, for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Kristen! 🙂
Great recipe. Recommend it highly. I didn’t have parsley so used tarragon which worked well, next time I might use chicken thighs bone in skin on
Using tarragon made it extra French! You can’t go wrong with that!!
Just made this. Super delicious. Thx JB. Loved it. Highly Recommend 🫶
Thank you for the kind words Ange ♥️
Loved this! So tasty, healthy, my 3 year old also devoured it. My first time leaving a comment, although I have both cook books and think I’ve made 80% of both of them + website recipes 😂 thank you again Nagi!!!!!
Thank you for making it Alex, you really cooked 80% of the books recipes!? That’s dedication! Love it!
Absolutely fantastic. Had my brother and SIL over for dinner and they loved this meal thank you
Followed the recipe but next time will have a crusty bread to mop up the gravy.
Thank you Beth, glad it was a hit with everyone!
Sorry I forgot to add the stars. Absolutely worth 5 – probably more!!
in my excitement over writing a comment earlier, I forgot to rate this recipe. I’d give 7 stars if I could for handy ingredients, one-pot convenience, easy prep and gorgeous presentation.
Thank you!
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe , although I used dried herbs as I didn’t have any fresh ones on hand. I also didn’t have any wine, so I used only chicken stock. Being from Croatia, I couldn’t resist adding a little Vegeta as well.The chicken turned out incredibly tender and juicy, and everyone loved the dish. I’ll definitely be making it again soon. Thank you! ❤️
Thank you Sanja, your version with your little tweaks sounds as delicious! 🙂
This recipe is a keeper! Easy and delicious. My husband was very happy as it was quick to make not like a traditional cassoulet but delivered equal flavour.
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, although I used dried herbs as I didn’t have any fresh ones on hand. I also didn’t have any wine, so I used only chicken stock. Being from Croatia, I couldn’t resist adding a little Vegeta as well.The chicken turned out incredibly tender and juicy, and everyone loved the dish. I’ll definitely be making it again soon. Thank you! ❤️
Thank you for your feedback Karen! 🙂
Used 2 tins of beans i had in the pantry 4 bean mix and the other was chick peas but it worked. Was looking dry in the oven so made up a little more chicken stock. Only had drumsticks but cooked them a little longer and it worked out. Nice and tasty with a cook it yourself French baguette from Aldi made in France to soak up the juices.
Hi Corinne, I’m glad it worked out well with a couple of changes! Thank you for making it 🙂
Love all the recipes and am excited to try this one.
Would it work without the bacon ?
Thx tons
Hi Susan, yes you can omit the bacon, it will still be delicious 🙂
Hi I’m making your recipe for company and wanted to serve it on individual ramekins. Would appreciate your advice. Thank you
This was such a lovely meal, there was so much flavour. I found it to be really quick to make, I have a toddler and infant and needed a fresh midweek meal that came together fast. It certainly delivered. This will be something I make very often. Thanks JB
Thank you for for this amazing feedback Chels! So good to know that the kids loved it too ♥️
This recipe is fantastic. I didn’t change anything but I did add 1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms that I had in the fridge. We all really enjoyed it!
Adding mushroom is a great idea! Great job Kristina!
This recipe is fantastic; very easy and very delicious. I didn’t change anything but I did add 1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms that I had in the fridge. We all really enjoyed it!
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you JB. It took me a lot longer to prepare, however, than the 20 minutes suggested and I am not a novice. Altogether it took about 2 hours start to finish. Worth it for the result though!
Thanks Alison!! I’m glad you are happy with the result 🙂
After having the best meal of my life years ago at a French restaurant that has now closed,
I had searched forever for a similar Cassoulet recipe.
This was pretty darn close!
I did take some liberties by using less cannellini beans (1 tin instead of 3) to appease my husband, only used stock instead of wine (as we are alcohol free) and substituted whole meal breadcrumbs for panko-regardless, it was delicious!
A bit of prep involved but well worth it for the end result.
Thanks so much for fulfilling my quest!
Thank you Shannan, I’m glad it worked with 1 can of bean! 🙂
Delicious!! Great recipe, thank you Chef JB!!
Thank you for making it!! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. It came out perfectly and it was so delicious. I love all of Nagi’s recipes and now yours JB. Thank you for helping me love cooking. I used to eat so much takeaway before 😁 appreciate you guys so much xx
It feels so good to read your words! That’s the reason why we do all this! Thank you ♥️