Warm winter favorites: readers' recipes tested in Sunset's kitchens - Food - quick chicken cassoulet - Brief Article

Sunset, Dec, 2003 by Russell Ito

Quick Chicken Cassoulet Russell Ito combined leftover roast chicken with a few basic ingredients and came up with an easily assembled chicken and white bean stew. If you don't have leftover cooked chicken, buy roast chicken at a supermarket or deli.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour and 10 minutes

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

1. In a bowl, mix bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons oil until well combined.

2. Pour remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil into a 3-quart ovenproof pan over medium heat. When hot, add shallots, garlic, and carrot and stir occasionally until carrot is tender, about 7 minutes. Add beans, chicken, sausages, tomatoes, herbes de Provence, bay leaf, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; stir until well combined.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

3. Cover and bake in a 350[degrees] regular or convection oven until beans are hot, about 30 minutes; uncover and sprinkle top evenly with bread-crumb mixture. Bake until top is browned and edges are bubbling, about 20 minutes longer.

Per serving: 294 cal., 37% (108 cal.) from fat; 24 g protein; 12 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 24 g carbo (5.2 g fiber); 866 mg sodium; 51 mg chol.

    1  cup fresh or dried bread crumbs

2 1/2  tablespoons olive oil

  1/3  cup minced shallots

    4  cloves garlic, peeled and minced

    1  carrot (about 4 oz.), peeled and
       diced (1/4 in.)

    2  cans (15 oz. each) small white
       beans, drained and rinsed

    1  cup 1-inch chunks cooked chicken
       (see note above)

    8  ounces cooked chicken or duck
       sausages, sliced crosswise 1/4
       inch thick

    1  can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes

    1  teaspoon herbes de Provence

    1  dried whole bay leaf

  1/2  cup fat-skimmed chicken broth

  1/2  teaspoon salt

  1/4  teaspoon pepper

Russell Ito, San Mateo, CA