Easy and Delicious Slow Cooker Cassoulet

I am married to a chef, but I can't cook. So I make a lot of food in my slow cooker when it's my night to cook. We love France and French cooking, and this recipe is a wonderfully simple, elegant cassoulet that even I can make and he loves. Wonderful for cold nights and dinner parties. Double the recipe for leftovers - it melds overnight very well.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 522 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 6 slices turkey bacon
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped
• ¼ pound fully-cooked smoked sausage, diced
• 3 (15 ounce) cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and brown, turning often, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels; crumble when cool. Set bacon aside.

Step 2

Cook and stir onion in the same skillet until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, sausage, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper; cook until chicken pieces are browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

Step 3

Transfer chicken mixture to a slow cooker and stir in crumbled turkey bacon, great Northern beans, and diced tomatoes. Cover the cooker, set on Low, and cook until cassoulet is thickened and the chicken is very tender, 4 to 5 hours. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.