This Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet is the perfect comfort food when you need it the most.
So, we had a bit of a disaster last weekend. With the frigid temperatures dropping to zero degrees overnight, a pipe burst in our house and our entire basement and one of our first floor rooms was completely flooded. The water damage was so extensive that the kitchen floor that lies above the basement pipes completely buckled. It happens also to be exactly the spot that I stand in everyday to prep and cook, right in between my stove and the kitchen island.
The unfortunate thing is that the closet in our first floor room housed the majority of my cookbooks :(. Needless to say, I’m really bummed that so many of my cookbooks were ruined, including a treasured cookbook written by my 93-year old aunt, Florence Lin.
Water was literally pouring through our ceilings like buckets and there was nothing we could do to stop it. Then, the carbon monoxide detectors were blaring for hours when they were set off by the crew that came to pump out all the water.
The funny thing is I was actually really calm through all this chaos, which completely dumbfounded my husband and my kids. I’m usually the one who looks at the glass half empty and he, the glass half full.
Instead, I said, “Well, this is the perfect time to clean up all our clutter.” We had a few treasures like baby photos that we found in the rummage, but for the most part, there was nothing that couldn’t be replaced. If anything, there were so many things that we should have gone through long ago and tossed.
Our entire first floor room, including a bathroom and closet have been ripped apart and will need to be rebuilt, hardwood floors and carpets will have to be replaced, and we may have to move out of our house for a short period of time during the repairs. Although the months ahead will be disruptive, I am grateful that we still have a home with heat, hot water, clothes on our back and food on the table.
Recently, I’ve been reading about how to cope with stress, including a coping technique called Reframing or Creating a Positive Mindset. What a timely read! By turning the situation upside down and looking at our mess in a positive light, I can honestly say that I am far less stressed out than I normally would have been.
So, what’s one to do when disaster strikes? Comfort yourself and your family by making this Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet. You’ll want to cuddle up on the sofa with a big warm blanket after eating this. No worries…be happy :).
Today, I’m participating in Food Network’s Comfort Food Feast. Please be sure to check out what my fellow foodie friends made:
The Heritage Cook: Tex-Mex Arroz con Pollo (Gluten-Free)
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Cheesy Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Dishin & Dishes: Black Bean Enchilada Pie
Weelicious: Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Dishing with Divya: Chicken Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Taste With The Eyes: Paella Rice with Baby Octopus & Meyer Lemon
Blue Apron: 11 Super Casserole Recipes for a Super Bowl Feast
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pork Chop Casserole with Crimini Mushrooms
Red or Green: Stacked Cheese Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Chicken and Rice Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Domesticate Me: Mushroom, White Bean and Brown Rice Casserole with Bacon and Gruyere
Daily*Dishin: Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
FN Dish: The New Age of Casseroles
Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small onions chopped
- 1 carrot cut up
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups diced tomatoes
- 1-2 carrots cut up
- 3 cups cannellini beans cooked
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 pound organic chicken andouille sausage cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
-
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrot, celery, thyme, rosemary and garlic; saute 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, beans, chicken, sausage, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
In the face of catastrophe, you can either freak out or stay calm and just deal with it…and in the end, what is freaking out going to do? I’m so sorry so many of your cookbooks were lost though! That would definitely get to me!
Exactly Joanne – my kids and husband were shocked I didn’t freak out. When you have no control over the situation, I’ve learned it’s better to just go with the flow and accept what has happened and deal with it. It is a bummer that I lost so many cookbooks, especially the one written by my 92-year old aunt. I’m going to have to scour the used book sites to get another copy.
Burst pipes — what we all fear during these frigid temperatures. So sorry to hear that it happened to you, but good for you for seeing the positive!
Yes Lydia, trying to keep positive. Not always easy, but doing my best.
This looks amazing!!! I hope you are staying warm!
Oh Jeanette, I feel for you and your family. But I’m so impressed with your calm. And here you are, posting a new recipe today. You are an inspiration!
Thanks for your encouragement Nathalie. It’ll be a long process to fix everything, but it will all get done in due time. Letting go is a hard thing to do, but I’m trying to focus on the positive.
That’s awful! That’s really great that you found a way to stay calm though, I’m like you and tend to get upset when things don’t go my way. I do handle chaos fairly well though after 16 years of working in a Level 1 Trauma Center you learn how to focus and stay calm and do what you have to do. At least you are all well! Good luck w the repairs! This yummy cassoulet looks like it will keep you guys warm.
Gwen – you’re lucky to have on-the-job training for stress. It’s definitely going to be challenge staying even keeled as we work through all the repairs, but I’m doing my best to stay positive. Comfort food always helps!
I see carrots in the picture, but not in the recipe. Do you just add whatever vegetables you have on hand? It looks amazing…..and gluten free!
Hi Tracy, I forgot…yes, I did add some carrots and celery. Most times when I’m cooking, I do throw in extra vegetables depending on what I’ve got in my refrigerator. Extra flavor + extra nutrition :).
Oh Jeanette, I’m so sorry you had so much damage, but applaud your ability to reframe and turn a disaster into an opportunity. Fantastic! And I can’t wait to make this slow cooker Cassoulet, one of my most favorite meals. I love the idea of throwing everything in the slow cooker and forgetting it for hours!
Wow Jeanette, that is horrible! You certainly sound like you are taking the right attitude towards the situation but I am sure it is still difficult. I remember last year when you were without power for many days, you also had a very positive attitude and expressed gratitude for what you DID have. Such a great role model for you boys!
Oh Jeanette, I’m so sorry to hear about what happened but that’s on the upside it’s great to see that you are still able to focus on the positive and stay calm. I hope you and your family stay warm and everything works out for you all soon. This comforting chicken cassoulet looks fantastic and sounds like just what you all need. Take care Jeanette.
Good for you for setting a positive example. I’m sorry to hear about your current situation though. This looks so delicious and perfect for the freezing temps we’re experiencing here in Texas today.
I saw the picture of this yesterday and thought, “this looks SOOOO wonderful!” I can’t wait to try it! I too am getting rid of stress…part of my New Year’s resolution reflection was deciding what I needed in my life and what I didn’t. I actually gave up doing some things and my peace level has just been fantastic. Learning how to deal with the stress you can’t give up is another story! Let me know if you figure it out!
Thanks Katie – getting rid of stress in our lives is not easy, but so relieving isn’t it! Best wishes!
I’m glad you didn’t let it get you down, but how hard to lose all those cookbooks! Looks like a great recipe.
Thanks Kalyn – trying to stay positive although it was a bummer to lose so many cookbooks. Gives me an excuse to buy new ones though 😉
It good that you reminded that you still have a roof over your head Give Thanks . Hope you be able to get hold of your aunt cookbook .
Looking forward to making this…is it possible to prep the ingredients the night before and stick it in the fridge overnight? Pre-boil or post-boil? And is the purpose of boiling before putting it in the crockpot to seal in the flavors and is it absolutely necessary? Thanks, just trying to simplify my day while taking care of my 2 yr old twins 🙂
Kendra, you can prepare everything ahead of time. The only reason I bowl it first is to reduce overall cooking time, but if you pop everything into the crockpot first thing in the morning, it should be fine. Alternatively, make it when your twins are sleeping and reheat the next day. I have twins so I know how buy you must be – what a blessing!
Thanks Jeanette, how would you vary the cooking time without the boiling…4 hours on high? 6 on low? Twins are great, I love that they can entertain each other, getting out and about with them is a challenge 🙂
Kendra, I can’t say for sure, but I would guess adding another hour on high (4-5 hours) and maybe a few more hours on low (6-7 hours). The nice thing about the slow cooker is that it’s hard to overcook anything even if you cook something for an extra hour. If you cook on high and find it’s done, just turn it down to low and keep it warm until dinnertime. I actually use the slow cooker just to keep dinner warm sometimes – works kind of like the Keep Warm setting on a rice cooker.
The picture shows a lot of broth, but there are no wet ingredients in the recipe. Is something missing or do the vegetables create that much moisture?
I used canned chopped tomatoes, so there is liquid from that, and the natural juices from the chicken.