Roasted Acorn Squash and Chicken Cassoulet

Chicken Cassoulet with Acorn Squash

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients

For the Roasted Squash

  • 3 medium-sized acorn squash (cut in half horizontally)
  • 2 Tbsp blended oil (for each half)
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg (for each half)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Beans

  • 1-1/4 cup dried cannellini beans
  • 1 qt water

For the Cassoulet

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 Tbsp canola or blended oil
  • 8 oz mild Italian sausage (loose or if you buy rope, remove from casing)
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 carrot
  • 8 oz fully cooked, Smoked kielbasa (cut into 1/4" discs)
  • 3 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Sachet

  • 1/4 medium-sized onion (cut into a wedge)
  • 1 bulb garlic (cut in half)
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 fresh bay leaf (2 if dried)
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 8-inch piece of cheese cloth
  • butchers twine

For the Breadcrumbs

  • 1 cup pork rinds (crushed fine)
  • 1/2 cups panko
  • 1/4 cup parsley (rough chopped)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Scoop out the seeds of each half of the squash as well as a little more of the flesh so you can fit at least 4 ounces of liquid in inside the cavity.

Slice a straight piece off the opposite ends so the squash can sit straight and be used as a bowl. Brush the flesh sides of each squash with the oil and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, place squash, flesh side down, and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

Once finished, check to make sure the flesh is tender but not mushy or collapsing, and then reserve.

Meanwhile, place dried the beans and water in a pressure cooker and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Once that's finished, release pressure and allow to rest in liquid for 15 more minutes; drain and reserve.

Heat oil in a 8” to 10” sauté pan and begin to sear the chicken thighs until golden brown on each side and reserve.

Drain excess fat from pan, if any, and begin cooking the sausage, making sure it is crumbled evenly. Once sausage is cooked, add tomato paste and cook an extra minute, stirring around to coat the sausage. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Take all the ingredients for the sachet and place in cheese cloth, wrap into a neat bundle, and tie closed with butchers’ twine.

Place beans, chicken, sausage, sachet, carrot, kielbasa, stock, salt, and pepper back into the pressure cooker, and cook on high for 18 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs by placing all ingredients in a food processor and mix until everything is mixed evenly and begins to turn green, being careful not to process too fine.

Once the chicken is finished, release the steam from the pressure cooker, and remove carrot, sachet, and chicken thighs from insert. Pull chicken from the bone and discard the bones and skin.

Place picked chicken meat back into the insert and gently mix all ingredients together. Begin generously filling the acorn squash with the mixture, top evenly with 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

Cook's Notes

This recipe can be made gluten-free by simply omitting the panko. Instead, after the cassoulet is assembled and baked, crumble the desired amount of pork rinds on top and garnish with chopped parsley.

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