Chicken Cassoulet

Ingredients

1 pound dried Great Northern beans
3 bay leaves
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
12 ounces fully cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced
2 cups chopped white onion
1 1/4 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 (14-oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 ounces multigrain baguette, torn into small pieces
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place beans in a Dutch oven. Add water to cover by 2 inches; stir in bay leaves. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Return pan to heat over high (do not drain beans or refresh water); bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until beans are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Drain beans; discard bay leaves. Wipe pan dry.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in pan over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and sausage. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté 5 minutes. Add thyme, tomato paste, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add wine; cook 1 minute, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned bits.

Add tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper, beans, chicken, and sausage to pan; stir gently to combine. Cover and bake at 300°F 1 hour. Remove pan. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Scoop out 1 cup bean mixture, avoiding chicken or sausage. Mash with a fork; stir into chicken mixture.

Place baguette in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form. Add cheese, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; pulse to combine. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over cassoulet. Bake, uncovered, at 425°F until topping is crusty, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.