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CHICKEN COUNTRY CASSOULET
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
1 pound fat sausages of choice, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound snap peas, washed and deveined
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
1 14-ounce can petit diced tomatoes, basil, garlic & oregano
1 tablespoon Classico sun-dried tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
2 +/- cups chicken stock
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs**
salt and ground black pepper

•  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Brown the bacon until browned and crumbly in Dutch oven casserole dish.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Add chicken and sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from fat and set aside. 

• Add the onions and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. 
• Add the carrots, snap peas and parsley, sauteing 3-4 more minutes.
• Add tomatoes, tomato puree, spices and salt and pepper to taste.

• Add meat back in.
• Add enough of the stock to just cover the meat and veggies, you don’t want things swimming around too much.  You can always add more stock during the cooking if needed. 

• Cover dish and cook 1 hour.
• Add more stock if necessary. Spread crumbs over the top and cook uncovered for 40 more minutes or until browned. 
• Try adding other vegetables such as broccoli or white beans for variety.  

**I used crushed ritz crackers today and they worked reallllllllllllllly well as a substitute!