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Recipe · Belgian

Waterzooi de Poulet

A Belgian chicken stew thickened with cream and egg yolks. Use a large Dutch oven.

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 leeks, rinsed well and finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (or another waxy potato), peeled and diced
  • 3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 to 2 lb / 680 to 910 g)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
  • 5 cups (1.18 L) chicken stock
  • 2 tsp coarse salt
  • 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream, divided
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in the Dutch oven over medium-high. Cook the carrots, leeks, and celery, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes, until soft.
  2. Add the potatoes, chicken, bay leaves, herbs, stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Move the chicken to a bowl to cool.
  3. In a heatproof bowl, whisk 2 tbsp of the cream with the cornstarch until smooth, then whisk in the rest of the cream and the yolks.
  4. Ladle about 1 cup (236 ml) of hot broth into a measuring cup. Whisk it into the yolk mixture a little at a time so the eggs don’t scramble. Once half of it is in, pour in the rest in a thin stream.
  5. Stir the mixture into the pot and cook over low, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Don’t let it boil. Take off the heat.
  6. Shred the chicken with two forks, stir it back in, and season with salt. Pull out the bay leaves and herb stems and serve right away.

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