Quick Cassoulet

Vive la France! Real bistro cooking - quick and tasty. This one comes from the CANADIAN BEAN COUNCIL via Vicki Gabereau's CBC radio program. (On occasion, I have been known to double both the wine and the beans ... heck, I ALWAYS do it!)

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 4  boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1⁄2 lb hot Italian sausage, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 3  medium carrots, sliced thinly
• 1  medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1  clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 cup dry red wine
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (14 ounce) can  pork and beans in tomato sauce
•  chopped parsley

Directions

1. In a large, lidded stovetop casserole, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the chicken, and remove.
3. Brown the sausage.
4. Add the chicken, carrots, onion and garlic and saute for 2 additional minutes.
5. Drain off the fat.
6. Stir in the wine, bay leaf, thyme and pepper.
7. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.
8. Stir in the beans and heat through.
9. Sprinkle parsley on top.
10. NOTE: Instead of dry red wine, you can substitute 1/2 cup of chicken broth and 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar.