Chicken Waterzooi
A creamy, vegetable-rich Belgian stew with tender chicken thighs, root vegetables, and a silky cream sauce finished with egg yolk and lemon. Comfort food at its finest, ready in under an hour.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
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Open the appInstructions
Step 1
Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
Step 2
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Step 4
Working in batches, brown chicken thighs skin-side down until golden, 4 minutes.
Step 5
Flip chicken and brown other side until golden, 3 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
Step 7
Add carrot, parsnip, celery, and leek to the pot.
Step 8
Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 5 minutes.
Step 9
Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Step 10
Return chicken to pot with thyme and bay leaf.
Step 11
Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain gentle simmer.
Step 12
Cover partially and simmer until chicken is tender, 25 minutes.
Step 13
Whisk egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl.
Step 14
Slowly ladle 0.5 cup hot broth into egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Step 15
Pour egg mixture back into pot while stirring gently.
Step 16
Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 minutes.
Step 17
Stir in lemon juice and taste for seasoning.
Step 18
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Step 19
Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart minimum)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- paper towels
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- tongs
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