Authentic Gentse Waterzooi: The Creamy Belgian Chicken Stew of Ghent

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

chicken

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: vegetable protein

Tofu provides a plant-based alternative that is budget-friendly.

Trim off both ends of the carrots and cut roughly into pieces.

Cut celery into large pieces.

Peel the onions and cut into large pieces.

For the leeks, only use the white and light green part; make a slit around the leek and pull off the outer dark layers, then cut into large pieces.

Cut the chicken into pieces: separate the legs, wings, and breasts.

In a large pot, add the vegetables, herbs, spices, and chicken pieces, and submerge everything in cold fresh water.

Bring to a soft boil and cook for about 30 minutes.

Prep the final set of vegetables by cutting them into fine julienne or long thin matchsticks.

Boil the whole potatoes until done, then set aside.

Remove the chicken from the pot and strain the stock through a fine mesh to separate the vegetables and spices.

Add the cooked vegetables back into the strained stock and let them cook until tender.

Add 14 oz of heavy cream to the pot and let it come to a slow boil, then turn off the heat.

Mix 3 egg yolks with 300 g of cream in a separate beaker.

Once the pot has stopped cooking, add the egg and cream mixture while stirring to avoid scrambling the eggs.

Serve by placing chicken and soft boiled potatoes into a deep bowl, dress with vegetables, and pour the creamy broth over everything, garnishing with chopped parsley.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens