Chef-tested recipe
Waterzooi is a speciality of Ghent, historically prepared with freshwater fish and later also with chicken. Its gentle broth is enriched with cream, while leek, carrot, celery and potato give the dish its character. This chicken adaptation
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Cuisine
- Belgian
- Cooking Method
- Gentle poaching and cream finishing
- Best Served With
- Crusty bread or boiled potatoes
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 850 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large pieces
- 250 g leek, thoroughly washed and sliced
- 220 g carrots, cut into batons
- 160 g celery, sliced
- 300 g waxy potatoes, diced into 2 cm pieces
- 120 g onion, finely sliced
- 30 g butter
- 850 ml unsalted chicken stock
- 200 ml double or cooking cream
- 25 g parsley, chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 6 g fine salt, adjusted to stock paid link
- 2 g white pepper
Method
Prepare the vegetables. Rinse the sliced leek carefully to remove sand. Cut carrot, celery and potatoes into even pieces so they cook at similar rates.
Sweat the aromatics. Melt butter in a heavy casserole over medium-low heat. Add onion, leek, carrot and celery; cook gently 7–8 minutes without browning.
Poach the chicken. Add the stock and potatoes. Bring to a simmer, add chicken, cover partially and cook very gently for 20–25 minutes until the vegetables are tender and chicken reaches at least 75°C in the centre.
Finish the broth. Reduce heat to low; pour in cream while stirring gently. Warm for 3–5 minutes without a vigorous boil.
Season and serve. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Finish with parsley and serve immediately in warm bowls.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Waterzooi is a brothy stew rather than a heavily thickened cream sauce.
- Use a gentle simmer to keep the chicken tender and the cream smooth.
- Ghent also has fish waterzooi; this is explicitly the chicken version.
Substitutions
- Firm white fish may replace chicken for a fish version; add it near the end and cook to 63°C.
- Cooking cream can replace double cream; do not use sweetened cream.
- Use additional leek if celery is unavailable.
Storage and Food Safety
Refrigerate promptly within 2 hours at 4°C or below, use within 2 days and reheat the chicken to at least 75°C without prolonged boiling. Do not freeze cream-rich leftovers expecting an unchanged texture.
Serving Ideas
- Crusty bread or boiled potatoes
Allergen Notes
Milk (butter and cream); celery. Check stock and bread for additional allergens.
