Poached chicken breast with julienned carrots, leeks and celery in a creamy broth with small whole potatoes and parsley on a white plate — Photo: Tamorlan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

European · Lunch · Dinner

Waterzooi (Ghent-Style Chicken Stew)

Name: Waterzooi (Ghent-Style Chicken Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 3 medium (about 600 g) Boneless skinless chicken breasts; 2 medium Leeks, white and light green parts; 2 medium Carrots; 2 stalks Celery; 1 medium Onion; 3 medium Waxy potatoes; 1 tbsp Unsalted butter; 4 cups Low-sodium chicken stock; 1 leaf Bay leaf; 1/2 tsp Dried thyme; 2 large Egg yolks; 1/2 cup Half-and-half; 1 tbsp Lemon juice; 1/4 cup Fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 1 pinch Ground nutmeg

Gentse Waterzooi

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 20, 2026 · How we make recipes

A gently simmered Belgian stew of tender chicken, leeks, carrots and potatoes in a silky, lemon-brightened broth enriched with egg yolk and a little cream. Comforting and light, it is the classic Ghent supper in a bowl.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
Serves: 4

Medium
High protein

23%

Per serving458kcal23% of a 2,000 kcal day

45gProtein

39gCarbs

15gFat

5gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 33% · Fat 28% · Protein 39%

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

3 medium (about 600 g)Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 medium300 gLeeks, white and light green parts
2 medium150 gCarrots
2 stalks80 gCelery
1 medium110 gOnion
3 medium400 gWaxy potatoes
1 tbsp14 gUnsalted butter
4 cups960 gLow-sodium chicken stock
1 leafBay leaf
1/2 tspDried thyme
2 large34 gEgg yolks
1/2 cup120 gHalf-and-half
1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
1/4 cup15 gFresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tspSalt
1/4 tspBlack pepper
1 pinchGround nutmeg (optional)

Steps

1
Halve the leeks lengthwise, rinse out any grit and slice them thinly.
2
Dice the carrots, celery and onion into small, even pieces.
3
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm chunks.
4
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat.
5
Add the leeks, onion, celery and carrots and cook gently for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not browned.
6
Pour in the stock, then add the potatoes, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a gentle simmer.
7
Lower the whole chicken breasts into the pot and simmer gently, partly covered, for 15 to 18 minutes until the thickest part reaches 74 °C / 165 °F.
8
Lift out the chicken, let it rest for a few minutes, then slice or shred it into bite-sized pieces.
9
Keep simmering the vegetables for about 5 minutes more until the potatoes are tender, then remove the bay leaf.
10
Whisk the egg yolks and half-and-half together in a bowl.
11
Slowly whisk a ladle of hot broth into the yolk mixture to warm it.
12
Turn the heat to low and stir the warmed yolk mixture into the pot.
13
Heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the broth thickens slightly; do not let it boil or it may curdle.
14
Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg if using.
15
Ladle into shallow bowls and scatter with the chopped parsley.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier meat that is harder to overcook.
For a dairy-free version, use olive oil instead of butter and unsweetened plain oat or soy cream instead of half-and-half.
Swap the half-and-half for whole milk for a lighter broth, keeping the heat low so it does not curdle.
Use about 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves instead of the dried thyme, or a bag of pre-sliced leeks to save prep time.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating gently on the stove, stirring, until steaming hot; the egg-thickened broth may split if boiled. Freezing is not recommended, as the creamy broth can separate and the potatoes turn grainy.

Make ahead

Clean and slice the leeks and dice the carrots, celery, onion and potatoes up to a day ahead, keeping the potatoes covered in cold water in the fridge. You can also cook the stew up to the point of adding the egg yolks, chill it, then reheat and finish with the yolk mixture just before serving.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

Contains: EggsMilkCelery

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (701 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	458 kcal	65 kcal
Protein	44.8 g	6.4 g
Carbohydrates	38.5 g	5.5 g
of which sugars	9.2 g	1.3 g
Fiber	5.1 g	0.7 g
Fat	14.5 g	2.1 g
of which saturated	6.1 g	0.9 g
Sodium	531 mg	76 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.