Usually I add random new recipes to the main book, by taping them in the little red book, my family knows which one I am referring to, but I call it the keeper book. The other day I was watching tv in the studio while painting and getting ready for the July Art Show I am in, and saw one that the whole audience who was fortunate enough to taste, actually said out loud; oh my God, whoa, wow, now that’s good. So when you see that happen, you just have to try it out …right???? As I was researching recipes a few days later and came across the same one from the show, I was intrigued because I had everything on hand, and thought why not-and the from start to complete time was a snap. My style.
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If you like the taste of southern fried chicken, curry dishes and just a flare for being fast and easy- well this dish should be added to your keeper recipe box or book as well. What surprised me was just how easy it was to follow, and how easy it was to serve it, and yes, how easy it was to get compliments to the dish even a couple of days later. I was drooling when I read the recipe, as we don’t have many places to eat out here that offer that good curry flavor. I do miss Seattle for the fantastic food that is available there 24/7. So giving credit where credit due is to Paula Dean and The Chew.
Country Captain Chicken -preheat oven to 350
2TBS Veg oil, or I used a canola +evo mix I get at whole foods
1TBS butter
Salt and pepper
1 – 28 oz can of chopped tomato’s or 2 -15-oz cans
1 TBS Chopped garlic (1 -2 cloves depending on the size you have- I used pre chopped in the jar in the fridge)
1 TBS Curry powder
1/3 cup dried Currants or Cranberries
My preferred chicken is going to always be thighs, I used boneless skinless thighs. It called for a whole chicken 3.5 #’s. cut into 8-pieces, I used 10 of the thighs, and it is said, they are better for you than breast meat which is way higher in cholesterol, plus the thighs in my opinion are more flavorful these days.
In a heavy skillet that you can use in the oven – I use cast iron, add the oil and butter, over med heat to start, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken, place skin side down or fat side down if using the thighs, then turn up the heat to about med high, turn the chicken only once usually 8-10 minutes. Now a couple of my secrets for frying chicken: do not unroll the thighs so they cook evenly and will fit in the pan, also if the meat is not white about half way through the chicken leave it a minute or two more, and when it is a nice brown on the underside, turn it over, don’t cover it until after you have turned it, only turn it once, the oil butter mix should bubble a little, and not a full rolling boiling splashing type thing, if it does that, turn it down a tad bit. After you have turned the chicken and it is near done, you can cover it for a few minutes, when close to done, then remove the chicken and place on a plate. (It is going to finish cooking in the oven) Do not drain the pan.
While you are cooking the chicken chop the following ingredients so they are ready when you take the chicken out of the pan:
Veggies: Peppers and Onions chopped. We tried a green pepper and did not like it, and then switched to orange, the green was too strong of a flavor and that texture seemed to compete with the chicken for my bunch and I don’t think green gets as soft as the orange. So, if you like the tough texture of the green, and that stronger flavor ok then use it.
Put chopped peppers and onions in the hot pan and cover and cook for about 5- 8 minutes until softened. Add chopped clove garlic or 1 TBS of store bought chopped garlic, and 1 TBS curry powder. Mix into onion pepper mix, and needs to only cook about 30 seconds (really) until fragrant. Then add 2 cans of diced tomato’s (2-15 oz or 1-28 oz) and 1/3 cup dried currants, (first time around did not have them and added dried cranberries), bring to a boil, I taste tested at this point and decided if I should add more salt or pepper, and decided to add a touch of pepper and not add salt and let people be in charge of that since there is curry involved.
At this point, return the chicken to the pan, you can float it on top or sink it down in ( I like it sunken down in, so the chicken stays moist, but put skin side up, and pour all the juice the chicken drained from the plate into the pot as well. Transfer the pan to the oven UNCOVERED- (yes UNCOVERED) and bake for 40 minutes. While it is baking, make your rice and prep your table, serve the meal over the rice. Very pretty dish, colorful and smells so good! YUM!
This is a full meal in itself and can be made in the crock pot. I have not made the crock pot version, I will tell you that from start to finish it took me an hour, so not so bad. You can also vary the curry amount, I add 1 TSP more than this calls for.
So enjoy it is a wonderus dish and got lots of compliments for several days. Is yummy for left overs as well so make extra for work lunches.
