Country Captain Chicken with Rice

This is an easy dish to experiment with Indian cooking, assuming it is not a family tradition already. I learned it from my sous chef Robbie J. at Keswick Hall.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 783 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup golden raisins, or to taste
• 2 cups cooked basmati rice
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 whole whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 6 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped, liquid reserved
• ¼ cup dried currants, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons Madras curry powder
• 2 tablespoons peanuts, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Season chicken with thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Step 3

Heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat. Place chicken pieces, skin-side down, in hot oil and cook until golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain and discard oil.

Step 4

Reduce heat to medium and add bacon to the Dutch oven. Cook and stir until bacon is browned and crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Chop into smaller pieces.

Step 5

Cook and stir onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic in the Dutch oven over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, 3/4 cup reserved tomato liquid, currants, raisins, curry powder, butter, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.

Step 6

Return chicken to Dutch oven and spoon sauce over the top. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 8

Press 1/2 cup rice into a small bowl and invert onto a plate to remove. Set 2 pieces of chicken on rice and spoon sauce over the top. Repeat with remaining rice, chicken, and sauce. Garnish each with bacon, currants, peanuts, and parsley.