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Country Captain

Tender cuts of chicken gently simmer with sweet onions, bell peppers, garlic, and red plum tomatoes creating a colorful sauce, accented with a sprinkling of plump golden raisins. But the spices might just be the stars in this dish. Notes of mace, with pops of spice from freshly cracked black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika set the stage before toasted curry powder steps in and delivers an unexpected performance!
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Lunch and Dinner
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Large, deep skillet
  • medium saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken, cut up, about 4-5 pounds
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced thin, about 2 cups
  • 2 medium green bell peppers, sliced, about 1-½ cups
  • ½ teaspoon chopped garlic, about 1 clove
  • ½ teaspoon mace
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, toasted*
  • 1 large can whole plum tomatoes, 28-ounces
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • For the rice:
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Season both sides of the chicken with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
  • Combine the flour, the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, the cracked black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Whisk to blend together.
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over a temperature slightly above medium heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture coating completely and place in the hot butter and oil skin side down. Cook in batches so that the chicken browns evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the browned chicken to a separate platter.
  • Add the sliced onions and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Add the mace and the curry powder, stirring into the onions and peppers. Pour in the tomatoes along with their juices, breaking up the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
  • Place the browned chicken back into the skillet, skin side up, nestling the pieces into the sauce. (The sauce will not cover the chicken.) Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Toss in the raisins, working them into the sauce. Cover and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Serve over rice.
  • For the rice:
  • Combine the rice, water, butter, and kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, stir to blend.
  • Cover and reduce the heat to low for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, keep the pan covered for an additional 5 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork.
  • To toast the curry powder*:
  • Place the curry powder in a small skillet and warm over medium heat. Shake the pan and stir frequently while the curry is toasting to prevent it from burning. Heat until the curry is fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Notes

*Toasting spices can bring their flavor to life, in a manner, “waking them up”.