Country Captain

Country Captain Chicken originated in the British Raj in India. In the 19th century, British trade ships in India, were called "Country Ships" and their captains were known as "Country Captains." Country Captain Chicken was a popular dish at their tables and got its name through this association. This dish made its way to Savannah, Georgia, and to this day Georgians claim it as their own, even though it's Indian!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken, cut up
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup water (more if necessary)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and cut up
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 pound blanched almonds
• 3 tablespoons dried currants or raisins
• 4 slices crisp bacon, chopped (optional)
• Cooked white rice* (for serving)
• Chutney

Instructions

1. Flour chicken. There should be about ten pieces.
2. Heat butter and brown the chicken pieces. When browned, place chicken in a casserole dish or large cast iron skillet.
3. In the same frying pan, sauté bell pepper, garlic and onion for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add water mixed with curry powder, tomatoes, parsley and thyme. Pour mixture over chicken in the casserole dish.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F until the chicken is very tender (about 2 hours).
5. Add almonds which have been sautéed in butter until golden brown. Add the currants.
6. Place chicken pieces on rice in a serving dish and pour the gravy over it. Garnish with bacon, if desired.

Notes

* You can serve this without the rice, if desired.

Attribution

Photo credit: 7695465@N06 / CC BY