Country Captain

This is another one of those recipes I have had saved for a long time.  I don't know why I have waited so long to make it because this turned out to be one of the best meals I have made in a while.  It's part chicken curry part chicken stew served on rice. This recipe does make a lot, so I froze half of it and for another week.

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup raisins

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning

6 slices bacon, chopped

12 chicken thighs, skin on

1 large dried chile, such as guajillo or pasilla, split, seeds removed

1 lb peeled and sliced carrots

2 cups diced yellow bell peppers

2 cups diced onions

3 cloves garlic 

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp ginger

2/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the broth into a small pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper.

Over high heat fry the bacon until lightly browned, transfer the bacon to apaper towel.

Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and the dried thyme. Brown the chicken in batches over medium-high heat in the bacon fat until they are golden brown. Add the reserved bacon fat. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the chile and fry in the fat, about 30 seconds per side, until very fragrant.  Add the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spice mixture, ginger, and the raisins and their broth and the bacon. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down  and the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes.
Pour the vegetable mixture into a large baking dish and place the chicken thighs in the sauce.  Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the sauce has thickened further and the chicken skin is just beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes more.
Serve with  rice and garnish with the almonds, and parsley.





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