Delicious -- time consuming but not difficult. My question is: What happens to the bacon? I read the recipe 3 times and could not find any mention past setting it aside. I added it along with the chicken, which worked fine.
Country Captain
This curried chicken casserole (from Atlanta's Watershed) is a Southern Lowcountry classic whose name harks back to the days when ships' captains in port cities like Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, traded in spices acquired during their travels abroad.
Credit: André Baranowski
INGREDIENTS
1 3–4-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces1 tsp. dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄4 cup canola oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, (3⁄4 cup tomato juice reserved)
3 tbsp. curry powder
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄3 cup currants, plus more for garnish
2 bay leaves
2 cups steamed white rice, for serving
Peanuts, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Season chicken with thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a 5-qt. dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.2. Discard oil and return dutch oven to medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate; set aside. Add the garlic, celery, peppers, and onions to the dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice and cook, stirring frequently, until the juice thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, butter, currants, and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a chunky sauce, 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 325˚. Add the reserved chicken to the dutch oven, nestling it into the thick curry sauce; spoon some of the sauce over chicken. Cover and cook until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken, serve with rice, and garnish with bacon, currants, and peanuts.
Pairing note The fruity, mildly tannic notes of the 2006 Magito Cabernet Sauvignon Highlands Blend from Sonoma County nicely complement the curry in this dish.
Ratings & Reviews (8)
very delicious plate....not quite sure what flavor the bacon added to the dish, otherwise very good dish!
To answer the prior commentors regarding usage of bacon, in step 3: ....serve with rice, and garnish with bacon, currants, and peanuts.
I made this last night and my husband and I loved it. The only adjustment I might make is to add a little more curry powder and/or cayenne for a little more heat. My husband just kept coming back for more, which is highly unusual for him. This is a keeper. As for the bacon, I thought it added just a hint of salty smokiness which is always a plus w/ me.
This is one of my favorite recipes and guests seem to love it too! I prefer using 2/3 cup yellow raisins instead of currants however. I also like using just thighs and drumsticks as the dark meat goes very well with the sauce. I had the same problem with determining what to do with the bacon so I always add along with the curry powder, etc.
Excellent recipe. For cooks wondering what to do with the bacon, it is used as a condiment on top of the curry along with uncooked currants & peanuts. It is time consuming, but well worth it!
I've made this several times for large groups, and it has always been a a big hit. Busy on the front end, but this can be done ahead of time. (And I omit the bacon...) Good comfort food!
I get a kick out of the two previous reviewers who don't know what to do with the bacon. The last paragraph (3) says "..garnish with bacon..." It helps to read the recipe!
Country Captain
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