Country Captain Chicken

As I've undoubtedly mentioned before there are a couple recipes that hit me right in the "OMG" zone. This recipe...it's 1) a keeper and 2) an instant remake (as in the next couple weeks).

I've made a version of this before, but this one was way better. It could be I'm a better cook now than I was when I tried the Rachael Ray version, or it's just that I followed the recipe. Either way, I highly recommend this recipe.

I mixed white rice in with this entire dish and served it. It doesn't really indicate if mashed potatoes or rice is better with it. I liked the rice because it makes a great left over. You know how I feel about left overs right...? I LOVED this as a left over.

Country Captain Chicken
Serves 4

• 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tsp Vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, chopped coarse (I only used one large and it was fine)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped coarse
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 T Sweet paprika
• 1 T Madras-style curry powder (I couldn't find Madras style so I used yellow curry powder)
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 3 T All purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position: heat the oven to 300 degrees. Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large oven proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add 4 of the thighs, skin side down and cook without moving them until the skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and brown on the second side for 5 minutes. transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.

Discard all but 1 T of fat from the pot; when the chicken has cooled, remove and discard the skin.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, curry powder and cayenne and cook until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the pot. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, raisins, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices, submerging the chicken in the liquid. Return to a simmer, cover and place pot in the oven; cook until the chicken offers no resistance when poked with the top of a pairing knife, but is still clinging to the bones, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove pot from oven.

Stir in parsley and discard the bay leaf.