Country Captain Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs, about 3 lb
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Before you cook

• Season the chicken thighs all over with the salt and pepper.
• Dust the thighs lightly with the flour and shake off the excess.
• Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes, then set them aside to cool.
• Crush the canned tomatoes with your hands in a bowl, juice and all.

Steps

1. Heat the bacon drippings in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the chicken thighs skin side down for 5 minutes, then turn and brown 3 minutes more.
3. Move the chicken to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
4. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft.
5. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and mace and cook for 90 seconds until fragrant.
6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot clean.
7. Add the thyme and bring the sauce to a simmer.
8. Return the chicken to the pot skin side up and spoon sauce around the pieces.
9. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes.
10. Uncover, scatter the currants over the top, and simmer 10 minutes more.
11. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt.
12. Spoon the chicken and sauce over the cooked rice.
13. Shower the top with the toasted almonds and chopped parsley.