I originally posted this recipe way back in November 2011. It’s such a delicious recipe that I wanted to take some better photos and share it once again.
I originally found this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine. The article with the recipe said that the dish was a southern classic from Georgia and South Carolina. I was curious to learn more about the origins of this recipe, so I did a little more research and discovered that this dish actually originated in India. The story is that it was then brought to the U.S. (specifically, Georgia) by a British sea captain. These British captains were referred to as country captains.
The original dish was a very simple chicken dish with onions and curry powder, served over rice. As time went on, the dish evolved to include bell peppers, tomatoes, almonds and raisins or currents and eventually became a southern classic. It’s an incredibly flavorful dish that’s quite easy to make.
This particular version uses boneless chicken breasts, so it’s a very quick and easy dish that’s perfect for a no-fuss weeknight dinner.
Country Captain Chicken
adapted from Cooking Light
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced vertically
- 1 medium bell pepper (whatever color you have on hand), sliced vertically
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- hot, cooked rice (I used brown rice)
In a small bowl, combine curry, salt and pepper.
Toss cut chicken with the spice mixture.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When pan is hot, add chicken and saute until chicken starts to brown.
Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute for about 5 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.
Add chicken stock, raisins, thyme and tomatoes.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Serve over hot rice and top with almonds.
ENJOY!