I subscribe to America’s Test Kitchen and this recipe just popped up. Thought some of you would like it:
Slow-Cooker Country Captain Chicken
Country captain chicken is a Southern braised chicken dish that combines chicken thighs with tomatoes, onions, spices, and an unlikely ingredient: mango. Because it’s braised, it should be a natural for slow-cooker cooking, but the recipes we have tried have yielded dry, stringy chicken and a bland-flavored broth with little hint of the spice or mango. What’s the secret to making great-tasting country captain chicken in a slow cooker? Here’s what we discovered:
Test Kitchen Discoveries
Brown the chicken thighs thoroughly with the skin on, then remove the skin before braising or it will turn rubbery and make the broth greasy.
For the fullest flavor, soften the vegetables in the rendered chicken fat after browning the thighs.
Pump up the flavors. Because the dish simmers so long, it’s important to add a lot of seasoning and spices.
Use mango chutney instead of fresh mango. The flavor of the fresh fruit is too fleeting to survive through the long simmer. Mango chutney, on the other hand, packs a rich fruity flavor and some sweetness that tasters appreciated.
Slow-Cooker Country Captain Chicken
Serves 6 to 8
Basic curry powder turns bitter after six hours in a slow cooker, so stick with Madras curry powder. By tradition, this dish can be garnished with any or all of the following: sliced toasted almonds, shredded coconut, diced Granny Smith apples, and diced banana. Steamed long-grain rice is a must. Unlike beef, which can be browned and chilled the night before it goes into the slow cooker, once the chicken is browned it should be cooked right away.
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), excess fat trimmed
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions , chopped coarse
1 green bell pepper , seeded and chopped coarse
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (9-ounce) jar chutney , such as Major Grey’s
4 cloves garlic , minced
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Slightly cool chicken on plate, remove and discard skin, and transfer chicken to slow-cooker insert.
2. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and return pan to medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste and, using wooden spoon, scrape up browned bits from pan bottom. Simmer until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in chutney, garlic, curry powder, paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Pour mixture into slow-cooker insert, submerging chicken in sauce.
3. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 6 hours. Turn off slow cooker, remove lid, and gently stir sauce to recombine. Replace lid and let stand for about 15 minutes to thicken sauce before serving.
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