Southern tradition says this spicy curry dish, which originated in India, was brought to Savannah, Georgia, in the early 1800s by a British sea captain of the East India Company.
Country Captain Butter Chicken
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- Butter Crunch Rice (recipe below)
- Garnish: chopped green onion, sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together lemon juice and curry powder until combined. Add chicken, and stir until fully coated; let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to
pan , and let melt. Add onion, jalapeño, and cinnamon stick; cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, raisins, paprika, and salt; bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened and a meat thermometer inserted in chicken registers 165°, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cream and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve over Butter Crunch Rice. Garnish with green onion and almonds, if desired.
Butter Crunch Rice
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring rice, teaspoons salt, and water to cover by 2 inches to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until rice is almost tender, about 12 minutes; drain.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Sprinkle half of rice in skillet, pressing gently. Sprinkle with garlic, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with remaining rice. Cover surface with a sheet of parchment paper; cover with lid. Cook over medium-low heat until rice is lightly browned on bottom, about 30 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape browned bits from bottom of skillet into rice.
