Throwdown's country captain chicken

Method

Throwdown's country captain chicken

1) For the curry mix: Combine all the spices in a small bowl.

2) For the coconut rice with spring onions:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. add the onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in the butter. Add the coconut milk, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stir once, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender, about 16 minutes.

3) Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and fold in the spring onion. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

4) For the country captain chicken:
Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas mark 3.

5) Heat the oil in a large, high sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the rasher bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen towels. Add the butter and 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil to the rendered rasher bacon fat in the pan and heat until it begins to shimmer.

6) Put the plain flour in a shallow bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, dredge in the plain flour and tap off any excess. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove to plate.

7) Add the onion and pepper to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the serrano and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by 3/4. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer and reduce slightly. stir in the tomatoes, currants or sultanas, thyme, 2 tsp of honey and season with a little salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. remove the lid after 35 minutes and continue to bake an additional 15 minutes.

8) Remove the chicken to a platter and tent slightly to keep warm. Put the pan and sauce back on the burner over high heat and bring to a boil. Let the sauce reduce slightly, then season with salt, pepper, and honey, to taste. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with the rasher bacon, almonds and more parsley. Serve with coconut rice with spring onions.