Country Captain Chicken

If you like the combo of sweet and savory, you’ll love country captain chicken. Using onion, bell pepper, chicken thighs and a few other special ingredients (including brown sugar!), this traditional Southern dish comes together in the slow cooker, saving you hands-on time when prepping dinner.

Serve this main dish with a veggie side dish like carrot and kale saute or thyme zucchini saute. And if you have room for dessert, opt for one that uses similar ingredients as the main. For example, leftover rice pudding would be a delicious callback.

Ingredients for Country Captain Chicken

• Onion: A liberal amount of onion is used in this recipe, adding both pungent and sweet flavors. White or sweet onions work best, but you can also use another variety, like yellow onions or shallots.
• Red pepper: Diced red bell pepper adds a beautiful color and contributes some of the sweet flavor in this dish. If you don’t like bell peppers, consider using carrots or some diced cabbage.
• Garlic: Just a touch of garlic can have a big impact in terms of flavor. If you want even more of it, roast a head of garlic and stir some into the cooked rice.
• Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which is a particularly flavorful cut of meat. We don’t recommend using chicken breasts here because they can become dried out when placed in a slow cooker.
• Raisins: Absorbent and sweet, raisins will give you an extra sensory pop of flavor and color.
• Tomatoes: Canned, stewed tomatoes are an easy go-to, but you can also make oven-roasted tomatoes for extra flavor.
• Rice: This grain is the perfect soaker-upper for all the flavor from the chicken. Long-grain, basmati and jasmine rice are all great options, since they stay fluffy when cooked.
• Parsley and almonds (optional): Chopped fresh parsley makes a colorful garnish, and slivered almonds sprinkled over the top of the finished dish will add depth of flavor and crunch.

Seasonings:

• Curry powder: This seasoning is actually a mix of spices, including fenugreek, cumin, turmeric and more.
• Cinnamon: Adding a hint of warmth and aroma, cinnamon is more than just a flavor.
• Ginger: While fresh ginger is a lot more potent, this recipe calls for ground ginger.
• Thyme: This herb complements savory dishes and is popular in a variety of cuisines, including French and Middle Eastern.
• Brown sugar: Made by mixing granulated white sugar with molasses, brown sugar provides rich flavor and moisture.
• Chicken broth: If you’re running short on time or simply forgot to make homemade chicken broth, you can use chicken bouillon cubes mixed with water.

Directions

Step 1: Layer the ingredients into the slow cooker

Place the onion, pepper and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker. Arrange the chicken thighs over the vegetables.

Step 2: Add the spiced broth and cook

Whisk the curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, thyme and brown sugar together with the chicken broth, then pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for one hour.

Step 3: Add the raisins and tomatoes

Add the raisins and tomatoes, then reduce the heat to low and cook until a thermometer reads 165°F, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Step 4: Garnish and serve

Serve the chicken over rice, sprinkled with chopped parsley and slivered almonds, if desired.

Country Captain Chicken Variations

• Substitute the rice: Instead of serving this dish over rice, try another grain like farro, couscous or quinoa. You can also enjoy it over roasted potatoes or egg noodles—there are plenty of options that would go well with this country captain chicken recipe.
• Switch up the seasoning: Change up the spice blend used in this recipe by substituting the curry powder with jerk chicken seasoning, garam masala or ras el hanout.
• Use caramelized onions: While it would take significantly more time to prepare caramelized onions just for this recipe, you can make a batch of slow-cooker caramelized onions and store them in the fridge for up to a week.

How to Store Country Captain Chicken

Place the leftover chicken in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for three to four days. For the rice, it’s best to make exactly what you’ll eat, since there is some controversy about how safe it is to cool and reheat rice. That said, many people eat leftover rice without any issues—just learn how to reheat rice properly to reduce your risk.

Can I freeze chicken country captain?

Yes, you can freeze this dish, but you may want to shred the chicken first. This will help it to both freeze and thaw more effectively. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

Country Captain Chicken Tips

Do you need to put liquid in the slow cooker as the chicken cooks?

Yes, this step is necessary because without the added moisture, you risk drying out the chicken. For extra richness, you can add a spoonful of schmaltz to the pot.

Why did my chicken come out dry in the crockpot?

The likelihood is that you cooked the chicken on high for too long. This is why we recommend cooking on high for only one hour, turning it down to low for the remainder.

How do I get the most out of my slow cooker?

Good question. While the slow cooker is a great tool, it’s not for every occasion. It’s best for recipes where you can add the majority of the ingredients to the pot in one or two steps. Learn a few more slow-cooker tips and you should be good to go.