If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying Chicken Country Captain, then you are in for a real treat! This delicious recipe includes chicken, onions, garlic, peppers, raisins, almonds, and curry powder for a classic Southern flavor combination.
Chicken Country Captain is a delicious Southern recipe that dates back to the early 19th century. It originated in the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina, so if you are not from either of those states, you may have missed an opportunity to experience this incredible recipe. It’s a wonderful example of an “old school” Southern dish with complex flavors that keep you coming back for more.
Craig Claiborne – Southern Cook Extraordinaire
The Chicken Country Captain recipe I’m sharing here is, with slight personal adaptations, Craig Claiborne‘s Country Captain recipe from his wonderful cookbook, Southern Cooking. Mr. Claiborne was a nationally known food writer for The New York Times and author of many cookbooks. He was born and raised in Mississippi and had a lifelong association with southern cooking, having learned the fundamentals in the kitchen of his mother’s boardinghouse.
If you love Southern cuisine and don’t already have a copy of Southern Cooking, please try to find one straight away. Every recipe in it is familiar to me from my own experience with Southern cooking and the stories of Mr. Claiborne’s growing up and learning to cook are just priceless.
Regarding Country Captain, Mr. Claiborne says:
“No one knows precisely the origin of the dish known throughout Georgia and much of the South as country captain. The theory is that it was introduced to the port of Savannah by the captain of a vessel that plied the spice route from India in the early 1800s.”
Makes sense to me. The combination of curry with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic could easily have come from that part of the world.
— This post was originally published on November 3, 2010. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Servings: 8
Primary Ingredient(s): Chicken, raisins, butter, onion, bell pepper, curry powder, tomatoes
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One of my favorite dishes to serve for company especially if they are not from the south. My family hails from South Carolina and this has always been one of everyone’s favorite suppers.”
— Jane A
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s an important part of traditional southern foodways.
- A lovely alternative to the usual chicken recipes.
- It can be served with rice for a complete meal. Sides, other than perhaps a simple salad, are simply not necessary.
- It’s a wonderful example of the sweet and savory combination that Southerners often enjoy.
Equipment You’ll Use
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- Cutting Board – this bamboo cutting board is cheap, durable, and made from renewable materials.
- Knife – an absolute must-have for every cook is good knives.
Ingredient Notes
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- Raisins – Traditional recipes actually call for currants, not raisins. If you have currants, please do use them. Otherwise, raisins, either dark or golden raisins, are an acceptable compromise.
- Chicken – My preference is to use a small frying chicken cut into eight pieces. However, all breasts or all thighs are perfectly fine. Whichever you choose, you’ll need a total of about three pounds.
- Onion, green bell pepper, garlic – This combination of aromatic vegetables provides the base for the very flavorful sauce.
- Curry powder – I do realize that there is a wide range of curry powders available to cooks today. However, at the time this recipe originated, the selection was not so wide. For an authentic flavor from the time period, I recommend the widely available McCormick brand of curry powder.
- Canned tomatoes – My preference is canned Roma (or plum) tomatoes. Others will suffice if those are not available.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Chicken Country Captain
- Put the raisins into a small bowl with enough very hot tap water to cover them completely. Let them sit in the hot water and get nice and plump while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Prepare the chicken by salting and peppering it very well on both sides. Dredge it in flour and shake off the excess.
- Over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter along with the oil in a skillet or Dutch oven large enough to fit all the chicken in a single layer. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove it and set it aside.
- Pour out the cooking oil and wipe the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- (continued) To the butter, add the onion, green peppers, garlic, and curry powder.
- Cook and stir the mixture until the vegetables are wilted. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture up to a boil and add the chicken pieces back to the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 20 minutes.
- When the chicken is cooked through, drain the water from the raisins and add them to the skillet.
- Serve with cooked white or saffron rice, toasted almonds, and chutney (if desired) on the side.
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Recipe Tips
- If you have currants available to you, feel free to use them in place of the raisins for an even more authentic recipe.
- Replace the canned tomatoes with diced fresh tomatoes if you like. Fresh tomatoes should be “dead ripe.” In other words, they should be so ripe that you’re afraid they’ll go bad by tomorrow if you don’t use them right now 😊
- Although green bell peppers are typical for this recipe, you can substitute red, orange, or yellow in their place. Keep in mind, however, that green bell peppers do have a distinctive flavor and although the other colors are delicious, they will change the flavor profile of the finished recipe.
How to Serve
Chicken Country Captain is typically served over steamed white rice topped with toasted almonds and chutney on the side. If you’d like to offer a green vegetable, I’d suggest steamed broccoli or braised green beans.
Storing Leftovers
Completely cooled leftovers may be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Or freeze for up to two months. To reheat, warm over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating if frozen.
Questions About Chicken Country Captain
Because of the international trade influence at the ports of Savannah and Charleston during the early 1800s when this recipe originated, the name “country captain” probably came from the East India Company’s terminology used to refer to the captain of a “country ship,” meaning a vessel from India that traded in the Georgia-South Carolina coastal area.
I prefer to use a bone-in, frying chicken for this recipe, but if chicken breasts are what you have on hand, you can easily substitute those. Keep in mind that this may impact the cooking time as breast meat cooks more quickly than dark meat. You can also use skinless chicken thighs.
It’s not absolutely crucial to soak the raisins, but it does give them a head start on becoming as plump and juicy as possible.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
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Recipe
Chicken Country Captain
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 frying chicken (about 3 pounds, cut into serving pieces)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 cups canned tomatoes chopped
For serving:
- Cooked rice
- Toasted silvered almonds
- Chutney optional
Instructions
- Put the raisins into a small bowl with enough very hot tap water to cover them completely. Let them sit in the hot water and get nice and plump while you prepare the rest of the recipe.½ cup raisins
- Prepare the chicken by salting and peppering it very well on both sides. Dredge it in flour and shake off the excess.1 frying chicken, Salt and black pepper, 1 cup flour
- Over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter along with the oil in a skillet or Dutch oven large enough to fit all the chicken in a single layer. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove it and set it aside.2 tablespoon cooking oil
- Pour out the cooking oil and wipe the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the onion, green peppers, garlic, and curry powder.1 medium onion, 1 large green bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder
- Cook and stir the mixture until the vegetables are wilted. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture up to a boil and add the chicken pieces back to the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 20 minutes.2 cups canned tomatoes
- When the chicken is cooked through, drain the water from the raisins and add them to the skillet.
- Serve with cooked white or saffron rice, toasted almonds, and chutney (if desired) on the side.Cooked rice, Toasted, Chutney
Notes
- Use currants in place of raisins for an even more authentic recipe.
- Completely cooled leftovers may be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Or freeze for up to two months. To reheat, warm over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating if frozen.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
One of my favorite dishes to serve for company especially if they are not from the south. My family hails from South Carolina and this has always been one of everyone’s favorite suppers.
It is a really nice representation of traditional southern cooking!
Hi! Lana. i like your article “chicken country captain”. I will try it as soon as possible.
This is amazing and a different recipe and looks too sopecial.
Thanks.
Great, Gabriella! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I’ve been making a version of this dish for almost fifty years but it has been a couple of years since I’ve made it. My husband loves it! So I guess better get with it. Thank you for the reminder.
You’re welcome, Pat!