After all of the heavy, American mains and sides that filled our plates and tables for Thanksgiving, and the unending monotony of leftovers, I'm sure you are ready to step out and reinvigorate your senses. Have I got the dish for you!
I've made this meal several times over the last year and it never disappoints. I've found myself wondering: is this North-African, or perhaps Asian...wait, maybe West Indies? I'm not quite sure, exactly, but if forced to choose I would say either Asian or East African and very well perhaps a co-mingling of both cultures' cuisines. It has a yummy broth of coconut milk, tomatoes, and, onions, which is paired along with warm spices of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves; all punctuated with a nice kick of ginger, chili flakes, and a splash of lime.
This meal comes together fairly quickly and definitely fast enough for a mid-week culinary escape. It pairs well with either a pinot noir or malbec. A luscious white wine would also fare strongly here. Tonight, I bit right into a granny smith apple after finishing my meal and it rounded my palate beautifully. Pack your bags and come along to help solve this mystery of where this dish's roots may lie. A worldly adventure awaits to tantalize your taste buds.
Braised Chicken in tomato & coconut milk and warm-spiced basmati rice
Adapted from The New York Times, Colu Henry
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 chicken thighs (bone-in/skin-on)
Red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
¼-½ tsp red-pepper flake (depending on your tolerance of spice)
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
13.5 oz can of coconut milk (prior to opening the can, shake well)
Fistful of fresh cilantro leaves, rough-chopped
Lime slices optional
Basmati Rice Pilaf (see recipe below)
Remove the chicken from the fridge. Pat dry and season the skin liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside on a plate while you prepare all of the remaining ingredients - including for the rice recipe below.
When all ingredients have been prepped, heat the oil in a stainless steel skillet (10-12 inches) over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken skin-side down and allow to brown, without moving the chicken, for about 6 minutes. Season the meaty side of the chicken with black pepper. After 6 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for another 4 minutes.
While the chicken is browning, start preparing the rice (see recipe below).
Once the chicken has been browned on both sides, remove the thighs from the pan and set aside on a plate. Stir in the sliced red onion and sauté, over medium-low heat, until softened - about 2 minutes. Add a small pinch of table salt.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and spices until they’re warmed and fragrant, about a minute. Then stir in the tomatoes and coconut milk and raise the heat back to medium-high. Place the chicken back in the pan (skin-side up) and stir in any juices from the plate holding the chicken. After about 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and carefully stir the sauce. You want to try and avoid getting any moisture on the chicken skin until plating to keep the skin crispy.
Serve the chicken with the basmati rice pilaf. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a slice of lime.
Basmati Rice Pilaf
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3-inch cinnamon stick (broken in half)
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
½ small-medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup basmati (or texmati) rice
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups chicken stock
While the chicken browns, heat the oil in a small or medium saucepan over high heat until the oil starts rippling. Add the spices and stir until they begin to pop. Cook for another minute, shaking the pan, then add the onion. Stir the onion until softened, about 2 minutes, then add the rice, stirring constantly for 1 minute to coat the rice with oil and lightly toast the individual grains.
Add in the salt and stir in the chicken stock. Bring to a full boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Then, remove the pot from the burner and let sit covered for at least 10 minutes or until the chicken is done. Fluff with a fork before serving.
_____________________________________________ Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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