Country captain is a curried chicken dish that many believe originated in Savannah, Georgia. The dish, with its Indian flavors, might have gotten its name from a British army officer who brought the recipe for the dish back from India.
This version is cooked quickly in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s a nice change of pace from the everyday chicken stew or chicken and rice dishes. Serve the chicken with some of the juices over hot cooked rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with parsley and slivered or sliced toasted almonds.
This Instant Pot shredded chicken is another great way to prepare chicken thighs. Or you might like this easy Indian-style mulligatawny chicken.
PrintInstant Pot Country Captain Chicken
Country captain chicken is a Southern dish with the Indian flavors of curry, raisins, and spices. The Instant Pot makes it quick and easy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Pressure Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Instant Pot, Chicken Thighs, Curry, Tomatoes
- Method: Pressure Cook
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bacon drippings (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, without skin
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: slivered or sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish
- Optional: chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Select the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add the bacon drippings or oil and butter.
- When the fat is hot and sizzling, add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the chicken stock to the vegetables and stir, scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.
- Arrange the chicken thighs on the vegetables; sprinkle with the curry powder and raisins and then top with the tomatoes and their juice. Add the cinnamon stick to the pot.
- Secure the lid and make sure the steam release valve is in the sealing position. Choose pressure cook or manual, high pressure, and set the timer for 6 minutes.
- When the time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Taste and add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and serve the country captain over hot cooked rice. Garnish with sliced toasted almonds and parsley or cilantro, if desired.