Chicken el Capitan

This one made time and time again at my parties, and is such a great crowd pleaser, perfect for stretching out the chicken when serving for more than 4 people and might be on a tight budget.

This chicken is ever so tender, juicy and the seasonings add a distinctly “adult” flavor.

Serve with rice and of course, and have little bowls filled with the extra condiments that allow your guests to pick and choose their toppings for one heck of a delectable and sensational looking entrée. Double the recipe if making for a crowd.

• 4 pound chicken all cut up – or your choice of cut up chicken parts with skins still on
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups carrots – sliced
• 1 large onion – sliced
• 4 shallots – sliced
• ½ cup green sweet pepper – sliced
• 2 garlic cloves – minced
• 1-1/2 cup stewed tomatoes or canned (whole plum tomatoes are great – 2 cans)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup red wine (drinkable)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped
• 8 peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon, thyme
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• ***For Braising Chicken
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ****For Condiment Choices
• Serve these in accessible little bowls with spoons so that your guests can choose their toppings
• 1 cup real bacon bits
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup yellow currants mixed with 1/2 cup raisins
• ****Equipment Needed:
• Large casserole dish (My mom and I both use a deep Le Cruset skillet with lid which goes from stove top to oven ), heavy skillet for braising chicken if using casserole dish.

1. Rinse and pat dry your chicken which has been cut up into eight pieces (legs separated from thighs, etc)
2. Dredge lightly in seasoned flour (salt & pepper added) and shake off any excess.
3. In deep skillet on medium high heat, heat olive oil first, and then add butter.
4. Once butter is melted and starts to bubble, add chicken pieces skin down first.
5. You are only browning the chicken, not cooking it, so you want a nice caramelized look to your chicken skins. Flip chicken accordingly, and brown on the other side. As chicken pieces are browned, remove and set aside on separate plate for now.
6. Add anymore remaining chicken pieces to your skillet and do the same browning process until all chicken has been braised.
7. Add a little of the butter if you need to and add onions and shallots, sweat them for 5 minutes.
8. Or you could have made the bacon bits first and used the bacon fat, yum - to braise chicken in.
9. Add garlic and green pepper and cook until soft.
10. Add stock or water, wine, tomatoes and all seasonings. Stir mixture.
11. Add chicken to skillet and cover.
12. Transfer to oven and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is extra tender.
13. Serve with hot rice, and condiments.

See many more of my recipes:

Chicken El Capitan @ Group Recipes