Caribbean Curried Chicken

Curried Chicken is by far one of the most accessible and easily found Caribbean foods. Like all curries, it's highly regionalized, there can be multiple curries found along the entire archipelago.  Essentially it is a spiced stew consisting of meat or poultry, a starch such as pumpkin or potato, coconut milk, spicy peppers, and a curry spice blend, which will usually contain allspice.

Ingredients 

2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 medium potatoes, pealed and cubed*

3 tablespoons curry powder**

½  teaspoon nutmeg

½  teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water

½ cup coconut milk

1 Scotch Bonnet or habanero chili pepper, slit in half lengthwise

Notes:

*Do not use russet potatoes, use white, or Yukon Gold

**Do not use Madras Curry powder, and if Jamaican Curry powder is used, omit allspice and nutmeg

 

Step One: Chicken Prep

Cut chicken into two inch pieces. The skin and rib bones can be removed, but this is optional. Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, lime juice, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Mix the ingredients together.  Transfer the chicken to a tight-lidded container and refrigerate for two hours.

Step Two: Potatoes

Peal and cut the potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Steam the potatoes for ten minutes until tender, but still firm.

Step Three: Curry Gravy

Mix the curry powder, nutmeg and allspice together in a small bowl and set aside.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 6 quart pot over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering.  Stirring very

quickly, add the curry powder mixture to the oil. Continue to stir rapidly for about 1 minute. Immediately add the chicken mixture, potatoes, water, coconut milk, and the chili pepper.

 

Step Four: Simmer and Serve

Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the chicken is fully cooked and the gravy is the desired thickness. Serve over white rice and enjoy.