Coconut Braised Chicken

To be perfectly honest, I truly enjoyed cooking this dish in my new Le Creuset Signature Cast-Iron Round Dutch Oven, just as much as eating the most delicious braised chicken I have had in a while. This perfectly braised fragrant chicken stew is a cultural transformation of Asian, Central and South American ingredients—coconut, cumin, Mexican chorizo, cilantro and lime.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons canola oil
3 whole chicken legs
3 chicken thighs
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 pound fresh Mexican chorizo
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 dried chile de árbol, broken in half
1 Tablespoon Madras curry powder
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs
7 coffee beans, finely crushed (1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown the chicken over moderate heat, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Add the chorizo and onion to the casserole  and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, potatoes, curry powder and chicken to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the lime juice and butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.  