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.
To make the gremolata, In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Spoon the braised chicken and potatoes into shallow bowls. Garnish with the gremolata and cilantro sprigs and serve with lime wedges.
Cook’s Notes:
This dish taste better the next day. The braised chicken can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.
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