Stanley Chicken

The Menu

Stanley Chicken*

Green Beans

When I first met Stanley, the charming man who was to become my husband a few years later, his cooking repertoire was significantly limited.  However, he did make a chicken dish that was easy and outstanding.  Best of all, it was loaded with carrots and his three boys liked it.  Over the years, I've messed with the recipe some, but it is still very recognizable as 'Stanley Chicken.'

Stanley Chicken - My Version

1 large potato

1 lb carrots
3 chicken thighs
3 Tsp Madras Curry Powder
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Soy Sauce
Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup red wine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Peel potato and carrots.  Slice into chunks of approximately 1 cubic inch.  Put the chunks in a three quart oven-proof pot with tight lid.  Add the Worcestershire Sauce, the Soy Sauce, red wine, and 1 Tsp Madras Curry Powder.  Stir to coat the vegetables. 

Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and set it aside.  Rub the remainder of the curry powder onto the thighs and set them on top of the vegetables.  Place the skin on top of the thighs. 

Cover the pot and cook approximately 45 minutes or until the thickest thigh shows an internal temperature of 180 degrees. 

If the chicken is very fat, leave the skin off.  If you have too much liquid at the end of cooking, remove the chicken and vegetables and cook the liquid on medium high heat until reduced.  Take care to leave enough liquid to pour over the vegetables when serving. 

This makes plenty for the two of us with nothing left over.

I've made this dish many, many times sometimes cooking two chickens.  Just increase the seasonings and vegetables more or less in proportion to the amount of chicken.  When cooking large amounts, I sometimes leave out the potatoes and serve the dish over white rice.  The blend of carrot, chicken, and curry powder is what makes the magic.