Colombo Chicken

Colombo Chicken

This Colombo Chicken Recipe is a common way to cook chicken in Sri Lanka. It is very flavorful, and similar to many Indian Curry dishes, but different in the ingredients used in Sri Lanka. Colombo cooking is a pot style of cooking, originating in the area of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The story goes, that when Sri Lankan workers traveled to the West Indies for plantation work, they brought wit them the traditional spices used in Sri Lanka and India, which we would recognize as curry spices, such as turmeric, fenugreek, cumin and others. In the West Indies they found cloves, allspice and other exotic spices. They incorporated them into their spice blends and a new variety of curry was born, known as West Indies Curry, or what we also call Colombo Powder, which is similar to our Madras Curry Powder. We are currently not blending Colombo, so we are using our Madras Curry. Many of these spices are now common in Indian curry blends, but in different proportions than found in Colombo Powder. We blend our Madras Curry Powder uses the spices found in traditional Colombo blends, so it gives you as authentic of a flavor as you can find. Enjoy!

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 Chicken, about 4 Lb. Skin Removed and Cut into 8 Pieces or 8 Skinless, Bone-in Chicken Thighs
2 Tablespoons Madras Curry Powder
2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
6 Cloves Garlic, Peeled and Halved
1 Medium Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
1 Fresh Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into Quarters
1 Sweet Potato, Peeled and Cubed
1 Zucchini, Cubed into ¾” Pieces
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1 14 Oz Can Coconut Milk
Juice of 1 Lime
Cooked White Rice for Serving

Directions:
Coat the chicken with the Madras Curry Powder, salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large pot, add the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken. Cook for a couple minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pot, add the garlic, onion, crushed red pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Sauté for a couple minutes, stirring constantly so they don’t burn. Add a bit more oil if needed. Return the chicken to the pot along with the vegetables, coconut milk and lime juice.

Cover and simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook for another 15 minutes longer or until the meat easily pulls away from the bone. Adjust the salt and pepper if desired.

Serve with the cooked rice.