Curried Rhubarb Chicken

I love this chicken dish! Truly, it is one of my all-time favorites. It's ideal for Spring, with its abundance of seasonal rhubarb. And it's got curry, one of my most beloved flavors. What more can I say???

Well, let's see:

This is a great family dinner, though it's special enough for an event.

The house smells amazing while it cooks!

You get both protein and fruit in this meal, livened up by the rich flavor of the spices.

It's simple to make, requiring no special equipment or prolonged time frame.

Hmmm ... to paraphrase a line in the fabulous and extraordinary movie "Amadeus": I am passionate. Do I persuade???

I tried making a variation on this with pork one time, and it didn't work at all: the pork was tough, rather than meltingly tender as I'd expected it to be. Odd, but that's what happened. I haven't tried this with chicken breasts, though I imagine that using a different part of the same beast would still result in a luscious dish.

So, go ahead -- try this! And if you can't find all of the spices, just use some extra curry powder. It'll be fine, and your dinner will still be delicious ... :)


Please note that I am NOT ignoring all of my beloved blogging buddies, both new and old!!! Every time I've tried to post a comment, Blogger asks me to pick an identity; I choose "Google Account." I'm then asked to sign in, even though I'm perpetually signed in; then my comment comes back up, it claims to be from someone named "Anonymous" rather than from Yenta Mary, and then when I try to post it anyway I get taken right back to the sign-in page ... oy. Quite the Sisyphean frustration! So if I can ever manage to be myself again, I'll go back to letting all of you know how much I love what you write ....


Curried Rhubarb Chicken

2 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup white wine (I used Flip Flop Wines Riesling)
1/2 pound rhubarb, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2” pieces
4 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, ginger and curry powder; saute 1 minute. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion softens a bit. Add wine and rhubarb; bring to a boil, then cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir, then re-cover and cook 10 more minutes until rhubarb has broken down into a sauce.



In a 10” skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and the black pepper. Place chicken into the skillet skin-side down; cook 5 minutes until well-browned, then turn chicken over and cook 5 more minutes. Place chicken skin-side up into a greased 9”x13” baking dish, and pour rhubarb sauce over it; sprinkle with brown sugar.

Place baking dish into the oven and bake chicken for 40-45 minutes.

Serves 6-8.