Careme

Ingredients

• Foster Farms Fresh & Natural Cage Free Chicken Thighs

  1¼ lb, about 2 large bone-in thighs $1.99
• Eggplant

  1 medium, cut into 1-inch cubes $1.49
• Fresh Roma Tomato

  2 medium, diced $1.49
• Jumbo Yellow Onion

  ½ large, thinly sliced $1.29
• Garlic

  3 cloves, minced $0.79
• Fresh Jalapeno Peppers

  1 pepper, thinly sliced $1.49
• Kroger Enriched Long Grain White Rice

  ½ cup, rinsed $1.79
• Fresh ginger

  1 tablespoon, grated
• Neutral cooking oil

  2½ tablespoons, divided
• Black mustard seeds

  ½ teaspoon
• Ground coriander

  1 teaspoon
• Ground cumin

  ½ teaspoon
• Ground turmeric

  ½ teaspoon
• Cayenne pepper

  ⅛ teaspoon, optional
• Kosher salt

  ¾ teaspoon, plus more to taste
• Water

  1¾ cups, divided
• Lemon juice

  1 tablespoon

Instructions

1. Prepare the eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Pat the chicken dry, remove the skin if desired, and season it with ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until richly browned, about 4 minutes per side, then transfer it to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin popping, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeño, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and optional cayenne for 30 seconds.
4. Fold in the eggplant, tomatoes, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup water. Nestle the chicken into the vegetables, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise over medium-low heat for 24–25 minutes.
5. As soon as the braise is covered, combine the rinsed rice, remaining 1 cup water, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes; remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
6. Uncover the braise and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the sauce lightly thickens and the chicken reaches at least 165°F at the thickest point without touching bone. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust the salt.
7. Fluff the rice and divide it between two shallow bowls. Spoon the eggplant-tomato sauce alongside, set a chicken thigh on top, and finish with the sliced jalapeño and sauce from the pan.