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Greek Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Cinnamon

Greek Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Cinnamon

By Courtney HillApril 13, 2020

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¼ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    35 minutes active
  • Rating

The rustic, homey Greek dish called kota kapama stews chicken with fragrant cinnamon, sweet-tart tomatoes and, more often than not, white or red wine. For this recipe, we use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and braise them in a minimal amount of liquid. This way, the chicken cooks mostly in the juices it releases. Without other ingredients to dilute the flavor, the resulting sauce is wonderfully rich and full-bodied. Kota kapama traditionally is served with orzo or other noodles, but any starchy side—from crusty bread to mashed potatoes—works well.

Tip

Don’t fuss with the chicken once it’s skin side down in the pot. The skin may stick upon contact, but once it is nicely browned—which is the goal in this step, for flavor—the chicken will release easily. The pieces will be only parcooked after browning on the skin side; braising will finish the cooking.

Ingredients
  • 1

    teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½

    teaspoon ground allspice

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry

  • 1

    tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    medium red onion, thinly sliced

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 2

    tablespoons tomato paste

  • ½

    cup dry white wine

  • 8

    ounces plum tomatoes, cored and chopped

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh mint, chopped

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Use the mixture to season the chicken all over, gently rubbing it in.

Step 2

In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Place the chicken skin side down and cook without stirring until well browned and the pieces release easily from the pan, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken skin side up to a plate and set aside. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.

Step 3

Set the pot over medium and add the onion, garlic and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost fully evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Return the chicken to the pot, placing the pieces skin side up, then add the accumulated juices. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until a skewer inserted into the chicken meets no resistance, 35 to 45 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, then spoon it over the chicken. Sprinkle with the mint.

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