Greek chicken in tomato sauce (kotopoulo kokkinisto)
A deliciously wholesome chicken cooked in tomato sauce, flavoured with all spice, bay and cinnamon. Perfect with pasta or rice.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 kg skin on, bone-in chicken pieces thighs, a whole bird broken down or drumsticks - whatever you like
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon bark or cinnamon stick
- 5 all spice berries whole
- 20 black peppercorns whole
- 800 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 100 g mizithra or anari cheese to serve
Instructions
- Start by patting the chicken pieces dry and seasoning with some salt.
- Heat the olive oil over medium in a large pot, and add the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook for around 5 minutes or until the skin is golden, then turn and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, then add the diced onions and sauté until translucent - a few minutes
- Add the minced garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.
- Then deglaze with the white wine and reduce by half, before adding the all spice berries, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Allow the spices to cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and season with some salt to taste.
- Nestle the chicken back in and add enough water to just cover.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes partially covered.
- Serve with your favourite pasta - simply cook the pasta until al dente, then spoon over the sauce and place a piece of chicken on top.
- Sprinkle over grated mizithra or anari cheese to serve.
Depending on the size of your pot, you may want to do this in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded.
If you want to serve this family style (on a platter), remove the chicken from the pan, add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix, then serve on a platter with the chicken placed on top.
