Kotopoulo Kokkinisto (pr. koh-TOH-pou-loh koh-khee-knee-STOH), is a Greek stewed chicken dish which is cooked in tomato sauce and flavoured with Greek spices.
How to make the stew
To make the kotopoulo kokkinisto (chicken stew), it’s better to use a whole chicken (or parts of it) leaving the skin and bones on. This adds amazing flavour to the stew.
Then we dredge the chicken in flour and we sauté it in olive oil. The flour will thicken the sauce.
Sauté the chicken in a frying pan using extra virgin olive oil. Do this in batches so that it makes a crust outside and retains its juices inside.
Remove it to the pot it will eventually be cooked in and prepare the sauce:
Sauté an onion and garlic in the same frying pan until translucent and deglaze with a lovely dry white wine.
Then add fresh puréed tomatoes. Greek tomatoes ARE THE BEST, especially those which grow in the region of Nafplio!
I want to stress this because all my customers rave about how delicious Greek tomatoes are.
During winter we prefer to use some store bought tomato passata, which is not bad but fresh tomatoes make a much lighter sauce.
So, what does make a Greek chicken stew different from a chicken stew from another country?
Well each country uses specific spices and here is what we use in Greece:
- Sea salt (I use my gourmet salt made with basil but you can use plain sea salt).
- Whole black Peppercorns.
- A cinnamon stick.
- Allspice berries and
- Bay leafs.
If you don’t like chicken, see my recipe for Moschari Kokkinisto (Stewed Veal).
What Side Dishes can I serve Kotopoulo Kokkinisto with?
We usually serve it with one of these side dishes:
Kotopoulo Kokkinisto (Stewed Chicken)
Kotopoulo Kokkinisto is a Greek stewed chicken dish which is cooked in a delicious tomato sauce with all the Greek flavours.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken (about 1.500 grams) cut into pieces
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 kilo fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and pureed or 500 grams passata
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 500 ml water
Spices:
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 - 7 black peppercorns
- 5 - 6 allspice berries
- 2 bay leafs
- 1 tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- about 500 ml water
For the omelet:
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Rice pilaf:
- 2 cups bonnet rice
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 - 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash and cut the chicken into portions and strain.
- In a zip lock bag add flour, salt and pepper and coat the chicken.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the chicken on both sides in batches.
- Remove the sautéed chicken in a saucepan.
- Sauté the onion until translucent and then add the garlic and sauté it for a few seconds.
- Add the wine, mix and let it boil for 2 - 3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add the spices, (salt, peppercorns, allspice berries, cinnamon stick and bay leafs) as well as the fresh puréed tomato.
- Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour the sauce on the chicken, add enough water to cover the chicken and simmer covered for about thirty minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the lid and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes uncovered, on high heat until the sauce reduces.
- Serve with a rice pilaf with omelet and finely chopped parsley.
Notes
Prepare rice pilaf
Prepare the omelet which cut into small pieces.
Mix omelet and parsley in the rice and serve with the chicken.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 378Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 137mgSodium 620mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 20g
Chicken Recipes
If you like chicken, here are some more chicken recipes for you to choose:
Kotopoulo me Hilopites (Chicken with Pasta)
Kotopoulo me hilopites means chicken baked with a traditional Greek egg pasta which can be found in long form, similar to tagliatelle or these are cut into little square pieces, like the ones I have used.
Kotopoulo Lemonato
Every Greek family has a Kotopoulo Lemonato recipe. Kotopoulo means chicken and lemonato, which means lemony, is the method the dish is cooked with lemon and usually with oregano.Â
Kotopoulo Psito sto fourno (Chicken Roast)
Kotopoulo Psito sto Fourno is Greek roasted chicken, with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and lemon juice. Â "Kotopoulo" is chicken, "psito" means roast and "sto fourno" means baked in the oven.
Kotopoulo Kokkinisto (Stewed Chicken)
Kotopoulo Kokkinisto is a Greek stewed chicken dish which is cooked in a delicious tomato sauce with all the Greek flavours.
Kotosalata (Chicken Salad) with Leftover Chicken
This healthy Greek Salad uses up leftover chicken.  Don't be fooled by its name.  It may be called "salad" but this is a main dish as it contains protein and lots of other nutritious ingredients.
Video with easy way to roll out Phyllo and make Kotopita (Chicken Galette)
Kotopita, which means chicken pie, is one of many types of Greek meat pites. This particular meat pie is made with chicken and shaped into a galette.
Chicken Tortellini Carbonara
This chicken tortellini is a Greek-style carbonara as we add cream and yoghurt to the sauce.
Chicken with Leeks, Greek Yoghurt and Kafkalithres Pesto
Chicken with Leeks is a very simple but delicious and light dish which can be whipped up in no time made with Greek yoghurt and pesto which makes a very creamy sauce. Â
Why is chicken soup good when you have a cold?
This recipe I made is not the classic Avgolemono Soup as I have enriched it with more vitamins and nutrients by adding some carrots, celery, a potato and an onion.
Fettuccine with chicken and chocolaty, mastic gum sauce
Fettuccine with Chicken and Chocolaty, Mastic Gum Sauce
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!
15 Easy Soup and Stew Recipes From Around The World
Friday 9th of July 2021
[…] Kotopoulo Kokkinisto (Greek stewed chicken) Kotopoulo Kokkinisto is a Greek stewed chicken dish which is cooked in a delicious tomato sauce with all the Greek flavors.- Kotopoulo Kokkinisto (pr. koh-TOH-pou-loh koh-khee-knee-STOH) is a Greek stewed chicken dish cooked in tomato sauce and flavored with Greek spices. Greek stews are not hot but very flavourful because we cook using extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and spices.- These spices can be exchanged with others to make it Middle Eastern or even Indian. Get this recipe […]