Greek Chicken Kapama

Dr. Sweetpea has been having a rough week so I decided to make him one of his favorite Greek comfort food dishes for dinner. Chicken Kapama is essentially stewed chicken in a tomato sauce. The chicken is soooo tender and flavorful and it makes sense why it's a comforting meal for Dr. Sweetpea. He absolutely loved this meal and I'll be making it for us more often. 

Chicken Kapama

(Source: Cat Cora)

One 2 1/2 to 3 pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

5 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions

2 to 3 cinnamon sticks

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups water

6 ounces store-bought or homemade tomato paste

1/2 cup grated Myzithra cheese (or substitute kasseri or freshly grated Romano)

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels so they don’t spatter in the pan. Mix the cinnamon, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and rub the chicken pieces on all sides with the mixture. Mince 3 of the garlic cloves and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, nonreactive skillet over high heat. A 12-inch skillet with sides about 3 inches high should allow you to brown all the chicken pieces at once. (If you don’t have a skillet large enough to cook all the chicken at once, don’t try to cram the chicken in your smaller pan. Instead brown the chicken in 2 batches, using 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch. If you crowd the pieces, the chicken will steam rather than brown.)

Add the chicken to the skillet and brown for 5 to 7 minutes per side, nudging the pieces with a metal spatula from time to time so the chicken doesn’t stick to the skillet. When the pieces are nicely browned on all sides, remove from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-high and add the onions, minced garlic, and cinnamon sticks. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and are a rich golden brown. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon to deglaze, loosening any browned bits, until the wine has evaporated. Then add the water, tomato paste, and remaining 2 whole garlic cloves and return the chicken to the pan. The liquid should cover about three quarters of the chicken. Reduce the heat to low, cover skillet with a lid, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked.

Taste and adjust the sauce with more salt and pepper, if needed. If the sauce seems a little too thick, thin it with a little more water. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Sprinkle the chicken with the grated cheese.