This wonderful cinnamon-spiced chicken stew calledKapama (kah-pah-MAH) needs to simmer for at least an hour for the flavors to really develop. Serve it over pasta or orzo with a generous sprinkle of grated cheese and prepare to receive the compliments! As an added bonus, it will also fill your home with the most delightful cooking aromas.
Be sure to have plenty of bread on hand for sopping up the extra sauce!
Chicken Kapama – Cinnamon Stewed Chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3-4 lbs. chicken pieces (I like bone in thighs)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 large onion, sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp. brandy
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 1 cinnamon stick, (about 2 inches long)
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Clean the chicken pieces, remove excess fat and pat dry with paper towels. Heat olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven. Add chicken pieces to the pot and brown (skin side down) over medium-high heat until nicely browned. You may need to do this in two batches depending upon the size of your pot. Remove chicken from the pot and transfer to a platter. I prefer to remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces.
Using a large spoon, remove all but two tablespoons of the fat and oil. Add onions to pot and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add wine, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, brandy, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Allow sauce to come to a boil and then lower heat to a low simmer.
Return chicken to the pot (with juices) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer for approximately 1 hour. If the sauce appears to be too thin, you can simmer uncovered in the last 10 minutes of cooking to reduce it a bit. Stir occasionally to circulate the ingredients.
Serve over cooked pasta or orzo and sprinkle with grated cheese.
