Greek spicy chicken Kapama

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cloves, ground
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 jar white wine, or more
• 200 g tomato paste (tomato paste) from Greek or Turkish delicatessen
• 350 g tomatoes, peeled, from the can
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 chicken breasts, whole, halved, boned, skinned
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ liter of boiling water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/2 jar water
• 250 g cheese, grated (Kefalotyri or Parmesan)
• 600 g noodles (rice noodles, kritharaki) as a side dish

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 4 hours 30 minutes

Spicy dishes from Greek country cuisine

A classic Greek country dish that requires some work, but its tangy flavor will surely entice you to make it again. Combine salt, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix well. Place in a double plastic bag (I always use 20-liter garbage bags from a roll) and toss well with the chicken breasts. Seal the bags tightly and refrigerate for about 4 hours. Turn frequently to ensure the marinade is evenly distributed. Melt half the butter in a 3-liter saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent it from browning, and fry half of the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides. Cook for no longer than eight minutes. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. Transfer the browned meat to a plate. In the same pan, briefly sauté the onion and garlic; add water and the wine. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, and sugar, and increase the heat until the sauce boils. Cover the pot and simmer over reduced heat for one hour. If you’d like the sauce thicker, add the dissolved cornstarch after 40 minutes of cooking time. Season with salt, return the chicken pieces, and braise for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Serve the meat with the sauce and rice noodles, along with a small bowl of grated kefalotyri (Greek for deli meat) or Parmesan cheese. Everyone can sprinkle this on top as desired. I often make a larger batch of this dish because it freezes so well.