How Do I Make Greek Stewed Chicken?

Greek stewed chicken, also known as "kotopoulo kapama," is a colorful and hearty dish that features tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic, lemon, honey, oregano, cloves and cinnamon. According to the American Heart Association, which includes a recipe for Greek stewed chicken in its "Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook," this heart-healthy dish is low in calories, fat and cholesterol. Serve this stew piping hot in a bowl accompanied by a simple salad and whole-wheat pita bread, or serve over spaghetti, rice pilaf, orzo or couscous.

Tips and Warnings

• Instead of breast meat, you can use boneless chicken thighs. The dark meat pairs especially well with cinnamon and cloves because it has greater sugar content than white meat. If you don't have shallots, substitute one small red onion, sliced into wedges. Add additional vegetables to enhance flavor and nutritional value, such as celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms or artichokes. If possible, use Greek oregano, also called rigani, which has a distinctive flavor from other oreganos. For easy cooking, toss all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on a low setting for six to eight hours.
• Watch the pan carefully after adding the minced garlic because it can burn quickly and impart a bitter taste to the final dish.

Things You'll Need

• Dutch oven
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless chicken tenders
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
• ½ tsp. minced garlic
• 2 shallots, quartered
• ½ cup chicken broth or vegetable stock
• 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
• ½ cup whole, pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

References

• "Secrets of Fat-free Greek Cooking"; Elaine Gavalas, 1998
• American Heart Association: Greek-Style Stewed Chicken