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Kotopoulo me hilopites
Chicken with egg pasta squares
Kotópoulo me hilopítes: Thessaly chicken braised in tomato and spices, finished with egg-pasta squares
Across the Thessalian plain, from Larissa to Trikala, Sunday lunch is often a chicken braised in tomato with a cinnamon stick, its sauce stretched with broth so the little hilopites pasta squares can cook right in the pot. The pasta soaks up the sauce until thick and almost risotto-like, and a fistful of grated cheese goes on at the table. Use homemade hilopites or a good shop-bought pack. Common mistake: adding the pasta to too little liquid — it absorbs a lot, so have hot water ready. Chef's tip: brown the chicken skin well, then finish the dish in the oven if you like a crispy top.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone inskin on
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes
- 5 cups hot water or chicken stock
- 10 ½ oz hilopites (egg pasta squares)
- ⅔ oz butter
- 2 ⅛ oz grated myzithra or kefalotyri (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Season 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in with ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Brown in 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide, deep casserole over a medium-high heat, skin side first, until golden. Lift out.
12 minStep 2: Cook 1 onion in the fat over a medium heat until soft, then add 2 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute.
7 minStep 3: Add 14 oz chopped tomatoes, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 allspice berries, the rest of ¾ tsp salt and half of 2 ½ cups hot water or chicken stock. Return the chicken, cover and simmer until tender and the meat reaches 165°F by the bone.
35 minStep 4: Lift out the chicken and keep warm. Add the rest of 2 ½ cups hot water or chicken stock to the pot and bring to the boil.
Step 5: Stir in 10 ½ oz hilopites (egg pasta squares) and cook, stirring often, until tender and the sauce is thick and clinging, adding hot water if it gets too dry.
12 minStep 6: Stir in ⅔ oz butter, return the chicken on top, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with 2 ⅛ oz grated myzithra or kefalotyri at the table.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kotopoulo me hilopites take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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