Dish of Chicken with Tomato and Pasta
(click to enlarge)

Chicken with Tomato & Pasta


Greece   -   Kota Kapama
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
***
hrs
Yes		 A flavorful dish that can be made "family style" with bone-in chicken pieces, or as a buffet dish with boneless chicken pieces (see Note-6).

2-1/2
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1/4
1
1/8
2/3
1/4
4
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1/4
1/2
28 oz
1/2
1
------
6
1/4
8
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ar
#
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c
cl
t
t
t
in
---
c
c
can
c

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oz
c
oz
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Chicken Meat (1)  
-- Marinade
Lemon Juice
Garlic
Cinnamon, ground  
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon stick
-- Sauce
Tomato Paste
Water
Tomatoes
Sherry, dry
Bay leaf
--------------
Onion
Olive Oil
Pasta (2)
-- Garnish
Kefalotyri (3)
Prep   -   (1-1/2 to 3 hrs depending - 20 min work)
  1. Prepare CHICKEN, cut into large bite size pieces, or as desired (see Note-1).
  2. Squeeze LEMON JUICE. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Mix all Marinade items, then massage into Chicken (in a non-reactive bowl). Set aside about 1-1/2 hrs in a cool place, or about 3 hrs in the fridge.
  3. Dilute TOMATO PASTE with Water. Chop TOMATOES coarse, retaining all liquid. Mix together all Sauce Items, including the Tomato Liquid.
  4. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice thin crosswise.
  5. Grate Kefalotyri for garnish.
Run   -   (40 min)
  1. Drain Chicken very well, retaining all the marinade.
  2. In a saucepan, bring the Sauce to a simmer, cover and simmer slowly while doing the next step.
  3. In a spacious skillet or sauté pan, heat Olive Oil. Stir in Chicken and fry tumbling often until all the exuded liquid has evaporated, then stir in Onions. Continue to fry, tumbling often, until chicken is lightly browned. Be careful the fond that sticks to the pan does not burn.
  4. Stir Chicken and Onions into the sauce, along with reserved Marinade. Use some of the sauce to deglaze the pan and return to the pot. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until Chicken is tender.
  5. Meanwhile:   timing so the chicken will done before the pasta is done, bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook Pasta the usual way until done (see Note-4). Drain, return to the pot and stir in a few drops of Olive Oil to keep it from sticking (see Note-5).
  6. To serve: use tongs to place Pasta onto plates. Top with some pieces of Chicken and a scoop of Sauce. Serve hot with grated Kefalotkyri on the side.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight given is for skinless, boneless chunks (I prefer thigh or leg for flavor and texture). The pattern recipe called for a 4 pound chicken cut into serving pieces, which you can do if you wish. I find boneless chunks easier to serve, particularly for buffet, and to discourage fighting at the dinner table. I cut them 2 inches on a side or a bit less.

  2. Pasta:

      The correct pasta is Greek Pastitsio, a long tubular pasta which comes in two sizes. the large is identical to Italian Mezzanelli and Regine (0.175 inch diameter). The small is the same as Italian Bucatini (0.11 inch diameter). While the large is preferred, bucatini can be much easier to find.

  3. Kefalotyri:

      This is a Greek grating cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano are considered acceptable substitutes.

  4. Cooking Pasta:

      While the Italians prefer their pasta al dente with a rather stiff core, Greeks and Turks like theirs soft all the way through (but not mushy!). Americans prefer in between, and that's the way I cook it. For table service I break the pasta in half, for buffet service in thirds.

  5. Serving:

      Greek family service is rather different from how I serve it. Rather than the Olive Oil, a couple spoons of the sauce are stirred in to keep the pasta from sticking. The pasta, chicken (bone in serving pieces), sauce and grated cheese are all served in separate bowls and platters.

  6. Buffet:

      I have served this as a buffet dish making 1-1/2 times the recipe except doubling the amount of Sauce. I served it in an electric skillet set to warm with the pasta on one side, the chicken and sauce on the other. Tongs and a serving spoon were provided for the guests to use for serving.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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