Easy Chicken Kapama
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1(14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 to 2cinnamon sticks
- Buttered egg noodles or orzo, for serving (optional)
- 2tablespoons fresh herbs, such as Italian parsley and oregano, roughly chopped (optional)
- Grated kefalotyri cheese or Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
612 calories; 21 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 55 grams protein; 999 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Season chicken well on both sides with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, cook the chicken until it begins to lightly brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside. (If it’s not cooked through at this point, that’s O.K.)
- Step 2
Add the onion and the garlic to the skillet and cook until the onion begins to soften and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.
- Step 3
Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, ¼ cup water and the cinnamon stick(s). Add the chicken and any residual juices, stir to coat with the sauce and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a few tablespoons water if needed to thin out the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Step 4
Serve the chicken over buttered egg noodles or orzo, if using, spooning the tomato sauce on top. Top with the herbs and grated cheese, if using.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Adam
My wife and I loved this recipe. I would definitely recommend using the cinnamon, it really elevates the dish and differentiates it from other red sauce recipes. My paired it with egg noodles, which worked very well. The next time I make this I will likely cut the chicken thighs into smaller pieces to get more browning on the chicken by increasing the surface area.
Austen
Double the garlic and add a diced tomato along with the onions for a little more texture in the sauce, otherwise this recipe is great. Easy enough for a 20-something to cook and tastes great reheated.
Ally 65
My Greek family has enjoyed this dish for years. After Step 3, remove the chicken from the pot and cook the noodles/orzo in the liquid (you may need to add water). Add chicken back to the pot. Grated kefalotyri or Parmesan when serving, as the recipe calls for, makes this next-level!
Dee
As trying to add more veggies to my diet, used less meat (actually a pork tenderloin) and added pre-cooked chickpeas and sliced carrots. Did first steps in the morning and left to stew on low in slow cooker 'till suppertime. Easy and delicious over egg noodles. We all loved the 2 stick cinnamon flavouring.
Valho
Really does taste better after a night in the fridge! Wonderful recipe that I felt was actually quicker than 40 minutes. Definitely adding it to my weekly rotation as I feel like it's pretty healthy too.
Johanna
Greeks rarely if ever use cumin. My Cretan mother’s version was even simpler. Chopped Onions and garlic in olive oil for 20 min over slow heat to melt, not brown. Add tsp of cinnamon. Raise flame and add chicken pieces - stir till meat turns color. Salt and pepper. Add a mix of one can Tomato sauce and same can filled with water. Simmer till done. Served on homemade hilopites (noodles)
Shelley
I made this in the crock pot because I had time in the morning and wanted dinner ready when I returned much later. Used skinless thighs with bones. added the fresh herbs when I started cooking and the same amount again on top when serving. Served over basmati rice because there was no orzo in the house. It was very good, but much better the next day
dougvli
Where is there cumin in this recipe?
Ted
The recipe does not list cumin. Am I missing something?
Maria
I used 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon in the sauce in lieu of the cinnamon sticks, which I couldn't find. (I found a conversion that said 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon per 2-inch cinnamon stick.) It was excellent.
Flora
Why do people keep talking about cumin? There's none in this recipe. I'm also curious as to how replacing chicken with pork tenderloin in a traditional chicken dish makes it "less meat"? I made it both as written and with skinless boneless breasts another time. Both excellent and yes, better the next day.
Ally
Why are people asking about CUMIN? There is no cumin in ingredients or directions. You use GROUND CINAMMON
SP
This came together quickly and was delicious. I echo others; don't skip the cinnamon. I was out of cumin and used coriander instead to no ill effect.
Christa
I love Colu Henry's recipes! I've been working my way through her Back-Pocket Pasta cookbook! This recipe was super-easy to make and oh-so-fragrant. Used two cinnamon sticks and served over egg noodles. Wonderful--a keeper and a winner.
Joyce Wilson
Very good. Interesting blend of flavors and an easy dish to prepare quickly. I usually cut salt in half in most recipes, but this one definitely needs the salt to bring out the flavors. I ended up serving it over day-old corn bread, and the sauce with the corn bread was amazing. I’ll do that again.
Joanne
Amazing how the cinnamon cuts the acidity of the tomatoes. Ridiculously delicious and easy. The pairing with orzo is perfect.
angela
My Greek aunt always used to add the “ABC’s” of Kapama to the sauce- Allspice, Cinnamon, Bayleaf. A little bit of allspice in the sauce kicks up the depth of flavor a notch. A little squeeze of lemon on the cheese chicken after browning adds a brightness.
paperball
I read all the comments about much better this recipe was the next day...and yet I was totally unprepared for HOW good it was the second day.
JT
Love this recipe. Use 2 - 14 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes eliminating the water. Also adding 8 oz of mushrooms is a nice addition.
KB
Made this with skin on and bone in chicken. Took about an hour and 15 minutes to simmer. But still came out pretty good! I’m curious how the flavors with differ if I made with skinless boneless chicken.
PDXTauna
Would it be best to make the sauce a day before a dinner party, then brown and braise the fresh chicken thighs the next day in the sauce? Wanting to make sure the chicken does not dry out in the finished dish overnight.
Cheryl Morrison
A bit too bland but still good.
Lionel
I made the recipe as written. It was delicious. Having said that, there are two changes I will make next time: Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and I will not add water until I see that it needs it. Otherwise, excellent recipe.
Julie
Great and easy recipe. I think next time I'll use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs since that's my preference. I did dice up the chicken before adding it to the pan since I thought that would be easier. I also didnt have any fresh herbs on hand so towards the end I added dried parsley and oreganp. Overall I loved it and thought the flavors were interesting together.
Morgan
Really loved this. Added some bell pepper to get more veggies, and loaded up on parmesan. Next time I’ll add some crushed red pepper for a bit of a kick—the cinnamon added a nice depth but I felt there was something missing.
Veronica
Great recipe- but would brown butter over egg noodles/orzo or percatelli. Grew up with percatelli being coated in brown butter which really makes this dish even more delicious!
Maria
It was a bit bland, even with a lot of sharp aged greek cheese and extra garlic. I used traditional greek Tarhana pasta (Τραχανάς - I found it at my local street market), which sort of blended into the sauce and turned into a thick stew. Maybe next time I'd use more spices in addition to cinnamon - nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and definitely more chilli.
PeterW
I paired this up with Greek sautéed fresh garden vegetables and farro. I used boneless chicken breast and reduced the cooking time. The chicken came out moist and tender, and the sauce is out of this world. I saw another kapama recipe online by someone named Dmitri -- so he must know what he's talking about ;-) -- and he suggested adding a small amount of sugar or honey if the tomatoes are too acidic. I might experiment with this, but you definitely don't want it sweet.
Amber
Meh meh meh meh meh. Maybe it comes together fast but it really misses the mark on flavor.
Meli
A family favorite, I've made a version of this recipe dozens of times with the addition of 1/4 - 1/2 cup of red wine - a must. Can also add allspice (opt) and a slice of orange peel for added flavor.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
