Kota Kapama

Ry’s mom, Joan, has quite a few standout dishes. If you’ve been to their house for the holidays you’ve probably had at least one. There are the cheese balls, stuffed peppers, veggie chili, haluski kapusta, the list goes on. But of all the thing she makes, the heavy hitter is the Kota Kapama. It’s a cinnamon and clove spiced red sauce with stewed chicken. The whole cinnamon and red sauce thing is pretty common in Greek cooking, but I had never had it before. The sauce here is thin, heavily spiced and served over spaghetti with lots and lots of sharp Locatelli, or any hard sheep’s milk cheese. It’s kinda the unofficial special occasion meal and everyone is always looking forward to it.

The original recipe was handed down to Joan from Ry’s dad’s ‘yia-yia’ (grandmother). It’s a fairly classic Greek recipe which I’m told is typical of the area she was from, Georgitsi. The recipe, pictured down below, was transcribed by Ry’s dad from his yia-yia and mom back in 1975 after Joan and George were married, and Joan has been making it ever since.

This year for Christmas I was lucky enough to have her share it with me, and I photographed the whole process. And, as crazy as it seems, in the almost 12 years Ry and I have been together, this is the first time I’ve actually seen it made from start to finish. It was done over two days, though you can make it all in an hour or two. Just shows you how flexible it can be. Make it all ahead of time, scale it up or down as needed, and then cook some pasta and heat everything up when you’re ready to eat.

Full disclosure, I might have tried to make this a few times in the past. I’ve googled around for a recipe more than once, but of all the versions I’ve tried to make, this one is by far the best. Ignore the other stuff and just follow this one.

I might have tried to make this a few times in the past. I’ve googled around for a recipe more than once, but of all the versions I’ve tried to make, this one is by far the best. Ignore the other stuff and just follow this one.

What is Kota Kapama?

Greek chicken stew, also known as “Kota Kapama,” or chicken kapama is a traditional Greek dish made with chicken, onions, tomatoes and spices. The chicken is typically browned and then simmered in a flavorful sauce until tender. Common spices used in Greek chicken stew include cinnamon, cloves, and/or allspice, which give the dish its distinctive flavor. Typically it’s served with rice or orzo pasta, but I like the version I’ve always had served with spaghetti.

What do I need to make Kota Kapama?

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the bark of trees belonging to the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), India, and Southeast Asia, but it is now also cultivated in other parts of the world, including China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Cinnamon is used in both sweet and savory dishes, and this Kota Kapama recipe is a perfect example of how good cinnamon is in savory dishes.

Cloves

Cloves come from flower buds of the evergreen tree in the Myrtaceae family, Syzygium aromaticum. They’re native to Indonesia and are commonly used as a spice in cooking. Cloves have a strong, warm, and sweet flavor with a slightly bitter undertone, and they are often used whole or ground in both sweet and savory dishes.

Tomato Passata

Tomato passata is a smooth, uncooked tomato purée that has been strained of seeds and skins. It is made by cooking tomatoes briefly, then passing them through a sieve or food mill to remove any unwanted parts, resulting in a thick, smooth liquid. You will usually be able to find it in a can, box or jar.

Pasta

You can really use whatever pasta you like here, though I do highly recommend spaghetti. You could alternatively use a short pasta like ditalini, orzo or even serve it with rice.

Locatelli cheese

I use Locatelli, cause that’s what I typically have available and have always had. But I think the classic cheese to serve this chicken kapama recipe with would be a Greek sheep’s milk cheese called Kefalotyri.

Kefalotyri

Kefalotyri is a traditional Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk. It is a hard, salty cheese with a tangy flavor and a firm texture, similar to Parmesan cheese. Kefalotyri is often used in Greek cuisine, grated over pasta dishes, fried as saganaki, or eaten on its own as a table cheese. It is aged for several months, which gives it a rich and robust flavor, making it a versatile and popular cheese in Greek cooking. And, I would highly recommend picking some up if it’s available to you!

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