Our Greek braised chicken in tomato sauce is bone-in chicken cooked low and slow until it slides off the bone, in a sauce built on ripe tomatoes, ouzo and a whisper of star anise. It is rustic, deeply Mediterranean, and — like every good braise — better the next day.

In Greece we’d call chicken cooked in red sauce kotopoulo kokkinisto, “reddened chicken.” This is my own turn on it: the ouzo and star anise come from shrimp saganaki, and the za’atar dry brine is not traditional at all. It’s the version I make.

Everything happens in one Dutch oven. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or wide pasta like pappardelle or over orzo, the way you would a chicken giouvetsi.

A dutch oven with Greek chicken in red sauce and two serving spoons.

Overview

If you love this Braised Greek Chicken, you will also love this Classic Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Chicken in Lemon Sauce, Za’atar Chicken and Orzo, or One Pan Chicken Dinner!

Why you will love our Mediterranean braised chicken

One pot, start to finish. Sear, build the sauce, braise, the same Dutch oven does all of it. There’s nothing to wash afterwards but the pot and one plate.
It’s very hard to overcook. Dark meat sitting in liquid at 300°F has a wide, forgiving window. Ten minutes past the hour won’t hurt it, which is not something you can say about a roast chicken.
The sauce isn’t the one you’re expecting. Ouzo and star anise put a warm anise note underneath the tomato that people can never quite place. It comes from shrimp saganaki, and it’s why this doesn’t taste like every other braised chicken.
It’s better the next day. Make it Saturday for Sunday. The sauce settles and the chicken keeps drinking it in.
It feeds six from an inexpensive cut. A whole chicken cut into eight, or a pack of bone-in thighs. Sunday food at Tuesday prices.
It goes with anything. Mashed potatoes, rice, pappardelle, or orzo the way you’d serve a giouvetsi. Mostly it goes with bread, for the sauce.

What braising is, and why it works for chicken

Braising is a two-stage method: you sear the meat hard at high heat, then finish it slowly in a covered pot with liquid, either in the oven or on the stove. The sear builds colour and flavour; the slow, moist stage breaks down connective tissue.

It’s the method behind beef bourguignon and coq au vin, and it’s forgiving in a way roasting isn’t — there’s a wide window where the chicken is tender rather than one perfect minute.

Why 300°F and not higher. A gentle oven keeps the sauce from breaking and the chicken from tightening up. Hotter is faster but you trade texture for it.

Why bone-in, skin-on. The bones give the sauce body, the skin gives you fat to sear in, and dark meat can sit in a hot pot for an hour without drying out. Breast can’t.

A red dutch oven with chicken in red sauce and two serving spoons.

Here is what you need

A whole chicken cut into eight pieces. Another option is using eight chicken thighs. The all dark meat makes a succulent dish without the risk of overcooking the white meat.
Za’atar. To dry brine the chicken. This warm earthy condiment is traditionally made with ground oregano (origanum syriacum) mixed with roasted sesame seeds, salt, and other spices like sumac. In some variations, thyme or marjoram might substitute for oregano. and coriander, cumin might be added.
Ripe tomatoes. In the summer use fresh ripe tomatoes, in all other times canned San Marzano tomatoes D.O.P. are the best.
A green bell pepper cut in strips or diced. I love the bitter sweet flavor of the pepper, it adds another layer of flavor.
Onion and garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Ouzo. Ouzo is an aperitif, flavored with anise or fennel seed, and is exclusively produced in Greece. The flavor reminds liquorice. Substitute with dry white wine.
Star anise. Its flavor is similar to anise. It is used as a spice in a few Greek and Asia Minor dishes like soutzoukakia. It is widely used in Chinese and Indonesian cuisines.
Fresh oregano and thyme leaves.
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar and chili flakes.

How to make braised chicken in tomato sauce

Raw chicken being marinated in a large bowl.

Dry brine the chicken

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and massage the za’atar all over the chicken or a mix of coarse sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of red chili pepper flakes.
Refrigerate the chicken uncovered for one to four hours, or overnight, but no more than 24 hours. Take chicken out an hour before cooking to reach room temperature.

Heat the oven at 150°C/ 300°F.
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
Heat an oven-proof thick bottom pot (like a dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
Add some olive oil, let it heat and place two or three pieces of chicken skin side down. Sear for 4 minutes, then turn pieces over and sear on the other side. Transfer to to a platter and repeat process with the rest of the pieces.

Diced onions, green peppers sautéing in olive oil.

In the same dutch oven on medium heat, add the onions. Season with sea salt. Sauté for 2-3 min. Add the garlic. Continue sautéing for 1-2 more minutes.
Add the bell pepper strips, star anise, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir.
Carefully add the shot of ouzo. Deglaze the pan and stir to allow alcohol to evaporate for two more minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and one teaspoon of sugar. Simmer for 2 min.

Return the chicken to the pot with all the juices accumulate on the plate. Throw in some fresh herbs like oregano and thyme. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven.
Cook for one hour.
Remove the lid and let the chicken cool in the pot for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil on top and fresh herb leaves like oregano and thyme.

A serving platter with chicken in red sauce, some herbs and two spoons.

Pro tips

Don’t overcrowd the pot. If you do the chicken will boil instead of sear.
Avoid moving the chicken around too much while searing, to allow the skin to crisp up nicely.
Choose the right tomatoes.
In the summer I use good ripe tomatoes available at farmer’s markets.
In the winter, I love whole canned San Marzano tomatoes. They are the best canned tomatoes hands down. But they have to be authentic D.O.P. San Marzano.
There are many imitations available in supermarkets that I always avoid. The key is to read the label and see if they have the D.O.P. seal (Protected Designation of Origin). San Marzano tomatoes are only grown in Valle del Sarno, Italy. They are never diced or cut; they are whole in the can with their precious tomato juice. And finaly, San Marzanos have a stronger taste that is sweeter and less acidic. Good brands available in the US are La Fiammante, Gustarosso, DeLallo, Rega, etc.

Variations

Braised chicken thighs

Eight bone-in, skin-on thighs, exactly the same method and timing. All dark meat, no risk of overcooked breast — honestly this is how I make it most often.

Drumsticks and legs

Same method; start checking at 45 minutes.

Boneless, skinless thighs

Sear briefly, 2 minutes a side. Braise 35–45 minutes. Faster, but the sauce won’t have the same body without the bones.

Without a Dutch oven

Stovetop over medium-low, covered, for the same hour. Or build the sauce in a skillet and transfer to a deep oven-proof dish covered tightly with foil.

What to serve with chicken in red sauce

A green leafy salad like our maroulosalata.
Bread to dip in the sauce like our oregano olive oil loaf.
Cauliflower-broccoli salad.
Tzatziki sauce.
Roasted parmesan potatoes.

Make it ahead

Braises want a night in the fridge. The sauce settles, the anise softens into the tomato, and the chicken keeps absorbing it.

Fridge: up to 4 days in a sealed container.

Reheat: gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water or stock. The microwave will make the skin sad.

Freezer: up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Cooking ahead for guests: make it the day before through step 10, cool, refrigerate, then reheat covered at 300°F for 25–30 minutes.

FAQ

Searing it at high heat first, then cooking it slowly in a covered pot with liquid until tender. Two stages: dry heat for flavour, moist heat for texture.

Bone-in pieces need about an hour at 300°F. Boneless, skinless thighs need 35–45 minutes. It’s done when the meat pulls away from the bone with no resistance.

Chicken, fat to sear in, aromatics like onion and garlic, and a braising liquid, here tomatoes, ouzo and their own juices, plus oregano, thyme and star anise.

No, but it’s worth the hour. It seasons the meat right through and dries the skin so it sears properly. If you’re short on time, season generously right before searing.

Dry white wine. You’ll lose the anise note, though the star anise carries some of it. Pastis or sambuca work too.

Not for an hour-long braise. If it’s what you have, use bone-in breast and add it halfway through.

Yes — cook it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or transfer to a deep oven-proof dish covered tightly with foil.

A covered pot doesn’t let liquid evaporate. Uncover, raise the oven to 375°F, and give it 15 more minutes.

Yes, and you should. It’s better on day two.