Braised Greek Chicken in Tomato Sauce
Rustic Greek braised chicken, cooked slowly in a tomato sauce with ouzo and star anise until it's falling off the bone. One pot, and even better reheated.
Servings 6
Calories 405kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or other heavy oven-proof pot with a tight lid
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken cut into 8 pieces (or 8 bone-in, skin-on thighs)
- 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper cut into strips or diced
- 3 cups grated ripe tomatoes skins removed — or one 28 oz can San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 star anise
- 1 shot ouzo or dry white wine
- 1-2 fresh oregano sprigs
- 1-2 fresh thyme sprigs
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- chili flakes
Instructions
Dry brine the chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the za'atar all over and massage it in. Place on a platter or rack and chill uncovered in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours, preferably overnight, but no longer than 24 hours.Take the chicken out 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking so it comes to room temperature. Pat dry again — a dry surface is what gives you a crisp sear.
Sear
- Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C.
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let it get hot. Add 2–3 pieces of chicken skin side down. Sear 4 minutes without moving them, then flip and sear 4 minutes on the other side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest. Work in batches — a crowded pot steams instead of searing.
Build the sauce
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the onions to the same pot over medium heat, season with sea salt, and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Add the bell pepper strips, star anise, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of chili flakes. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
- Carefully add the ouzo. Deglaze, scraping up the sticky bits from the bottom of the pot, and let the alcohol cook off for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and the brown sugar. Season with a little salt and simmer 2 minutes.
Braise
- Return the chicken to the pot along with any juices from the plate, nestling the pieces into the sauce skin side up. Tuck in the oregano and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil.
- Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour, until the chicken is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- For a thicker sauce and crisper skin, uncover, raise the heat to 375°F / 190°C and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest in the pot, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Fish out the star anise and herb stems.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a scatter of fresh oregano and thyme leaves.
Notes
- No time to brine? Season the chicken generously with za'atar, salt and pepper right before searing. You lose some depth and the skin won't crisp quite as well, but it works and the whole thing is on the table in about 2 hours.
- Thighs only: 8 bone-in, skin-on thighs, same method, same 1 hour.
- Drumsticks: same method, check at 45 minutes.
- Boneless, skinless thighs: sear briefly (2 minutes per side), braise 35–45 minutes.
- Chicken breast: not ideal for a braise this long. If you must, add bone-in breast pieces halfway through the braise so they don't dry out.
- No Dutch oven? Do the whole thing on the stovetop over medium-low heat, covered. Or build the sauce in a skillet, transfer everything to a deep oven-proof dish, cover tightly with foil and braise.
- Make ahead: better on day two. Cool, refrigerate up to 4 days, reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
- Freezing: freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg