Hilopites me Kota (Greek Chicken with Egg Noodles)

🧂 Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Whole chicken
• 400 g Hilopites pasta(Square-shaped Greek egg noodles. If unavailable, use other short pasta like penne or rigatoni.)
• 400 g Canned crushed tomatoes(Or 2-3 fresh, ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped.)
• 1 Large yellow onion
• 1 Cinnamon stick(Adds a subtle warmth and authentic Greek flavor.)
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 500 ml Water or chicken broth(Adjust as needed for desired sauce consistency.)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• for serving Kefalotiri cheese
• for serving Fresh parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (around 190°C / 375°F). Sear the chicken pieces on all sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
2. 2

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

   ⏱️ 8 minutes
3. 3

   Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Pour in the water or chicken broth. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken pieces; add a little more if needed.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes
4. 4

   Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently. Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and cooked through. The sauce should have thickened slightly.

   ⏱️ 45-60 minutes
5. 5

   Remove the cinnamon stick from the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a rolling boil. Add the hilopites pasta directly to the boiling sauce. Stir well to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions, usually 8-12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite). The sauce will thicken considerably as the pasta cooks.

   ⏱️ 10-15 minutes
6. 6

   Serve the hilopites me kota hot, spooning generous portions of the chicken and sauce over the pasta. Garnish with grated Kefalotiri cheese and chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

   ⏱️ 2 minutes

💡 Pro Tips

• ✓Hilopites are traditional square-shaped Greek egg noodles. If you can't find them, other short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or even orzo can be substituted, though the texture will differ.
• ✓The cinnamon stick is key to the authentic flavor profile of this dish, providing a subtle warmth that complements the tomato and chicken beautifully.
• ✓The final dish should be saucy, with enough sauce to coat the pasta and chicken. Adjust the amount of liquid in step 3 if you prefer a thinner or thicker sauce.
• ✓For deeper flavor, allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking the chicken, if it seems too thin.

🔄 Variations

• Substitute lamb shoulder (cut into chunks) for chicken for a richer, heartier version.
• Use different types of Greek pasta shapes if hilopites are unavailable.
• Add a splash of red wine to the sauce after sautéing the onions and garlic for added depth.

🥗 Nutrition

Per serving