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Greek Chicken Stifado: A Hearty Mediterranean Stew with Aromatic Spices

If you're not familiar with Stifado, you're in for a treat. This rustic Greek stew is deeply comforting, brimming with warm spices, tender chicken, and a rich tomato-wine sauce that simmers low and slow until all the flavors melt together beautifully. Traditionally made with rabbit or beef, this version features chicken thighs for a quicker yet equally satisfying meal. It's a dish full of bold flavors and soul-soothing goodness that may not be widely known outside the Mediterranean, but once you’ve tried it, it’s bound to become a staple in your kitchen.


Slow-Simmered Chicken Stifado – Mediterranean Comfort Food
Slow-Simmered Chicken Stifado – Mediterranean Comfort Food

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes


Ingredients:

✔️2.5 lbs (about 1.1 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

✔️2 tablespoons olive oil

✔️2 large onions, thinly sliced

✔️4 garlic cloves, minced

✔️1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

✔️¼ teaspoon ground cloves

✔️½ teaspoon ground allspice

✔️1 bay leaf

✔️1 can (14 oz / 400g) diced tomatoes

✔️¼ cup red wine vinegar

✔️½ cup dry red wine

✔️Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

✔️Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

✔️ New potatoes, peeled (optional)


Preparation:

1. Brown the Chicken:

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear them skin-side down until golden and crisp, about 4–5 minutes per side. Set aside.


2. Caramelize the Onions:

Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook, stirring often, until they become soft and golden, about 10 minutes.


3. Add Aromatics:

Stir in the minced garlic along with the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and bay leaf. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant.


4. Deglaze & Simmer:

Pour in the diced tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and red wine. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.


5. Return Chicken to Pot:

Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and infused with flavor.


6. Final Touches:

Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.


Serving Suggestions:

Serve this stew hot with roasted potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, or ladled over fluffy rice or orzo pasta for a complete Mediterranean meal.


Chef’s Notes:

For a deeper flavor and thicker consistency, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste along with the spices.

Boneless chicken thighs work too but will cook faster—adjust the timing accordingly.

For a traditional flair, replace some of the onions with pearl onions or shallots.

This dish tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or leftovers.




 
 
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