Chicken with hilopites (Greek pasta)

Κοτόπουλο με χυλοπίτες (chicken with hilopites) is a deliciously rustic dish, which originated in the Peloponnese region- where most hilopites (Greek pasta) is handmade and mizithra (hard goats cheese) is very popular.

You should be able to find hilopites and mizithra in all good continental stores but if you can’t get your hands on either, substitute with a similar pasta and try crumbling some feta or grating kefalograviera on top!

Chicken with hilopites

Ingredients →

– 1 x large free range chicken
– 5 x ripe tomatoes, blended into sauce
– 1 x tablespoon tomato paste
– 1 x Spanish onion, chopped
– 2 x cups hilopites (egg noodles)
– 1/4 x cup olive oil
– 1 x cinnamon stick
– 2 x cups water
– 3 x cups boiling water
– salt and pepper to taste
– mizithra cheese, to garnish (optional)

 

Method →

– Wash and cut chicken into serving pieces. You should have 2 x breast pieces, two x thigh pieces, 2 x wings pieces, 2 x leg pieces. Remove skin and discard.

– Add olive oil to large pot and allow to heat up. Reduce to medium heat and add chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes and place all chicken pieces into pot. Saute chicken for a few minutes on each side, or until chicken becomes whitened.

– Add tomato paste and stir. Add blended tomatoes, cinnamon stick and 2 x cups water.

– Add salt and pepper and stir. Cover with lid and allow to cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.

– Remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside.

– Add 3 x cups of boiling water to pot with sauce and place egg noodles to cook for about 15 minutes or until soft.

– Transfer to serving plates and garnish with grated mizithra.

Find more traditional Greek recipes on Greek City Times:

Traditional Giouvetsi recipe

Traditional prawn saganaki recipe