Chicken with Okra (“Kota me Bamies”) baked in the oven. Today I am sharing with you a traditional recipe that was past down through generations. My mother and both of my grandmothers made it when I was a teenager. When I got married my wife and I never made it until now. To be honest, I really haven’t seen it on recent restaurant menus. This recipe came to me word by mouth when I spoke to an elder to confirm the ingredients. Okra is one of my favorite vegetables. Some people hate them, others love them. If you prepare them properly, okra won’t be slimy and may become one of your favorite veggies.
Okra preparation
Chicken with Okra (“Kota me Bamies”), is a wondeful and delicious food, sweet and juicy. Not complicated to make. If you are planning to use fresh okra make sure you buy baby okra. When you’re ready to cook your Kota me Bamies, give your okra a vinegar treatment to help it cook nicely and prevent any sliminess. Put your okra in a bowl with ½ to a full cup of vinegar. Then fill the bowl with cold water to just to cover the okra and soak for 30 minutes. Strain and rinse well. In small batches, use a paper towel or kitchen towel to pat dry. Cut off the stems into a triangle, and your okra will be ready.
How to make Kota me Bamies: Chicken with Okra
- Preheat oven to 360 °F, 200 °C.
- Wash the okra under running water and place them in a large bowl filled with cold water and about a half cup of vinegar. Let them soak in the water for 30 minutes. Pat them dry.
- Boil the chicken for 20 minutes and save the broth.
- Place onions, garlic and potatoes in a large pot and saute.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot and add parsley and dill.
- Now add the okra, season with salt, pepper and bring to a boil.
- Mix to coat everything well so that it is seasoned well.
What to serve with chicken with okra
I think the best thing to serve Kota me bamies with is a good traditional greek bread. Because you want to have something to get every bit of the delicious sauce off your plate.
Chicken with Okra
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven 8 liter
Ingredients
- 1 kilo okra fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 small onions sliced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 potatoes medium to large size
- 700 grams tomato passata
- 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
- 1/2 bunch dill chopped
- 6 chicken leg quarters
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (option)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (option)
Instructions
- Peel the stems and shape it to a cone. This has to be done only for fresh okra. (Wash the okra under running water and place them in a large bowl filled with cold water and about a half cup of vinegar. Let them soak in the water for 30 minutes. Pat them dry. ). If okra is frozen, skip this procedure and just wash in order to remove ice and drain.
- Wash the chicken and remove the skin. (Optional).
- Cut each thigh into two pieces, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Place into a pot of water just barely covering the chicken. Boil for only 20 minutes. Remove and set aside. Broth will be used in the dutch oven.
- Add oil in the Dutch oven and on the stove top at medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and then add the tomatoes, dill and parsley, salt and black pepper.
- When the sauce has boiled add okra. Mix well.
- Place chicken into the ingredients in the Dutch oven along with the chicken stock.
- Cover the Dutch oven with the lid (or cover baking tin with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 190 C/ 375 degrees F for 1 hour.
- Remove foil or lid and bake for fifteen more minutes or until sauce is thick.
- Served with greek bread and feta this was totally amazing!
