Chicken In A Rich, Aromatic Tomato Sauce
This is one of my favourite dishes, Warm, hearty and absolutely delicious. I just love the combination of the slightly sweet, cinnamon scented tomato sauce, topped with grated halloumi / helim cheese and fresh mint, served on a bed of pasta. Lots of childhood memories of summer days playing in the garden, with Mum cooking this dish, its wonderful aroma's drifting through the kitchen window, and the gentle sounds of Melina Mercouri's Never On A Sunday playing in the background.
Total Steps
15
Ingredients
12
Tools Needed
5
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http://wwwhaniokeeffeartistcoukblogspot.comIngredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 medium to large onions
- 2 Tins 400 gm chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- Halloumi or helim cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint (or 1 teaspoon dried mint)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 fluid ounces cooking oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- pasta
Instructions
Step 1
Cut the chicken into 8–10 pieces, rinse, and pat dry.
Step 2
Pour cooking oil into a large saucepan and heat on the stove until hot.
Step 3
Add chicken pieces to the pan in batches of three at a time.
Step 4
Fry until golden and really crispy all over.
Step 5
Place the fried chicken onto a plate and set aside.
Step 6
Peel and slice the onions, add to the pan, and fry until dark brown in color.
Step 7
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a further five minutes.
Step 8
Stir in tomato puree and fry for two minutes.
Step 9
Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
Step 10
Stir chicken into the tomato sauce, then bring to a boil.
Step 11
Add the squeezed lemon juice, cover the pan, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Step 12
While simmering, check the sauce and stir to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a little water if needed.
Step 13
While the chicken is cooking, grate the Halloumi or helim cheese into a bowl.
Step 14
Mix in the finely chopped fresh mint or dried mint.
Step 15
Serve chicken on a bed of pasta, topped with a generous sprinkling of grated Halloumi and mint.