Greek Chicken and Okra Stew (Kotopoulo me Bamies)

About This Recipe

Kotopoulo me bamies pairs braised chicken with okra in a garlicky tomato sauce, a combination especially common in the Peloponnese and other regions where okra grows abundantly in summer. The trick to avoiding sliminess, which okra is famous for, is a quick pre-sear or an acid soak before it goes into the stew. The chicken is browned first for flavor, then simmered gently with tomatoes until tender, and the okra is added only in the final stretch so it holds its shape rather than dissolving into the sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8bone-in chicken thighs
• 500 gfresh okra(trimmed)
• 2 tbspwhite vinegar(for soaking okra)
• 1onion(chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 500 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 0.33 cupolive oil
• 1 cupchicken stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the okra

   Toss trimmed okra with vinegar and let sit 20 minutes, then rinse well. This helps reduce sliminess.

2. 2

   Sear the chicken

   Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs 4 minutes per side until golden, then remove.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   In the same pot, cook onion 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes and stock.

4. 4

   Braise the chicken

   Return chicken to the pot, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer 25 minutes until nearly tender.

5. 5

   Add the okra

   Add the okra, nestling it into the sauce. Simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes more until the okra is tender but still holds its shape.

   Avoid stirring too much once the okra goes in — excess agitation releases more mucilage.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Scatter with parsley and serve warm with crusty bread or rice.

Variations

• •

  Make it vegetarian by using chickpeas instead of chicken.

• •

  Add a cinnamon stick to the sauce for a subtle warmth, common in some regional versions.

• •

  Use frozen okra if fresh isn't available, though the texture will be slightly softer.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the flavor deepens overnight, though okra continues to soften slightly with each reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions