A tomato-braised chicken and okra stew, a summer staple of home cooking in southern Greece.
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.
Serves 4
Toss trimmed okra with vinegar and let sit 20 minutes, then rinse well. This helps reduce sliminess.
Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs 4 minutes per side until golden, then remove.
In the same pot, cook onion 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes and stock.
Return chicken to the pot, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer 25 minutes until nearly tender.
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.
Scatter with parsley and serve warm with crusty bread or rice.
Soaking okra in vinegar before cooking meaningfully reduces its sliminess without affecting flavor.
Add the okra only in the final 15 minutes of cooking so it doesn't turn to mush.
Use a wide, shallow pot so the okra can sit mostly submerged in a single layer.
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.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the flavor deepens overnight, though okra continues to soften slightly with each reheating.
Bamies dishes are common throughout Greece and the wider eastern Mediterranean, with okra having been cultivated in the region for centuries and remaining a beloved, if divisive, summer vegetable in Greek home cooking.
Soak it in vinegar for 20 minutes before cooking, avoid over-stirring once it's in the pot, and don't overcook it past the point of tenderness.
Yes, add it frozen directly to the stew in the last 10-12 minutes without thawing first.
Crusty bread or plain rice both work well to soak up the tomato sauce.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
