Stewed Chicken with Okra & Tomatoes
Submitted by ape
Golden-browned whole chicken pieces simmered with okra, fresh tomatoes, cumin, and white wine until fall-off-the-bone tender. A soulful one-pot stew that tastes even better the next day.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
65 minREADY
95 minThis stew has roots in the kind of cooking where nothing goes to waste and everything gets better with time.
Two whole chickens, cut into pieces, get browned until the skin is golden and crisp. Okra cooks separately first so it holds its shape, then everything comes together in a fragrant broth of tomatoes, white wine, cumin, and whole cloves.
The breasts come out early so they stay juicy while the dark meat finishes cooking down to fall-apart tenderness. A splash of red wine vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot.
Make it a day or two ahead and let those flavors deepen in the fridge. It only gets better.
Pro Tips
- Cook the okra first and set it aside. Adding it raw to the stew will release too much slime and muddy the texture.
- Brown the chicken in batches so each piece gets proper contact with the hot pan. Crowding means steaming.
- Pull the breast pieces out early and tent them with foil. They dry out fast if you let them cook as long as the legs and thighs.
- If your sauce is too thin at the end, remove the chicken and reduce the liquid over high heat until it coats a spoon.
Variations
- Cajun-Style: Add andouille sausage and a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning for a gumbo-adjacent spin.
- Coconut Curry Version: Swap the white wine for coconut milk and add curry powder instead of cumin for a Caribbean-leaning stew.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add the okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until it changes color, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of oil from pan.
In the same frying pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Remove from the pan and set aside. Again, drain all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the pan.
Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 7 minutes.
Add the okra, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, cumin, cloves, chicken stock and white wine.
Then add the chicken, cover, and simmer slowly until the breasts are tender, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the breasts to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Continue to cook the remaining pieces until the legs can be easily skewered, 15 to 20 minutes.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and heat through.
Season with the vinegar, salt and pepper.
If the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken and reduce the liquid over high heat until it coats a spoon.
Add the parsley and stir together.
Place the stew in serving bowls and serve immediately.
Notes: You can make this dish a day or two before you need it, then refrigerate it until reheating and serving.
Comments
