GREEK CHICKEN STEW WITH FRENCH FRIES

Instructions

1. French fries are very common in Greece. Especially in my family. The difference is that they are not served with ketchup.... That's totally an American thing. They're the perfect way to soak up that delicious sauce in dishes like this one!
2. My mom made this every time my dad brought a "fresh" chicken home. Fresh meant, straight from the farm. That in itself is too long of a story, so I'll leave it at that... I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this dish!! I almost always have boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat in my freezer. It's that cut of chicken that's very juicy, so if you happen to overcook it, all that happens is it shreds a bit. At least it stays moist 🙂
3. Anyway, boneless meat cooks faster and although my mom never cooked it without the rest of the chicken, It turned out fantastic! It is also worth mentioning that this can go from stovetop to table in under 1 hour 🙂
4. Cook the onion with the olive oil over medium heat for about 10- 15 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the chicken, salt, peppers, cumin powder, bay leaf and oregano. Mix well to incorporate.
6. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.
7. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 30 minutes if the meat is boneless. Stir occasionally so that it does not burn on the bottom.
8. If you are cooking chicken with bones, the cooking time will be about 45 minutes.
9. The sauce will have reduced and the chicken should be completely tender. Taste a little to see if it needs more salt or seasoning to suit your taste. Add the parsley and mix well. Remove from heat and prepare the fries. I recommend preparing the fries simultaneously while the chicken is cooking so that everything is ready together 🙂
10. For the French Fries:
11. Peel and cut the potatoes. Soak them in cold water for at least an hour or overnight if possible. Soaking the potatoes removes some of the starch and helps them fry up crispier. You can skip this step if you're in a hurry.
12. Heat the olive oil to 360-375 degrees. Now, if you don't have a thermometer. It's ok, I don't have one either. I hate gadgets, remember? Watch my video for tips on this.
13. Fry up the potatoes in batches until they're ready. Season them liberally with salt. I also like to sprinkle black pepper on my fries.
14. Serve this yummy, comforting goodness & enjoy!