Name: Greek Chicken Stifado with Pearl Onions
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds, skin removed and cut into pieces; 2 bags frozen pearl onions, about 24-32 ounces total; 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste; Black pepper, to taste; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional; 3-4 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish; Crumbled feta cheese, for serving, optional; 28 ounces canned tomatoes, pureed; 4 garlic cloves, grated; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon honey or sugar; 1 cup chicken broth or water; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

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Tender chicken and sweet pearl onions in a rich, cinnamon-spiced tomato sauce!

This Greek Chicken Stifado with Pearl Onions is a cozy one-pan dinner made with tender chicken pieces, sweet pearl onions, and a rich tomato sauce flavored with garlic, oregano, cinnamon, and bay leaves. It’s inspired by classic Greek stifado and makes the perfect comfort food served with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

This is a very traditional recipe. However, while the traditional one is beef Stifado made with beef and shallots, cooked on the stovetop in a rich tomato sauce with warm herbs and spices, this one is my chicken version, baked in the oven in one pan. It only takes five minutes to put everything together, and the oven does the rest. It’s so easy, you’ll be able to make it any night of the week.

Why You’ll Love My Chicken Stifado

Cozy, comforting

Tender braised chicken

Rich, warm-spiced

Herby, aromatic

Thick, savory, tomato sauce

Sweet, soft,

Jammy pearl onions

What are the ingredients for Chicken Stifado?

Chicken becomes tender and juicy as it slowly bakes in the flavorful tomato sauce, absorbing all of the warm herbs and spices.

Pearl onions are the signature ingredient in stifado. Frozen pearl onions do not need to be thawed before baking. As they cook, they soften and become sweet, buttery, and incredibly flavorful.

Salt and black pepper enhance the flavors of the chicken, onions, and sauce.

Dried oregano adds earthy Mediterranean flavor and pairs beautifully with the tomatoes.

Crushed red pepper flakes add a subtle touch of heat that balances the sweetness of the onions. This is optional, but not really… lol.

Olive oil adds richness and helps the onions caramelize while creating a silky texture throughout the sauce.

What do I need to make the sauce?

Pureed tomatoes create the rich, velvety sauce that forms the foundation of this dish. I tested this recipe with both 15 ounces and 28 ounces of tomato sauce. The 15-ounce version was absolutely delicious and produced a thicker, richer sauce. If you prefer a saucier stifado with extra sauce for serving over pasta, rice, or potatoes, use the full 28 ounces.

Garlic, minced or grated, adds savory depth and aromatic flavor.

Tomato paste intensifies the tomato flavor and helps create a richer, more concentrated sauce.

Honey or sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and complements the natural sweetness of the onions.

Chicken broth or water helps create the perfect consistency while allowing the flavors to develop as the dish bakes.

Red wine vinegar adds brightness and a subtle tang characteristic of traditional stifado recipes.

What creates the traditional Stifado flavor?

Cinnamon stick infuses the sauce with gentle warmth and is one of the defining flavors of Greek stifado.

Bay leaves add depth and complexity as the dish slowly cooks.

Ground allspice contributes warm, aromatic notes that beautifully complement the cinnamon and tomatoes.

What should I serve it with?

Fresh parsley adds color and freshness to the finished dish.

Feta cheese provides a creamy, tangy contrast to the rich tomato sauce and sweet onions. Be sure to use a good quality feta, like my favorite sheep’s milk feta.

Do I cook the pearl onions before adding them?

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the frozen pearl onions in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. You do not need to cook them beforehand. However, if you drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with a pinch of salt, roast for 15–20 minutes, or until they begin to soften and develop a little color around the edges, it helps caramelize the onions slightly and deepens their flavor.

When do I add the chicken?

Remove the pan from the oven and add the chicken pieces. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.

How do I make the stifado sauce?

In a bowl or blender, combine the pureed tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, honey, chicken broth, and red wine vinegar. Mix until smooth.

Do I add the spices before baking?

Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and pearl onions. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and ground allspice. Toss everything together so that the chicken and onions are coated in the sauce.

How long do I bake the chicken stifado?

Cover the pan with a large piece of crumpled parchment paper and foil. Bake covered on the center rack for 45 minutes.

Do I uncover it while cooking?

Remove the parchment paper and gently stir everything together. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Return the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 45–60 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, the pearl onions are soft, and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce thickens too much while baking, add a splash of water or chicken broth.

How do I serve Greek chicken Stifado with pearl onions?

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with feta cheese. This goes so well with so many sides. Try pasta, rice, orzo, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, hilopites, or toasted bread. Kali Orexi!

Can I make this ahead of time?

This dish tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to develop, so don’t be afraid to make it a day or two ahead.

What’s the best way to store it?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Do you have more Stifado recipes?

Greek Octopus Stew with Pearl Onions (Stifado)

Stifado: Greek Beef Stew with Shallots

Roasted Cod with Pearl Onions Stifado

Lamb Stifado in the Instant Pot: Lamb & Shallot Stew

Greek Stifado Bean Stew: Giant Beans with Shallots

Kotopoulo Stifado: Greek Chicken & Shallots Stew

Watch the Video

Greek Chicken Stifado with Pearl Onions

Yield: serves 5-6

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds, skin removed and cut into pieces
2 bags frozen pearl onions, about 24-32 ounces total
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Crumbled feta cheese, for serving, optional

For the Sauce:

28 ounces canned tomatoes, pureed
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
1 cup chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 °F, 220 °C.

Place the frozen pearl onions in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with a pinch of salt. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until they begin to soften and develop a little color around the edges. This step helps caramelize the onions slightly and deepens their flavor.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the chicken pieces.

Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.

In a bowl or blender, combine the pureed tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, honey, chicken broth, and red wine vinegar. Mix until smooth.

Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and pearl onions.

Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and ground allspice.

Toss everything together so that the chicken and onions are coated in the sauce.

Cover the pan with a large piece of crumpled parchment paper and foil.

Bake covered on the center rack for 45 minutes.

Remove the parchment paper and gently stir everything together.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 °F, 200 °C.

Return the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, the pearl onions are soft, and the sauce has thickened.

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with feta cheese, pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or toasted bread.

Notes

Frozen pearl onions do not need to be thawed before baking.

For even more flavor, roast the frozen pearl onions for 15-20 minutes before adding the chicken and sauce. This helps soften them and lightly caramelizes them, creating a richer, sweeter stifado.

For a deeper traditional stifado flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice along with the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

I tested this recipe with both 15 ounces and 28 ounces of tomato sauce. The 15-ounce version was absolutely delicious and produced a thicker, richer sauce. If you prefer a saucier stifado with extra sauce for serving over pasta, rice, or potatoes, use the full 28 ounces.

If the sauce thickens too much while baking, add a splash of water or chicken broth.

For extra sweetness, add 1 teaspoon honey to the sauce. This balances the acidity of the tomatoes and complements the pearl onions beautifully.

This dish tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to develop.

Serve with hilopites, orzo, rice, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or crusty bread.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Greek Chicken Stifado with Pearl Onions

Why You’ll Love My Chicken Stifado