Marinade:

In a bowl mix ½ cup of olive oil, cinnamon stick, some cloves, and peppercorns. Cut chicken into portions and wash. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning it to make sure that all pieces are well coated. Leave it overnight. 

Instructions 

In a large pot warm olive oil at medium heat and cook chicken pieces on all sides until brown. Add the onion and stir until soft. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, spices, salt and pepper. Pour 2 glasses of water and cover the pot with its lid. As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 1-1.5 hours or until chicken meat is fork-tender. When the meat is nearly ready, boil Mani hilopites in salted water and cook al dente. Drain the pasta. Heat olive oil in a pan and toss pasta lightly to coat. Place pasta into a dish or individual plates.  Pour the sauce and place the chicken pieces on top of pasta. Serve with grated manouri-mizithra cheese from Taygetos. Alternatively, when chicken is tender-cooked, remove from pot and place into a dish. In the same sauce, which can be strained, reduce heat and boil square-shaped Mani hilopites. Stir and let them cook for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let hilopites absorb all liquid. Serve with grated manouri-mizithra cheese from Taygetos and the tender-cooked rooster pieces. This dish can be accompanied by either red or white wine from Messinia.

Red wine varieties: Fokiano, Mandilara, Carignan, Cabernet, Savignon

White wine varieties: Roditis, Fileri, Assyrtiko, Chardonnay

Nutritional value:

Chicken meat is an important source of high biological value protein, iron, phosphorus and magnesium and contains B-complex vitamins, such as B12. Chicken is a healthier alternative to red meat. According to the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, up to 4 servings of chicken can be consumed per week. Compared to other types of meat, chicken is a better option as it has the lowest content in total and saturated fat. As a cereal, hilopites are a good source of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates constitute an energy source for the human body as they are easily dissolved and give immediate energy. Hilopites also contain complex carbohydrates, vitamins from the B group such as pantothenic acid or B5, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin and minerals (manganese, selenium and magnesium).

Source: Maria E. Nikitopoulos