CHICKEN WITH TRAHANA

By Nikos Almpantidis

Nikos Almpantidis was born and raised in Agios Athanasios, Drama, where the rhythm of life flows in harmony with nature, the seasons, and age-old traditions. As a child, his summers were steeped in salty sea air and simple joys — long afternoons by the shore, the smoky aroma of fresh octopus grilling over charcoal, and lively family conversations that always circled back to food. These moments planted a deep, almost instinctive bond with fresh ingredients and the art of cooking.

Growing up, Nikos realized that flavors could tell stories — stories woven from memories and new discoveries alike. Since 2021, he has been passionately crafting the menus of two unique restaurants on the island of Kea: Nisos, a modern seafood haven where the purity and simplicity of the sea take center stage, and Oikos, an all-day restaurant offering everything from relaxed brunches to refined fine dining. He has also curated the menu for Mythos, a Greek restaurant in Leeds, England, extending his culinary footprint beyond Greece. Beyond these, Nikos has lent his creative touch to culinary projects across Greece, bringing fresh ideas and a heartfelt respect for local produce to each new kitchen he enters.

For Nikos, cooking is far more than just preparing food — it’s a way to share authentic stories filled with emotion and meaning. As he often says,

“One of today’s key culinary trends is simplicity with meaning.”

This belief isn’t just his philosophy — it’s the signature thread that runs through every dish he creates.

Ingredients

For 1 rooster:

1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
4 sprigs of thyme (leaves only)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
500 g red wine (preferably Mavrodaphne)
100 g demi-glace, stock made from the rooster’s bones, or water
100 g soy sauce
200 g tomato sauce
Half a cinnamon stick
5 whole allspice berries

For Trahanas:

100 g trahanas
300 g boiling water
Sauce from the cooked rooster
Oregano and thyme

Instructions

Preparation chicken:
Fillet the rooster, keeping the thighs and breast (you can use the remaining parts to make stock if needed). Season the rooster with salt and pepper and sauté it until it gets some color. Then, add the vegetables and the tomato paste, and continue sautéing.

Once everything is nicely browned, deglaze with the red wine and soy sauce, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Then add the tomato sauce, the demi-glace (or water or rooster stock), and the spices.

Cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 1.5 hours.

Preparation trahanas:
Place the trahanas in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Cover with plastic wrap and let it soak and swell.

Once the trahanas is ready, add sauce from the cooked rooster, thyme, and oregano. Adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Your trahanas is now ready to serve.

Serving:
In a baking dish, spread about 200 g of the prepared trahanas. Place one rooster thigh and about half a breast on top.

Put the dish in the oven to heat through. When it’s warm and starting to glaze, remove it and sprinkle with grated graviera cheese.

If it seems too dry, you can add some of the rooster stock you saved.

Finally, once the cheese is gratinéed (nicely melted and slightly golden), remove from the oven, top with a sprinkle of finely chopped oregano, thyme, and rosemary — and it’s ready to serve.

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