Welcome to a taste of true Eastern European comfort! Grechka, or buckwheat, is a beloved staple, cherished for its nutty flavor and incredible health benefits. When baked slowly in the oven with tender, marinated chicken and aromatic vegetables, it transforms into a dish that is both deeply satisfying and wonderfully fragrant. This recipe, prepared in traditional clay pots, isn't just about food; it's about warmth, family, and the simple joy of a home-cooked meal. It’s a rustic, wholesome dish that will fill your kitchen with an irresistible aroma and your heart with comfort.
Grechka with chicken in the oven, cooked in a clay pot
Ingredients for Grechka with Chicken in the Oven
- 1 kg chicken (thighs, drumsticks)
- 350 g grechka (buckwheat groats)
- 150 g leek
- 250 g onion
- 250 g carrots
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 red chili pepper
- 100 ml white wine
- 15 g dry chicken seasoning
- 100 g butter
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- salt, pepper, cilantro
How to cook Grechka with Chicken in the oven
Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and drumsticks, but leave the bones in. Slice the onion into large rings, the leek into thin rings, and finely chop the red chili pepper and garlic. Add dry white wine, vegetable oil, and chicken seasoning (without salt). Place the chicken pieces in the marinade and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Marinating the chicken
Place a piece of butter at the bottom of a heat-resistant clay pot, then add the onions from the marinade and a little of the marinade liquid. Clay pots are typically used for individual portions, so divide all ingredients proportionally among the number of pots you are using.
Place butter and onions from the marinade at the bottom of the pot
On top of the onions, lay out the chicken pieces, aiming for about 250g of raw bone-in meat per portion, which is the weight of an average skinless chicken leg quarter (thigh and drumstick).
Place the marinated chicken on top of the onions
Peel the carrots, cut them into large cubes, and place them on top of the chicken.
Chopping the carrots
Carefully sort through the grechka (buckwheat groats), as it can sometimes contain small stones or debris. Then, soak it in cold water for 10-15 minutes, drain it in a sieve, and rinse it several times under running water.
Rinsing the buckwheat
Add the rinsed buckwheat groats. They should fill the pot up to about 3/4 full, leaving space at the top for water.
Add the rinsed buckwheat to the pots
Now, pour in hot water and add table salt (a little less than a teaspoon of coarse salt without additives).
Pour in hot water and add salt
Cover the pots and place them in an oven preheated to 175°C (350°F). Cook for about an hour. It’s best not to check on the progress. If you take out the pot and open the lid, the steam will escape, and the grechka will turn out dry. Our grandmothers used to put pots in a traditional stove, leave them for several hours, and the food would cook on its own. The main thing was to keep the fire going!
Place the pots with buckwheat and chicken in the oven
The finished chicken and grechka can be served on plates or brought to the table directly in the pots.
Grechka with chicken in the oven, cooked in a clay pot
And there you have it—a steaming, aromatic pot of Grechka with Chicken, ready to be enjoyed. Serving this dish directly from the clay pots adds a touch of rustic charm to your meal. It pairs wonderfully with traditional sides like pickles or a simple cucumber and tomato salad to add a fresh, tangy contrast. We hope this recipe brings a piece of Slavic culinary heritage into your home and becomes a new favorite. Enjoy the rich flavors and the comforting warmth of this timeless classic!
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