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Chicken and a variety of red, orange, yellow and parsley cooked in a cast iron pan, with a light tomato sauce.

Greek Chicken with Peppers Spetzofai

Written by Published on Updated on October 3, 2026 in Mediterranean cuisine, Side Dish

Hello everyone,

Have you ever tried traditional Greek stews?  If not, then you need to try this Greek Chicken with Peppers recipe.  Spetzofai is one of those rustic Greek recipes that proves once again that simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavours. Traditionally made with village sausage and peppers, this version adds chicken to transform the dish, with no sausages.  The chicken slowly cooks in a slightly fragrant tomato sauce, absorbing the peppers’ sweetness.

What makes this Greek Chicken Spetzofai so special are the ingredients. Sweet red and yellow peppers soften beautifully as they simmer, releasing their natural sweetness into the sauce. The light tomato sauce creates a light base, while herbs and olive oil bring everything together in true Mediterranean style.  Let me explain something about the tomato sauce: it’s not thick.  I added half a tablespoon of tomato paste with a little water and cooked it.  This recipe is also wonderfully versatile. It can be served with bread; crusty bread would be the best choice, so it can soak up all the flavors.

One of the reasons I enjoy making this dish is how easily it comes together. Everything cooks in one pan, letting the ingredients blend naturally.  As the sauce thickens and the aromas fill the kitchen, you’ll understand why dishes like Spetzofai have remained beloved throughout Greece for generations.  So, go ahead and take out all those bell peppers that are lying around in the fridge, plus the chicken that you have in the freezer, just waiting to be cooked.

If you’re looking to explore authentic Greek cuisine beyond the classics, this Chicken Spetzofai recipe is an excellent place to start.  Here is my Sausage Spetzofai recipe: https://foodzesty.com/greek-sausages-peppers-in-tomato-sauce-spetsofai/

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Wishing everyone a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening and a great weekend!! 🙂

Chicken and a variety of red, orange, yellow and parsley cooked in a cast iron pan, with a light tomato sauce.

Greek Chicken with Peppers Spetzofai

foodzesty
Tender chicken pieces, colourful sweet peppers, and simple Mediterranean ingredients come together in this easy Greek-inspired recipe. Cooked until perfectly juicy and infused with olive oil, garlic, and aromatic herbs
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 skillet with lid large
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 knife
  • 1 wooden spoon large
  • 1 garlic press

Ingredients
  

  • 2 chicken breast cut into medium-sized pieces
  • 2 red bell peppers sliced
  • 2 yellow bell peppers sliced
  • 2 red onions small chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced or 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅓ tbsp hot paprika
  • 1 ½ tbsp dry oregano
  • pepper optional
  • salt optional
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Start by boiling the chicken until it is tender enough to shred. When the chicken is ready, remove it and set it aside to cool off before shredding.
  • In a large skillet, add ¼ cup olive oil, 2 red onions, 2 red bell peppers, 2 yellow bell peppers, and 2 garlic cloves . Sauteé until tender.
  • Add in the 2 chicken breasts and continue to sauteé for a few minutes.
  • Add ½ tbsp tomato paste and ½ cup water gently stir.
  • Season with ⅓ tbsp hot paprika, 1 ½ tbsp dry oregano, pepper, and salt. Continue to gently stir all the ingredients.
  • Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also transfer the chicken mix to a baking dish and bake it in the oven for approximately the same amount of time.
  • Sprinkle the 2 tbsp fresh parsley over the dish before serving. Serve hot with crusty bread or pita bread.
Keyword #chicken dinner, #easy greek dinner, #high proten meal, chicken and pepper skillet

KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂

Welcome to a small corner of my Greek Heritage. Growing up in New York from Greek parents, was a challenge of its own...but the traditional food, tastes and aromas that my mother cooked always travelled me back to Greece.My mother is a wonderful cook, our house would always have that smell of home cooked food. I remember very clearly that we were only allowed fast food, once a week, that was a huge day for myself and my brother. Jumping up and down in the back car seat, laughing, just being kids. It is true that we all like to eat different foods, taste, smell, even try food that looks different than our regular meals at home and I think that is so natural.In my teens, I was not really into cooking, I enjoyed my magazines after school, listening to music, and just taking a breather. There were times that I would glance at some of my mom's recipes, more out of curiosity than to actually try to cook them. At that time I did not realise that cooking would become my passion one day. Slowly, I would start to look into my mom's recipes a bit more each day and I started to find it interesting as a hobby. Each month I would go into our neighborhood bookstore and pick up my monthly book, until one day I decided to stroll over into the cooking section. That summer was the first time I actually bought a cooking magazine....and I loved it.Cooking and baking started out as a hobby, but now after many years it is my passion. Exploring the cuisines, the spices, the oils, the scents, the variety of smells and tastes that exist. It was and still is an amazing journey without limits.So, come along with me on this adventure, and I hope you enjoy my recipes.Sophie

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