Chicken Scarpariello (Braised Chicken with Sausage and Peppers)
Chicken Scarpariello, where have you been all my life? Because my Sicilian mom never made this chicken dish, I grew up without ever having eaten it or even knowing of its existence. I’m so glad that’s been corrected!
The dish is also commonly referred to as “shoemaker’s chicken.” The word for shoes in Italian is “scarpe,” but how the actual naming of Chicken Scarpariello came to be remains a mystery. If a shoemaker did come up with the recipe, he shall remain forever anonymous. I thank him, though, and send kudos out in the universe to him.
It turns out that Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian dish (who knew?) where chicken thighs are braised with sausage and peppers. Throw in garlic, white wine, and chicken stock, and you’ve got a drool-worthy list of ingredients. Be still my heart! It should be on the menu at every Italian restaurant that would like return customers.
There is an additional “secret” ingredient, and that is sweet or hot pickled cherry peppers and 1/4 cup of the pickling liquid.
These cherry peppers really add a wow factor! Along with the white wine and chicken stock, it makes a fabulously delicious pan sauce. Of course, the other ingredients all contribute to the flavor of the sauce, too. It’s a culinary win-win-win.
Here in New England, we’re experiencing a cold start to Spring. There’s nothing better than a hearty, delicious casserole to warm you up during cold weather. The grille will have to wait a few more weeks.
I highly recommend that you give Chicken Scarpariello a try.
Chicken Scarpariello (Braised Chicken with Sausage and Peppers)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- 3 to 4 links sweet or hot Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 tbl. finely minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 sweet or hot pickled cherry peppers, thinly sliced, along with 1/4 cup pickling liquid from the jar (I used a 16-oz. jar of Mezzetta mild sweet cherry peppers)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tbl. sugar
Directions
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350° F.
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, without moving, until well browned and crisp, about 8 minutes total, lowering heat if pan starts to smoke excessively. Flip chicken and brown lightly on second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate and set aside.
Return pan to heat without draining it and add sausage. Cook until well browned on first side, about 1 1/2 minutes, reducing heat if it starts smoking. Flip sausage and cook on second side until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, transfer sausage to a cutting board, and cut each link into 3 to 4 slices.
Return pan to heat, add onion and bell peppers, and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add pickled cherry peppers and 1/4 cup of their pickling liquid, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and sugar and stir to combine. Return sausage to pan, toss to combine; then return chicken pieces to pan skin side up, nestling them down among sauce, vegetables, and sausage.
Transfer to oven and cook until chicken is tender and its internal temperature at the thickest part is 165o F, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, spooning sauce, vegetables, and sausage around chicken pieces.
Fran’s Notes
If you’re watching your starch carbs, this is delicious as is and naturally gluten free—but it is absolutely fabulous over spaghetti, mashed potatoes, or couscous to sop up the delicious sauce.
Source: Slightly adapted recipe from Serious Eats