Chicken Scarpariello with Sausage and Peppadew Peppers
Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American recipe that features braised chicken with pickled peppers and rosemary.
Serves4
Prep10 minutes
Cook50 minutes to 55 minutes
Just the name chicken Scarpariello immediately brings me back to my Italian upbringing. My dad used to make this dish all the time for us. He cooked the potatoes right in with the chicken. While his way is delicious because the potatoes absorb a lot of flavor, they don’t have that crispy factor that I love. The roasted potatoes in my version cook right alongside the chicken. When you spoon the chicken and its juices on top, the potatoes get all that flavor while keeping their satisfying crunch. Knockout side dish, with no time wasted.
If you’re not familiar with peppadew peppers, they’re simply small red peppers that are pickled in a brine of vinegar, salt, and sugar. You can buy the sweet or hot variety — both are great in this recipe, and add a really wonderful briny and bright element to this dish. You can find them in a jar or in the olive-bar section of your grocery store.
The best kind of pan for chicken Scarpariello is a brasier. It’s like a cross between a Dutch oven and a skillet. It’s heavy like a Dutch oven, but its low, skillet-like sides prevent too much moisture (which could ruin that crispy skin on your chicken thighs) from accumulating. If you don’t have one, any ovenproof wide pan with high-enough sides to hold the sauce will do.
What Is Chicken Scarpariello?
Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American recipe that features braised chicken with pickled peppers and rosemary. Some recipes use Italian sausage; the added flavor really makes the dish special. White wine, garlic, onions, and chicken stock are also classic ingredients that give this dish its signature savoriness.
What Type of Chicken Is Best for Chicken Scarpariello?
Skin-on, bone-in breasts or thighs works well here. You can also choose to go with a whole chicken broken down into pieces. Go with whatever your family likes best.
What Goes Well with Chicken Scarpariello?
Starches like potatoes or pasta go really well with chicken Scarpariello because they soak up all the delicious pan sauce. Potatoes are the traditional choice with this dish. Here they’re roasted separately; they’re a great vehicle to soak up the sauce and they’re super crispy.
Chicken Scarpariello Recipe
Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American recipe that features braised chicken with pickled peppers and rosemary.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 50 minutes to 55 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds
baby Yukon gold potatoes
Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup
plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves
garlic
Freshly ground pepper
- 2 1/2 pounds
bone-in, skin-in chicken thighs (4 to 6)
- 1 tablespoon
all-purpose flour
- 4 links
sweet or hot Italian sausage
- 2 to 3 sprigs
fresh rosemary
- 1 cup
dry white wine
- 1 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup
peppadew or other pickled peppers
- 1/4 cup
loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2
medium lemon
Instructions
Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 400°F.
Place 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes in a medium pot and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Season generously with kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the potatoes are just fork-tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
Drain the potatoes. When cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes but leave any tiny ones whole. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil evenly onto of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the potatoes cut-side down on the baking sheet and roast until golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1 medium yellow onion and finely chop 3 garlic cloves.
Season 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs with kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and rub it into the chicken. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a braiser pan or a large, deep oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken skin-side down in a single layer. Cook until the chicken is browned but not cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 4 links sweet or hot Italian sausage to the pan. Cook until browned all around but not cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
Add th onion, finely chopped garlic, and 2 to 3 rosemary sprigs to the pan and season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, and 1 cup peppadew peppers. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and cook for 3 minutes more.
Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan, nestling it into the onion mixture. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut each sausage crosswise into 2 to 3 pieces on a slight diagonal.
Nestle the sausages next to the chicken and pour in any accumulated juices on the plate. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves.
Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 medium lemon over the chicken scarpariello. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the roasted potatoes.
Recipe Notes
Make Ahead: This recipe can be made 1 to 2 hours before you plan to serve and reheated in the oven until the potatoes and chicken are crispy again.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.