Description
Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American dish featuring succulent bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and flavorful Italian sausages braised together with sweet onions, red bell peppers, garlic, fresh rosemary, gold potatoes, and tangy pickled peppers. Finished in the oven, this hearty meal boasts a savory, slightly spicy sauce enriched with white wine and chicken broth, perfect served with crusty bread or pasta to soak up all the delicious juices.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 pound (4 to 6 links) sweet or hot Italian sausages
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (6-inch) stem fresh rosemary, stem removed and leaves chopped
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- 1 pound gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch thick wedges (or halved if very small)
- 1 heaping cup whole pickled peppers (such as cherry, peppadew, banana, or pepperoncini)
Liquids
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup brine from pickled peppers
To Serve
- Crusty bread or cooked pasta (like linguine)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare it for finishing the dish in the later steps.
- Season and sear the chicken and sausage: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all sides with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a 4 to 6-quart braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until deeply golden and skin releases easily, about 6–8 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Next, add sausages to the pot and sear about 1 minute per side until browned; transfer to the plate with the chicken.
- Sauté the vegetables and aromatics: In the same pot, add the sliced onion, red bell peppers, garlic, and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and become translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add liquids and deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth, dry white wine, and the pickled pepper brine. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Combine and arrange for baking: Return the seared chicken thighs (skin side up) and sausages to the pot, nestling them among the vegetables. Scatter in the whole pickled peppers and gold potato wedges around the meats. Spoon some cooking liquid over the potatoes; they do not need to be fully submerged.
- Bake the dish: Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken and potatoes are fully cooked and tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Plate and serve: For each serving, plate one chicken thigh, one sausage link, and a generous helping of the vegetables and potatoes. Spoon the flavorful cooking liquid over the top. Serve alongside crusty bread or freshly cooked pasta like linguine.
- Optional – Thicken the sauce: To thicken the sauce, remove the chicken and most vegetables to a platter. Place the pot back on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces to your desired consistency. Pour the thicker sauce over the meat and vegetables before serving.
Notes
- If using smaller potatoes, halve them for even cooking.
- Adjust the level of heat by choosing sweet or hot Italian sausages and pickled peppers.
- For a gluten-free option, serve with gluten-free bread or pasta.
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry before searing to get a nice golden crust.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently in the oven.
- White wine can be substituted with extra chicken broth if preferred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
