Description
Chicken Scarpariello is a hearty Italian-American dish featuring crispy seared chicken thighs and savory Italian sausages cooked together with vibrant vegetables, aromatic rosemary, and tangy pickled peppers. This comforting one-pot meal is finished in the oven, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully and the potatoes to become tender. Perfect served with crusty bread or pasta, it offers a rustic, flavorful dinner experience.
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
- 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
Serving Suggestions
- Crusty bread or cooked pasta (like linguine)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for finishing the dish in the oven.
- 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. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until deeply golden and the skin releases easily, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Add sausages next and sear for about 1 minute per side until browned; transfer them to the plate with chicken.
- Sauté the vegetables and aromatics: In the same pot, add the onion, red bell peppers, garlic, and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are starting to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add liquids and deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth, dry white wine, and pickled pepper brine. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavors.
- 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 pickled peppers and gold potatoes around the meat. Spoon some cooking liquid over the potatoes. It’s okay if not everything is fully submerged.
- Bake the dish: Cover the pot with its lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through and tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Plate and serve: For each serving, place one chicken thigh, one sausage, and a generous helping of vegetables on a plate. Spoon the flavorful cooking liquid over the top. Serve alongside crusty bread or freshly cooked pasta to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Optional – Thicken the sauce: To thicken the sauce, remove the chicken and most vegetables to a platter. Return the pot to the stovetop over medium heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens to your liking. Pour the thickened sauce over the meat and vegetables when serving.
Notes
- Patting chicken dry before searing is essential to achieve a crispy skin.
- You can choose either sweet or hot Italian sausages depending on your spice preference.
- If fresh rosemary isn’t available, dried rosemary can be used but reduce quantity to 1 teaspoon.
- The pickled peppers add a tangy brightness to the dish—choose your favorite variety like pepperoncini or peppadews.
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use any oven-safe heavy pot or casserole dish with a lid.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or in the oven.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or pasta to enjoy the flavorful sauce.
