Chicken Scarpariello is a perfect one-pot dish for the end of summer, when the evenings start to cool off but the market is still overflowing with peppers.
The Chicken Recipe I Grew Up Eating
Chicken Scarpariello is a meal made for gathering. While cooking, it fills the house with an intoxicating aroma, and the finished dish is stewy and rich, with plenty of sauce to sop up with crusty bread.
Just like the Utica Greens I grew up with, chicken scarpariello doesn’t have much of a reach outside of New York and New Jersey. This hyper-regional Italian-American dish made with chicken thighs, sausage, and stewed with both fresh and pickled peppers is worthy of world acclaim. I’m on a mission to make that happen, because this braised chicken recipe is absolutely delicious.
In my version, I eschew the traditional pork sausage in favor of lighter chicken sausage. I consider myself a firm “medium” on the spice spectrum, so I use a mixture of sweet and hot pickled peppers, but feel free to use one or the other. Either way, the pickled peppers are a must—their sharp piquancy cuts through the richness of the chicken and gives the dish satisfying balance.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for a couple of reasons. First, chicken thighs are rich, which compensates for the fact that I swapped out the traditional pork sausage for leaner chicken sausage. Second, keeping the meat bone-in ensures that they don’t overcook while braising, and the crispy skin is a nice textural contrast to an otherwise relatively soft dish.
- Chicken sausage: Chicken Scarpariello is traditionally made with Italian pork sausage, but I make it a little lighter by subbing chicken sausage. Chicken sausage is often sold in pre-cooked links, which work just fine in this recipe. I prefer the texture of fresh sausage to pre-cooked; you can usually find uncooked chicken or turkey sausage next to the fresh pork sausage in the refrigerated meat section.
- Pickled peppers: Personally, I like a mix of sweet cherry peppers and spicy pepperoncini. I use both the peppers and the brine. I use the brine as a chicken marinade to infuse every bite with pickled pepper flavor. Whether you choose sweet or hot pickled peppers is totally up to you.
- Bell peppers: This is a very pepper-forward dish! I like using both green and red for the contrast between the grassy notes of the green peppers and the more rounded sweetness of the red. This recipe will work with any combination of colors.
- Sugar: Between the chicken, the sausage, and the peppers, this is an intensely savory dish. A little bit of sugar helps to balance the sharpness of the pickled peppers.
- Dried oregano: Adding dried oregano to the braise reinforces the flavor of the seasonings in the sausage.
- Balsamic vinegar adds a welcome sweet-tart element to the braising liquid, softening the sharpness of the pickled pepper brine.
- Chicken stock: Homemade chicken stock is always best, but store-bought works just fine. Look for a low-salt option, as most store-bought stocks are high in sodium.
How to Make Chicken Scarpariello
A brief marinade tenderizes the chicken and infuses it with briny pepper flavor. Use the marinating time to put on your favorite cooking playlist, chop your peppers and onions, and sear your sausage! After that, the rest of the dish comes together in a snap.
- Marinate the chicken. Place 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, turning to coat evenly. Add 1/2 cup pickled pepper brine and 1/2 cup water. Set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Prep the vegetables. While chicken is marinating, slice 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, and 1 onion. Roughly chop 6 garlic cloves and slice 1/4 cup pickled peppers.
- Sear the sausage. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a Dutch oven or a large pot with high sides, and place over medium-high heat. When the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, add 1 pound chicken sausage and brown on all sides. Remove sausage from heat and place on a cutting board. (If you’re using fresh sausage, it might still be a little raw in the center at this point—that’s okay!)
- Sear the chicken. Remove chicken from marinade and shake to free it of any excess liquid. Place chicken in the Dutch oven, skin side down, and sear until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken (it will not be cooked through at this stage) to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium and add sliced onions and peppers to the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. While the peppers and onions cook, slice sausage into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
- Assemble the braise. To the softened onions and peppers, add the chopped garlic, pickled peppers, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir to combine, and sauté for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 2 cups chicken stock to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Braise the chicken. Add the chicken thighs (skin-side up) to the pot, making sure to nestle the thighs into the liquid. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer thighs uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 150°F.
- Add the sausage. Add the sliced sausage to the pot and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the sausage is cooked through and the chicken reaches 165°F. Season with salt and pepper.
- Finish and serve. Garnish with a handful of chopped fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.
What Pickled Peppers Should You Use?
This recipe is a great way to use up those opened jars of pickled peppers rattling around in your fridge. (Just me?)
I tested this recipe with sweet cherry peppers and pepperoncini. Pickled jalapeños or more mild banana peppers would also be tasty. I love experimenting with different combinations.
One thing to remember: because we use the pickle brine to marinate the chicken, make sure that you’re using true pickled peppers, not roasted peppers in olive oil. We need the acidity of a vinegar-based brine to truly make this recipe sing.
Make it Your Own
- Change the chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs or breasts work just fine here! Simply skip the searing and add the marinated thighs to the pepper mixture in step 4. Boneless cuts cook through faster than bone-in ones, so start checking for doneness after 6-8 minutes of simmering time.
- If you choose a boneless, skinless option, there’s no need to sear the chicken, and the thinner cuts will cook faster in the peppery braising liquid.
- Boneless, skinless cuts fall apart if cooked too long. But that’s not the end of the world either—you’ll just end up with more of a stew than a braise.
- Swap the Sausage: Feel free to mix things up with turkey or lamb or even the original pork sausage here!
- If using a fattier protein like lamb or pork, you may have to add another splash of balsamic vinegar to balance the richness with a little acid.
- Whatever type of sausage you choose, make sure you look for sausage labeled “Italian” or “garlic”—the seasonings in the sausage are a vital part of the dish.
- Swap the Stock: Vegetable broth or even plain water will work just fine in place of the chicken stock.
What to Serve with Chicken Scarpariello
Make It Ahead
Like all braises, this dish tastes even better the next day. An overnight rest really helps the flavors to meld, and this do-ahead method makes the dish a perfect option to serve at a fancy dinner party– reheat the braise in the oven while you concentrate on other things!
You may find a layer of fat forms on top of the dish after it’s been refrigerated; you can scrape it off with a spoon, if you like, and gently reheat it on the stovetop.
More Recipes for Chicken Thigh Lovers!
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Marinate the chicken. Place chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, turning to coat evenly. Add the pickled pepper brine and water. Set aside at room temperature for twenty minutes. Use this time to chop the vegetables and sear the sausage.
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Sear the sausage. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or a large pot with high sides and place over a medium-high flame. When the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken sausage and brown on all sides. Remove sausage from heat and place on a cutting board. If you’re using fresh sausage, it might still be a little raw in the center– that’s okay!
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Sear the chicken. Remove chicken from marinade and shake to free it of any excess liquid. Place chicken in the Dutch oven, skin side down, and sear until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken from pan (it will not be cooked through at this stage), place on a plate and set aside.
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Cook the vegetables. Lower the flame to medium and add sliced onion and peppers to the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom. Saute until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice sausage into 1/2-inch thick pieces and set aside.
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Assemble the braise. To the softened onion and peppers add the garlic, pickled peppers, dried oregano and sugar. Stir to combine and sauté for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil.
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Braise the chicken. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side up, to the pot, making sure to nestle the thighs into the liquid. Reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer thighs uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 150°F.
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Add the sausage. Add the sliced sausage to the pot and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes more, or until the sausage is cooked through and the chicken reaches 160°F.
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Finish and serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a handful of chopped parsley and serve.
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar used in this recipe.
- Change the chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs or breasts work just fine here! Simply skip the searing and add the marinated thighs to the pepper mixture in step 4. Boneless cuts cook through faster than bone-in ones, so start checking for doneness after 6-8 minutes of simmering time. If you choose a boneless, skinless option, there’s no need to sear the chicken, and the thinner cuts will cook faster in the peppery braising liquid. Just make sure you’re paying attention, or the boneless, skinless cuts will begin to fall apart if cooked too long. But that’s not the end of the world either–you’ll just end up with more of a stew than a braise.
- Make It Ahead: Like all braises, this dish tastes even better the next day. An overnight rest really helps the flavors to meld, and this do-ahead method makes the dish a perfect option to serve at a fancy dinner party– reheat the braise in the oven while you concentrate on other things! You may find a layer of fat forms on top of the dish after it’s been refrigerated; you can scrape it off with a spoon, if you like, and gently reheat it on the stovetop.
- Pickled Peppers: I used two kinds, but you can use just one and the recipe will still be delicious.
Calories: 483.7kcalCarbohydrates: 10.4gProtein: 34.1gFat: 34.3gSaturated Fat: 8.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11.4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 181.7mgSodium: 2014.6mgPotassium: 466.1mgFiber: 1.4gSugar: 4.6gVitamin A: 871.2IUVitamin C: 39.9mgCalcium: 36.9mgIron: 2.1mg
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