Chicken Scarpariello Recipe

Prep chicken and peppers

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Slice sausage links into 1/2-inch rounds. If capocollo is in larger pieces, slice into 1/4-inch ribbons. Core and seed the Anaheim chilies if you want milder heat and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and slice the pickled cherry peppers.

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1½ tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear without moving until the skin is deep golden-brown, about 6–8 minutes. Flip and brown the other side 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. In the same pan, add remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil and the sausage rounds. Brown sausage for 3–4 minutes until caramelized; remove and reserve with the chicken. Pour off and discard any excess rendered fat if more than 2 tbsp remain, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the pan and when melted add the sliced onion. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the capocollo ribbons and cook 1–2 minutes to render some fat and heat through. Add the minced garlic, sliced Anaheim chilies, and sliced pickled cherry peppers; cook another 2 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle in the dried oregano and crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Increase heat to medium-high. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar. Stir in the drained capers. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper (remember sausage and capocollo add salt).

Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pan, nestling pieces into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 20–25 minutes (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). If sauce reduces too much, add up to 1/4 cup additional stock.

Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 2–3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat. If desired, squeeze an additional 1 tbsp lemon juice to brighten the sauce.

Serve chicken scarpariello family-style in the pan or transfer to a platter. Spoon the sausage, capocollo, chilies, and sauce over the chicken. Garnish with additional chopped parsley and extra cracked black pepper. Good served with crusty bread, polenta, or roasted potatoes to soak up the sauce.