Name: Napoli’s Italian restaurant ( Lufkin Tx )s Chicken Scarparela Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 8 oz button or cremini mushrooms, sliced; 0.5 cup sweet red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 3 each scallions (green onions), sliced (white + green parts); 2 cloves minced garlic; 2 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup chicken stock; 1 cup heavy cream; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 0.5 tsp dried Italian seasoning; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded; 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Method

Chicken & Marinade

Prepare and season chicken

If breasts are thick, butterfly or slice into 3/4-inch cutlets for even cooking. Pat chicken dry. In a small bowl combine 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Rub mixture over both sides of chicken and let rest 10 minutes at room temperature.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add a thin film (about 1 tbs) of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add chicken cutlets and sear 3-4 minutes per side until golden-brown (internal temp ~155°F/68°C). Chicken will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Vegetables & Mushrooms

Using the same skillet on medium heat, add 2 tbs unsalted butter. When butter melts and foams, add sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté 4-5 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown.

Add the thinly sliced red pepper and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté 2 minutes until peppers begin to soften and garlic is fragrant but not browned. Stir in sliced scallions (reserve a few green tops for garnish). Cook 1 minute to combine flavors.

Creamy Sauce

Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle 1 tbs all-purpose flour evenly over the vegetables and stir for 30–45 seconds to cook the flour, coating the vegetables.

Gradually pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock while stirring to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits. Then add 1 cup heavy cream while stirring to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Let the sauce simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Finishing & Bake

Return the seared chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy mushroom and pepper sauce. Spoon some sauce over each piece so they are well coated.

Preheat the oven broiler to high (or oven to 400°F/200°C if you prefer a gentler bake). Evenly sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella over the chicken and sauce.

Place the skillet under the broiler 2–4 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden-bubbly (if using 400°F oven, bake 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken reaches 165°F/74°C). Watch closely to prevent burning.

Remove skillet from oven. Let rest 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and reserved scallion greens. Serve hot spooning extra sauce over chicken.