Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American skillet dinner featuring golden-browned chicken, savory sausage, sweet peppers, and tangy pickled cherry peppers.

A bright pan sauce made with white wine, chicken broth, lemon, and fresh herbs brings everything together in one comforting dish. The chicken and sausage cook together with tender peppers and onions, while the cherry-pepper brine adds a distinctive tang to the sauce.

The chicken and sausage cook together with tender peppers and onions, while the cherry-pepper brine adds a distinctive tang to the sauce. Everything comes together in one skillet, making this a flavorful dinner with plenty of sauce for soaking up with bread, potatoes, or pasta.

Why You’ll Want to Make This Chicken Scarpariello

• One-skillet dinner: The chicken, sausage, vegetables, and sauce are prepared in the same heavy skillet for easier cleanup.
• Layers of flavor: Browning the chicken and sausage first creates savory browned bits that become part of the finished sauce.
• Balanced sauce: White wine, lemon juice, and cherry-pepper brine provide acidity that balances the richness of the chicken, sausage, and butter.
• Tender chicken: Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicy while simmering gently in the flavorful broth.
• Flexible heat level: Choose sweet or hot Italian sausage and sweet or hot cherry peppers depending on your preferred level of spice.
• Dinner-party worthy: The colorful peppers, golden chicken, and glossy pan sauce make a satisfying meal for both casual dinners and gatherings.

Ingredient Insights and Easy Swaps

1. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: Chicken thighs bring rich flavor and remain tender during the simmering process. Keeping the skin on also helps create a deeply browned exterior during searing.
2. Italian sausage: Sweet or hot Italian sausage adds another layer of savory flavor. Cut it into chunks so it can brown properly and remain substantial in the finished dish.
3. Cherry peppers: Pickled cherry peppers are essential to the dish’s signature sweet-tangy flavor. Choose sweet or hot peppers depending on the flavor profile you prefer.
4. Pepper brine: The reserved brine adds concentrated acidity and pickle flavor to the sauce. It also helps balance the richness of the chicken and sausage.
5. White wine and chicken broth: White wine brings acidity and depth, while chicken broth provides the liquid needed to create the pan sauce as the chicken finishes cooking.
6. Butter, lemon, and fresh herbs: Butter gives the sauce a glossy finish, while lemon juice, rosemary, and parsley add brightness and freshness.

Chef’s Tip: Take your time browning the chicken skin side down. A deep golden crust creates flavorful browned bits in the skillet that become part of the sauce.

Chicken Scarpariello

Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American skillet dinner featuring golden-browned chicken, savory sausage, sweet peppers, and tangy pickled cherry peppers. A bright pan sauce made with white wine, chicken broth, lemon, and fresh herbs brings everything together in one comforting dish.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-American

Calories: 520

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 8 ounces Italian sausage sweet or hot, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup pickled sweet or hot cherry peppers sliced
• ¼ cup reserved pepper brine
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
• Lemon wedges for serving

Equipment

• Large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven
• Tongs
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Instant-read thermometer

Method

 

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Keeping the skin dry helps it brown properly during searing.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate, then brown the sausage pieces in the same skillet for 3–4 minutes. Set them aside with the chicken.
   
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cherry peppers and cook for another minute.
   
4. Pour in the white wine and reserved cherry-pepper brine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce slightly.
   
5. Return the chicken and sausage to the skillet. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and rosemary. Cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches at least 165°F in the thickest part.
   
6. Transfer the chicken and sausage to a serving platter if desired. Whisk the butter into the hot pan sauce until glossy, then stir in the fresh parsley and a final squeeze of lemon juice.
   
7. Spoon the peppers, onions, sausage, and pan sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately with crusty bread, roasted potatoes, or pasta to soak up the tangy, buttery sauce.
   

Nutrition Information

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the drying step: Moisture on the chicken skin can interfere with proper browning, so pat the thighs dry before seasoning.
• Moving the chicken too soon: Let the thighs sear undisturbed long enough to develop a deep golden crust.
• Burning the garlic: Garlic only needs about a minute once the vegetables have softened. Keep the heat moderate.
• Not scraping the skillet: Those browned bits left from the chicken and sausage add important flavor to the wine based sauce.
• Boiling the chicken aggressively: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so the chicken stays tender.
• Guessing the chicken temperature: Use an instant read thermometer and make sure the thickest part reaches at least 165°F.

Easy Ways to Change It Up

• Use hot sausage: Choose hot Italian sausage for a stronger spicy kick.
• Use sweet peppers: Sweet cherry peppers create a milder, more tangy version of the dish.
• Add more vegetables: Include sliced mushrooms or additional bell peppers for extra vegetables.
• Use chicken breasts: Boneless chicken breasts can be used, but adjust the cooking time carefully to prevent them from drying out.
• Increase the herbs: Add extra fresh parsley or rosemary for a more pronounced herbal finish.
• Make it extra tangy: Add a little more reserved cherry pepper brine to the sauce.
• Add extra heat: Include additional hot cherry peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes.

More Recipes You May Like

1. Vegetable Cutlets
2. Vegetable Samosas
3. Fried Potato Wedges
4. Mini Fritters
5. Potato Croquettes

How to Store Chicken Scarpariello

1. Cool before storing: Allow leftover chicken and sauce to cool slightly before transferring them to airtight containers.
2. Refrigerate promptly: Store leftovers in the refrigerator and use within 3–4 days for the best quality.
3. Store with the sauce: Keep the chicken, sausage, vegetables, and pan sauce together so the meat stays moist during storage.
4. Reheat gently: Warm leftovers in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, adding a small splash of broth if the sauce has thickened.
5. Keep fresh garnishes separate: If using additional parsley or lemon wedges, add them after reheating for a brighter finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does Scarpariello mean?
   Chicken Scarpariello is an Italian-American dish known for combining chicken with sausage, peppers, and a tangy pan sauce.
2. What makes the sauce tangy?
   The combination of pickled cherry-pepper brine, white wine, and fresh lemon juice gives the sauce its distinctive acidity.
3. Why are bone-in chicken thighs used?
   Bone-in thighs add flavor to the pan sauce and remain tender during the longer simmering step.
4. Do I have to use both sweet peppers and sausage?
   The recipe uses sweet or hot versions of both ingredients, allowing you to adjust the heat level while keeping the overall character of the dish.
5. Can I use jarred cherry peppers?
   Yes. Jarred pickled cherry peppers work well as long as you reserve the brine called for in the recipe.
6. Why is butter added at the end?
   Whisking butter into the hot pan sauce gives it a smoother, richer texture and a glossy finish.
7. How do I know when the sauce has reduced enough?
   After simmering the wine and pepper brine, the liquid should reduce slightly while still leaving enough moisture for the chicken and sausage to simmer in the following step.

Anjali Arora

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