Chicken Scarpariello

June 3rd, 2008

As soon as I saw this recipe on Carol’s site, I knew I’d have to make it. I rarely try to duplicate meals I’ve had in a restaurant, but this is a dish I’ve ordered several times over the years. It often includes wedges of white potato, though this version does not and that suited my family perfectly. I served it with spaghetti and steamed broccoli (the boys had no interest in the chicken). Almost Italian has a nice history of the dish on their site.

Carol warned that her recipe was seriously spicy, so I cut down on the hot cherry peppers. It was still almost too much for my mom and I to take. Our noses were running, our tongues were numb… we were a mess. The flavor is delicious, but we just couldn’t get past the heat. We actually opened up some beer to help us cope. Still, I think J. would have loved the heat level (if he ate chicken or sausage!), so if you are hot pepper kind of a guy, go for it.

The kosher chicken & turkey sausage I used this time (Neshama) is pre-cooked, so it just needs some browning. If you are using raw sausages, you may want to start cooking them at the same time the chicken goes into the pan. Or, do as Carol does and pre-boil them to make the dish less greasy.

I will probably stick to ordering this meal in restaurants from now on, mostly because I don’t have many people to cook for that like this combination of ingredients. Let me know if you experiment and find a more manageable proportion of hot cherry peppers.

Chicken Scarpariello
Adapted slightly from Carol’s recipe

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
8 oz. pre-cooked mild Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 tsp. garlic, minced
3/4 c. sliced hot cherry peppers
1 c. sliced, pickled sweet bell peppers (reserve 1/2 c. liquid)
1/2 c. vegetable broth

Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, then slice into bite-sized cubes. Season with ground pepper (and salt, if you like), and add to a hot pan coated with the olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until chicken is cooked through and golden brown.

Add sausage pieces, garlic, all peppers, pepper liquid, and broth to the pan. Raise heat until the sauce comes to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is reduced.

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