Chicken Scarpariello

Bold flavors shine in this Italian-American dish, where tender chicken, sausage, and peppers simmer in a tangy-sweet sauce for an easy, hearty meal.

Also try chicken Vesuvio, chicken cacciatore, manicotti, baked Italian chicken with potatoes, chicken Sorrentino and chicken piccata.

Why You’ll Love It           

Made in just one skillet: You don’t need to get multiple pans dirty when making this dish.
Delicious flavors: Sweet, savory, tangy, meaty flavors all mingle in this harmonious Italian recipe. You’ll love how well everything goes together.
Easy to whip up: This recipe is simple to make, even for novice home cooks.
Minimal hands-on time: You can prepare the dish in about 10 minutes. The remainder of the time is cooking time.

Chicken Scarpariello Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Chicken thighs: I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. You could use chicken breast if you prefer, although that’s easier to accidentally overcook.
Italian sausage: You can use sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage or something in between the two.
Vegetables: Onion, bell peppers and peppadew peppers add sweet, tangy flavors.
Rosemary: Fresh rosemary adds a bold flavor to the dish.
Chicken broth: Or chicken stock. This is the basis of the sauce.
White wine: Use something dry, perhaps Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
Peppadew peppers: These small, sweet, mild peppers come in a bar. You’ll also need some of the brining liquid from the jar as this provides a vinegary base for your pan sauce.
Parsley: To garnish the dish.

How to Make Braised Chicken Thighs with Sausage and Peppers

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Sear the chicken thighs: Season your skin on chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and sear in oil in a skillet on both sides until golden brown.
Cook the Italian sausage: Remove the chicken from the pan and cook the Italian sausage until golden brown. Slice the sausage into pieces and set it aside with the chicken.
Cook the veggies: Sauté the onions and then add the bell peppers, garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant.
Deglaze the pan: Pour in the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add more ingredients: Add chicken broth, peppadew peppers and some of their brining liquid, and simmer for a few minutes.
Bake it in the oven: Add the chicken skin side up and add the sausage and peppers. Bake uncovered until the chicken is cooked through and then serve, garnished with parsley.

Substitutions and Variations

Spicy: Feel free to add ¼ to ½ teaspoons of chili flakes to this dish if you want a spicy dish.
Lemony: To add even more zing, you can bake the dish with halved lemons with some juices squeezed into the sauce.
Herby: Oregano and thyme are often added to this dish in Northern Italy.
Alcohol-free: If you don’t have wine, can’t consume it or prefer not to use it, replace it with chicken broth.
Optional add-ins: Feel free to add anything else you like, such as red wine vinegar, hot cherry peppers or sweet cherry peppers, or more vegetables.
Chicken: If you prefer, you can use chicken thighs with skin on or pieces from a whole cut up chicken. Make sure to use about 2 to 2 ½ pounds for this dish.
Bell peppers: Red bell peppers add some sweetness to the dish, but if you like a more vegetal flavor, using green or a mix of all the colors of bell peppers works well too.
Dried rosemary: Dried rosemary can be stronger in flavor than fresh. Use about 2 tablespoons of dried rosemary to replace the fresh rosemary. If you’re not the biggest fan of rosemary, you can reduce the amount of sprigs you use or omit it entirely.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Begin your meal with antipasto skewers or a tomato burrata salad.
Side dishes: Chicken scarpariello pairs well with roasted or mashed potatoes, a slice of toast or some polenta.
Desserts: Finish off with pistachio tiramisu or limoncello Bundt cake.

How to Store Chicken Scarpariello

Store: The cooled chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container and use within 2 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Microwave for 1 minute or until you’ve reached the desired temperature.