Chicken Scarpariello
The aroma of this dish takes me back to my days waiting tables at my Dad’s restaurant. Whenever I carried Chicken Scarpariello across the dining room, the lemon-garlic scent never failed to make me hungry. This is his recipe, the one I grew up with, and it’s all about that bright, garlicky pan sauce.
This dish seems to have evolved into something else since the days my father had his restaurant. This lemon-garlic preparation is the way my father and most Italian restaurants in the New York area made Chicken Scarpariello back then. Over the years, sausage and hot peppers seem to have been added and have taken over the dish and most of the time I see it on menus without lemon, in just a spicy white wine sauce, with sausage, hot peppers and even potatoes and onion. But this is the way I remember Chicken Scarpariello, and prefer it. I’ve included the peppers and sausage as optional additions if you want to try that style, but don’t leave out the lemon and garlic.
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Chicken Scarpariello
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3 lbs), cut into 8-10 pieces, or 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks
- Flour for dredging
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Optional Additions:
- 1/2 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup hot cherry peppers, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cherry pepper brine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Season chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Spread flour on a plate for dredging.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe Saute Pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess, and place skin-side down in the hot oil. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.
- Brown the chicken well on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. If using sausage, brown it alongside the chicken during the last batch.
- Once all chicken is browned, return everything to the pan and transfer to the oven. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and transfer chicken (and sausage if using) to a warm plate. Drain most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- Place pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and garlic, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant. If using cherry peppers, add them now.
- Add white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and cherry pepper brine if using. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce reduces and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving platter, pour sauce over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
