Chicken Scarpariello

By: The Food Hunter

Although our weeknight meals need to come together quickly; we are not willing to skimp on taste. That being said hubby and I spend a lot of time trying to find recipes with just the right combination of ease and deliciousness.

Chicken Scarpariello is an Italian American one-pot meal that is packed with flavor.  Though the origins of this dish are unclear, the name Scarpariello means shoemaker in Italian; and according to some refers to the resourcefulness of cobblers in Italy to create delicious dishes with simple ingredients.

If you search the internet you will find there are many ways to make this dish. I found the one below, adapted from Food & Wine, to be my favorite.

Chicken Scarpariello
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 
Salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
2 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock, water or a combination of the two
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup sweet cherry peppers, sliced

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty on both sides, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the rosemary and garlic in the skillet.

Add the stock or water to the skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and butter and swirl until emulsified. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Add the peppers and cook, turning the chicken until coated in the sauce, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and sauce to the platter and serve.