To make her Sunday-supper scarpariello—chicken sautéed in a tangy lemon glaze with bell pepper—Fran Parisi always uses a whole chicken cut into pieces, then cooks it on the stove for hours. Grace Parisi opts for faster-cooking boneless thighs and skips the bell pepper in favor of jarred Peppadews, sweet-spicy pickled peppers from South Africa, sold in many US supermarkets.
Pairing Suggestion: Bright, cherry-rich Chianti Classico.
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
SERVINGS: 4
Recipe by Grace Parisi
Ingredients:8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (2 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
4 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Peppadew peppers or other pickled peppers, sliced
How to make Chicken Scarpariello:
1. 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.
2. Add the stock 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.
