One-skillet Chicken Scarpariello is a rustic Italian-American classic, made with tender chicken, roasted sausage, and a tangy, peppery sauce thatโs all about bold, simple flavor.
For more chicken dinners, check out our Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Chicken Cacciatore.
From My Nonnaโs Kitchen (Almost)
Chicken Scarpariello is technically an Italian-American recipe, but every time I make it, I canโt help but think of my Nonna Lidia.
She was 100% Italianโfierce, loving, and endlessly creative in the kitchen. My cousin Gabe and I grew up eating her chicken dishes, and no matter what the recipe was, she had a few signature moves: a splash of vinegar for tang, a little peperoncino for heat, and if we were especially hungry (which we always were), sheโd roast some Italian sausage to go alongside.
That combination of tangy, spicy, rustic flavors is exactly what makes Chicken Scarpariello so comforting to me. The dish might not have come straight from a village in rural Italy, but it speaks the same language โ simple ingredients, bold flavors, and food that fills both your belly and your memory.
This version brings together those old-school instincts and Italian-American flair, all in one skillet. Itโs exactly the kind of thing Nonna would have made if sheโd landed in New York instead of staying in Italyโand she wouldโve loved every bite.
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
How to Make Chicken Scarpariello
Step 1: Sear the chicken and deglaze
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear chicken, skin-side down first, until golden brownโabout 5โ6 minutes per side. Pour in the white wine while the chicken is still in the skillet to deglaze (skin-side up), scraping up the brown bits. Let it simmer 2 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
Step 2: Brown the Sausage
In the same skillet, brown the whole sausages until well seared on all sides, about 6 minutes. Pierce them with a knife or fork as they cook to help release some of the excess fat. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Sautรฉ the Vegetables
Discard all but two tablespoons of fat. Add the sliced onion and bell pepper to the skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, rosemary or sage, and cherry peppers. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Stir 2 tablespoons of flour with a few spoonfuls of warm broth to make a slurry. Add it to the skillet along with the remaining broth, cherry pepper brine, and vinegar to slightly thicken the sauce.
Step 5: Bake
Nestle the sausages into the skillet. Place the chicken back in, skin-side up, making sure the skin stays above the broth so it remains crispy during baking.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 25โ30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp 175ยฐF / 80ยฐC).
Step 6: Serve
Let the skillet rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon the rich, tangy sauce over the chicken and serve with crusty bread, roasted potatoes, creamy polenta, or even pasta to soak it all up.
Bonus: Got leftovers? Boil some pasta the next day, toss it with the leftover sauce and shredded chicken, and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano. Just like that, you've got pasta scarparielloโmaybe even better than the night before.
Tips
- Adjust the spiciness by using more or fewer pickled cherry peppers and their brine. If you canโt find hot cherry peppers, substitute with red pepper flakes or small fresh chilies.
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for the juiciest meat and beautifully crispy skin after baking.
- Deglaze the pan with wine while the chicken is still in to let the meat soak up those golden brown bits and deepen the flavor.
- Keep the sausages whole for a rustic, hearty feelโthey stay juicier this way and look great on the plate.
- Add the garlic, cherry peppers, and vinegar before the chicken goes back in so their flavors mellow and blend into the sauce during baking.
- Use the cherry pepper brine and vinegarโjust a couple tablespoons adds the perfect tang that defines scarpariello.
- Make a flour slurry to thicken the sauce so it clings to every bite without needing butter or cream.
- Nestle the chicken back in skin-side up with the skin above the brothโthis keeps it crispy, not soggy.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle and the sauce to come together.
Frequently Asked Questions
โScarparielloโ means โshoemaker-styleโ in Italian. Itโs thought to come from Neapolitan immigrants in the U.S., and while its exact origins are unclear, the dish reflects rustic, hearty, no-fuss cooking with bold flavor. It definitely reminds me of my Nonna Lidia way of cooking, with sausage and vinegar.
It can be! The heat comes from the pickled cherry peppers. You can control the spice level by using fewer peppers or removing the seeds, or go all in if you like a good kick.
Sure you can! Feel free to omit the sausage. Just taste and adjust the sauce as needed.
Bone-in, skin-on pieces give more flavor and better texture. If using boneless, reduce the baking time and watch the sauce so it doesnโt dry out.
Yes! The flavors actually deepen overnight. Reheat gently on the stove or in a low oven, and itโs even better the next dayโespecially over pasta.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors get even better the next day. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop or in a 325ยฐF (160ยฐC) oven until heated through.
Freezing: Chicken Scarpariello freezes well. Let it cool completely, then freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
More Easy Weeknight Dinners
- Salmon Pasta with Cream Cheese
- Crispy Gnocchi with Ham and Cheese
- Feta Pasta with Chickpeas and Chicken
- Tuscan Cod
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Greek Chicken with Lemon and Orzo
- Chicken Tagine
- Chicken shawarma
If you tried this Chicken Scarpariello recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a ๐ star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Recipe
Chicken Scarpariello
Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ยฝ cup dry white wine
- 4 Italian sausages sweet or spicy
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- ยฝ cup pickled hot cherry peppers peppadew or peperoncino
- 2 tablespoons cherry pepper brine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vinegar or more to taste
- ยพ teaspoon salt and pepper add more or less to taste
Instructions
- Sear Chicken & Deglaze โ Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Sear chicken, skin-side down first, for about 5โ6 minutes per side until golden.Flip skin-side up, pour in ยฝ cup dry white wine, and deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2โ3 minutes, then remove chicken.
- Brown the Sausage โ In the same skillet, brown 4 Italian sausages until well seared on all sides, about 6 minutes. Pierce them with a knife or fork as they cook to help release some of the excess fat. Remove and set aside.
- Sautรฉ the Vegetables โ Discard all but two tablespoons of fat.ย Add 1 large onion and 1 large red bell pepper (both chopped) to the skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.Stir in 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 sprigs rosemary, and ยฝ cup pickled hot cherry peppers Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the Sauce โ Stir 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with a few spoonfuls of warm broth to make a slurry. Add it to the skillet along with the remaining 1 cup chicken stock, 2 tablespoons cherry pepper brine, and 2 tablespoons vinegar to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Bake Skin-Side Up โ Nestle the sausages into the sauce, then return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up (keep the skin above the broth).Transfer the skillet to a 375ยฐF (190ยฐC) oven and bake uncovered for 25โ30 minutes, or until chicken reaches 175ยฐF (80ยฐC).
- Serve โ Let rest 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over and serve with crusty bread, roasted potatoes, polenta, or pasta.Leftovers Tip: Toss the extra sauce and shredded chicken with pasta the next day and top with Parmigiano for a seriously good pasta scarpariello.
Notes
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in, skin-on preferred) โ> Sub chicken breasts or boneless thighs adjusting down cooking time slightly.
- Italian sausages (sweet or spicy; pork is best)
- Yellow onion โ or substitute white onion
- Bell pepper โ red, yellow, or orange; or swap for sliced mushrooms or marinated artichoke hearts
- Garlic cloves
- Rosemary or sage โ fresh is best, but dried works too
- Pickled cherry peppers โ or use other pickled hot peppers, red pepper flakes, or fresh red chilies
- Cherry pepper brine โ white wine vinegar works if needed
- Dry white wine โ like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc; or use chicken broth to avoid alcohol
- Chicken stock โ or vegetable stock
- All-purpose flour โ substitute cornstarch for gluten-free (use only 2 tsp)
- Red or white wine vinegar โ>ย Apple cider works too
- Fresh Italian parsley โ optional, for garnishing
- No oven-safe skillet? No problem, use a 9x13 inch baking/casserole dish instead.
- Adjust the spicinessย by using more or fewer pickled cherry peppers and their brine. If you canโt find hot cherry peppers, substitute with red pepper flakes or small fresh chilies.
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for max flavor and crispy skin.
- Deglaze while the chicken is still in the skillet to infuse it with all those rich pan juices.
- Keep sausages whole for a juicier, rustic look (slice later if you want).
- Donโt skip the cherry pepper brineโitโs what gives the sauce its zing.
- Add vinegar and peppers before baking so the sauce stays balanced and bold.
- Make sure chicken skin stays above the broth so it roasts, not steams.
- Use a flour slurry to thicken the sauce just enoughโno cream needed.
- Let it rest before serving so the juices redistribute and flavors settle.
- Leftovers make great pasta scarparielloโjust boil pasta, toss with sauce and shredded chicken.
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