Chicken Scarpariello combines crispy chicken and potatoes, sweet fennel sausage, red bell peppers, and spicy cherry peppers in a pungent vinegar-based sauce. This sweet and sour dish is perfect for gatherings and special dinners, but so good you may just make it all the time!

Chicken Scarpariello in gold baking pan with serving fork.


Editor’s Note: Originally published on Novemener 14, 2020. Updated with all new pictures, expanded information, and improved recipe on October 4, 2024.

Chicken Scarp, or pollo alla scarpariello in Italian, translates to “shoemaker style chicken” in English, but in my experience, and after asking several restaurant staff on Long Island, the consenses is that it means “chicken with a bunch of stuff”.

This beloved dish graces the menus of many Italian family-style restaurants and each one adds their own spin; I’ve seen it made with mushrooms, green bell peppers, pearl onions, and even olives.

Despite the variations, the chicken and vinegar seem to be constants for chicken scarpariello, and are key ingredients in my recipe for scarpariello chicken wings.

Chicken Scarp is an all-in-one dish but is great alongside garlicky greens such as sauteed broccoli rabe or sauteed spinach.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

Ingredients shown: red wine vinegar, chicken stock, white wine, olive oil, parsley, garlic, red bell peppers, potatoes, cherry peppers, chicken thighs, and Italian sausage.
  • Chicken. Bone-in chicken thighs are my preferred cut for chicken scarp. You can also make this with boneless skinless thighs, or chicken drumsticks. Yes, you guessed it, dark meat yields better results with this dish!
  • Sausage. My go-to is Italian fennel sausage but you can also use spicy Italian sausage if the mood strikes you.
  • Peppers. I love the combo of the sweet red bell peppers and hot cherry peppers. You could also include other types of vinegar peppers, such as peppadew.
  • Wine. Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

  1. Preheat your oven to 425f and set the rack to the middle level. Slice 2 pounds of small potatoes in half, slice 2 large red bell peppers into 1/4″ strips, halve 15 cloves of garlic, and quarter 5 large cherry peppers, removing the seeds. Mince 1/2 cup of Italian flat-leaf parsley. Toss the potatoes with 6 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Diamon Crystal kosher salt and spread them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cut side down. Roast the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes or until nicely browned on the bottom sides.
  2. Cut off any excess overhanging fat from 3 pounds of chicken thighs, then dry them very well with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt and set aside. Note: I like to season the thighs right before searing them in step 5 below so that they don’t wick off excess moisture, but either way will work.
Chicken Scarpariello recipe process collage group one showing potatoes on baking sheet, seasoning chicken thighs, and searing sausage and bell peppers in pan.
  1. Heat a large oven-safe pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 1/2 pounds of Italian sausage and sear until the sausages are brown, but not cooked all the way through, about 7-10 minutes total. Remove the sausage links and once cool enough to handle, slice them into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
  2. Add the bell pepper slices and cook for a few minutes or until they begin to soften, then set aside with the sausage and tent with foil to stay warm.
  3. Add the chicken to the same pan, skin side down, and sear until golden, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Use a bit more olive oil if needed and work in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. Once seared, move the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to stay warm.
  4. At this point if there is too much oil or fat in the pan, discard some leaving about 1/4 cup in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and saute until golden, then add the cherry peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
Recipe collage two showing searing of chicken thighs, sauteing garlic and cherry peppers, and making the pan sauce.
  1. Add 1 1/4 cups of dry white wine and 3/4 cup of red wine vinegar and turn the heat to high. Boil the mixture for 5-7 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half, then scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits.
  2. Add 1 1/4 cups of no-sodium chicken stock and bring to a boil until the liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
  3. Add the bell peppers, sausage and potatoes, then toss to coat. Nestle the chicken pieces into the pan with the skin side facing up and spoon the sauce on top of everything and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 425f, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 185-195f. Note: if the pan you used cannot accommodate all the ingredients, simply move everything to a baking dish or large roasting pan as I’ve done in the pictures below.
Recipe collage three showing nestling of chicken and other ingredients in baking pan and finished dish with parsley on top.
  1. When the chicken has finished cooking, add the parsley and toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Top tips

  • Use dark meat. Chicken thighs are juicier and far more forgiving to cook with. I highly recommend using them for chicken scarp over chicken breasts.
  • Use homemade chicken stock. Whenever possible, I recommend using homemade chicken stock. It not only gives you greater control over the sodium levels in your dishes, but it elevates the flavor.
  • Thickening the sauce. If you find the sauce to be a little thin toward the end, you can strain it and cook in a pan to further reduce. If you properly reduced it in stages, initially, this step is almost always not needed.
Hands holding fork with piece of chicken over pan.

More chicken recipes

If you love chicken scarpariello, be sure to try these other great chicken recipes!

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Chicken Scarpariello

4.98 from 78 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Chicken Scarpariello is a beloved family-style dish that combines crispy chicken and potatoes, Italian sausage, and peppers in a vinegar based sauce and finished with fresh parsley.

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680g) Italian sausage
  • 3 pounds (1.4kg) chicken thighs trimmed of overhanging fat
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) Diamond Crystal Kosher salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 2 pounds (908g) small potatoes cut in half
  • 2 large red bell peppers sliced into 1/4" strips
  • 15 cloves garlic halved
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) no-sodium chicken stock
  • 3 large hot cherry peppers or to taste, quartered and seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425f and set the rack to the middle level. Toss the potatoes with 6 tablespoons of olive oil and season with half of the salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes out onto a parchment paper lined backing sheet cut side down. Roast the potatoes for 30 minutes or until nicely browned on the bottom sides.
  • Heat a large (14-inch works well) oven-safe pan to medium heat with the remaining olive oil. Add the sausage links and sear until brown but not cooked all the way through (about 7-10 minutes total). Remove the sausage links and set aside. When the links are cool enough to handle, slice into bite-sized pieces.
  • Add the bell pepper slices and cook for a few minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove the peppers to the same plate with the sausage and set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • Dry the chicken pieces very well with paper towels and season with the remaining salt and pepper on all sides. Using the same pan, sear the chicken pieces skin side down until golden and crisp then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. If required use a bit more olive oil for searing. Work in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Place the seared chicken pieces on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • If there is too much oil and fat in the pan, pour it out, leaving a 1/4 cup in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and saute until golden, then add in the cherry peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the white wine and vinegar and turn the heat to high. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Make sure to scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge all of the flavor bits.
  • Next, add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil once more and again reduce by half (about 5 minutes) then turn off the heat.
  • Add the bell peppers, sausage, and potatoes. Toss to coat. Nestle the chicken pieces into the pan with the skin side facing up. Spoon the sauce on top of everything then cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 185-195f.
  • RIght when the chicken has finished cooking, add the parsley and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Chicken thighs are juicier and are far more forgiving to cook with.  They are recommended for this dish.
  • If you don’t own a 14-inch pan, the dish can be baked in a large baking pan.
  • If the sauce is a little thin at the end, strain it and cook in a pan to further reduce and concentrate.  This is not often required.
  • Dry white wines such as Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc both work well for the wine component of this recipe.
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated covered with foil in the oven at 325f until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 776kcal | Protein: 68.3g | Fat: 43.3g | Saturated Fat: 12.2g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 1224mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 3.1g | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!Check us out on Instagram at @sipandfeast or tag #sipandfeast!

This recipe was originally published on November 14, 2020. It was completely updated on October 4, 2024.

4.98 from 78 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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179 Comments

  1. Sean says:

    Love the show but this dish wasn’t for me as is. Waaaay too hot with the cherry peppers. I even used the same small cherry peppers (8) from our local Long Island Meat Farms. I think if I did this again I’d double or even triple the bell peppers and cut the cherry peppers by at least a third. And maybe use a turkey sausage to reduce the fat? The potatoes — which seemed to absorb most of the heat — also make this a pretty heavy meal. I think this dish needs a simple vegetable on the plate for balance like the recommended broc rabe. Can definitely see adding mushrooms too. Still, I’m willing to give this another try since I have plenty of leftover cherry peppers and to see if my tweaks work for me!

    Thanks so much for the many inspirations!

    1. Tara says:

      Thanks for the comment, Sean. Sometimes the cherry peppers can vary in heat so yes, you can definitely reduce the amount especially if you taste test them and determine they’re super spicy!

  2. Jessica says:

    5 stars
    This was fantastic and came together very quickly.

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you enjoyed, Jessica!

  3. Jan Townley says:

    5 stars
    Hi James, I made this recipe for a pot luck and it was gone in a flash. I was sort of worried about the large amount of vinegar, but the sauce mellowed out during the baking process. I used chunked up gold potatoes as they were pretty large. They needed a longer time in the oven before final assembly and final oven roast. I also used boneless skinless chicken thighs as I thought that was an excellent hack you suggested. No bones to be worried about. I would suggest a simple arugula salad with avocado and a lemony dressing to compliment the meal.

    1. Tara says:

      So happy you enjoyed, Jan!

  4. Cita says:

    5 stars
    Omg!!! Never had this dish before. Thank you so much. It was a hit!!! I love cherry peppers and garlic so added more than recipe required. Came out outstanding!!! Will definitely try out more of your recipes. Bravo!!!!!!

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Cita!

  5. Carissa says:

    4 stars
    This was really good! I do feel like the steps could be simplified, maybe? I LOVED the cherry peppers (hard to find in Southern California; had to ask for them at Bristol Farms and they only had sliced, jarred ones). I used chicken sausage so there was less fat, I’m sure, and only 1.5# of potatoes. Next time I’ll skip the sauce or add far less vinegar (maybe 1/4 C to 3/4 each or so of wine and stock). Overall it was a really great recipe that I’m so happy to have tried. It looks beautiful on a platter and was great served atop griddled polenta, but could easily just be served with a salad.
    Thanks for sharing this (and all of the rest!) recipe, Jim. No wonder it’s your favorite; it’s delicious.

  6. Theresa S says:

    5 stars
    I will make this again. My family loved this recipe. I replaced the white wine with apple juice. Delicious.

    1. Tara says:

      So happy you enjoyed, Theresa!

  7. Dolores says:

    5 stars
    This is such a great recipe! I made for New Yearโ€™s Day and everyone loved it. Easy to follow and well written. I am so glad I found sip and feast.

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you enjoyed, Dolores!

      1. Jane Taber says:

        5 stars
        DELICIOUS!!!

  8. donna bartow says:

    Wonderful recipe. I hope you make it for guests next week. Any tips for making it ahead of time?

  9. patricia olczak says:

    5 stars
    My favorite recipe.. I do it all on the stove..no oven.. it turns out perfect and delicious as ever.. Your recipe ROCKS .. all your hard work in cooking does as well.. Merry Christmas to you and your gorgeous family.. god bless and continue on

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy to hear that, Patricia!

  10. Thomas Watkins says:

    One of my families favorites. Donโ€™t come across this in Toronto. My 12 year old ordered it everyone we find it on a menu in the New York area. Youโ€™re the best Jim, canโ€™t wait for the cookbook.

    1. James says:

      Thanks for the comment, Thomas. We appreciate that. We’re excited for the book too!

    2. Michelle says:

      I would love to try the recipe as is
      and understand cherry peppers make the dish but it’s very difficult to find them in my area ( Vancouver, Canada). Would there be any substitutions you could recommend that might recreate a similar flavour? Love your channel and your podcast!

      1. Tara says:

        Hi Michelle, if you can find pepperoncini, those could work. They’re vinegary, but lack the smokiness of cherry peppers. You could also try peppadews. I hope that helps!