Grilled Chicken Scarpariello
An Italian-American favorite, Chicken Scarpariello, which translates to shoemaker’s chicken, is chicken braised with sausage and pickled peppers for a unique sweet, spicy, vinegary taste.
While there is nothing wrong with classic Scarpariello, it can also be a bit heavy, especially during the warmer months, so I am here to share a unique grilled variation that is both easy and a bit lighter.
To help mimic that tart flavor of classic Scarpariello, the chicken will first be marinated in a vinegary mixture to tenderize it and give it extra flavor, then everything will be grilled for those nice marks and classic char flavor.
This dish can be served on its own, or next to some cheesy polenta to counteract that acidic, vinegary flavor.
I say there’s nothing to it but to get right to it!
Grilled Chicken Scarpariello
Servings: 4
2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 8 total)
salt and pepper
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more for the grill.
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), cut into thick strips
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
4 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or both)
1/2 cup of sliced pickled sweet/hot cherry peppers
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Start by generously seasoning the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup of the olive oil with the vinegar, garlic, oregano, and rosemary. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade, then pour the rest into a large sealable bag with the chicken.
Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinate for at least four hours, but overnight would be better.
Preheat the grill with one or two sides on medium heat and the other side turned off. Generously grease the grill with oil.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip back into the bag, then discard the marinade. Remove the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature.
Place the bell peppers and onions into a separate bowl, then toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
Once the grill is very hot, arrange the chicken and sausages on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken and sausages are well-browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes for the chicken and 25-30 minutes for the sausages.
This is why it’s good to have one side of the grill turned off, so you can move the chicken to the cooler side while the sausages finish cooking.
In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the onions and bell peppers and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender. Once everything is done cooking, remove to a baking sheet.
Separate the onion into individual rings, arrange them, and the grilled peppers onto a serving platter. Slice the sausages and place them and the chicken on top of the platter as well.
Spoon the reserved marinade on top of everything, then garnish with the cherry peppers and the parsley.
And there you have it! In incredibly easy, incredibly tasty grilled Chicken Scarpariello that combines all of the classic flavors of the traditionally braised dish, but does so in a lighter, healthier way.
