Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour or cornstarch for dusting (cornstarch for gluten free option)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, sliced thin into rounds
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 Tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely minced
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
Peppers and Liquids
- 1 cup Peppadew Peppers
- 1/4 cup pickling juice from Peppadew Peppers
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup dry white wine (or apple juice as substitute)
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for the finishing braise of the dish.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground pepper evenly on both sides to enhance their flavor.
- Heat Oil and Dust Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a heavy oven-safe pan, such as a cast iron skillet with an enamel coating. Dust the chicken pieces with flour or cornstarch to create a light coating for browning.
- Brown Chicken: Place the dusted chicken into the hot pan and brown on both sides until golden. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a plate to rest.
- Cook Sausage: Add the sweet Italian sausage to the same pan and brown on both sides. After cooking, remove the sausage, drain on paper towels, then cut into slices.
- Sauté Vegetables and Aromatics: Return the pan to heat. Add the sliced onions and red bell pepper, scraping the browned bits from the pan using a wooden spoon to incorporate flavor. When softened, add the garlic, minced sage, and fresh rosemary, stirring constantly and cooking for about one minute to release their aroma.
- Add Peppadew Peppers and Wine: Stir in the Peppadew peppers and their pickling liquid along with the white wine. Cook while stirring until the liquid is reduced by about half, approximately two minutes to concentrate flavors.
- Add Broth and Lemon Juice: Pour in the chicken broth and fresh lemon juice, stirring well to combine all elements for a balanced and bright sauce.
- Combine and Bake: Return the browned chicken and sliced sausage to the pan, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables. Transfer the entire pan into the preheated oven.
- Braise in Oven: Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten free, substitute the all-purpose flour for cornstarch when dusting the chicken.
- If dry white wine is not available, apple juice is a suitable non-alcoholic alternative to maintain sweetness and acidity.
- Using an oven-safe skillet like cast iron with enamel coating allows seamless transfer from stove to oven, enhancing flavor development without extra dishes.
- Adjust salt at the end if you use salted broth or salty sausage.
- Peppadew peppers add a unique sweet and mildly spicy flavor; fresh parsley can be used as a garnish for added freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Gluten Free
