Papa G’s Chicken

Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American dish that is a perfect combination of flavor and culture. It is traditionally rustic fare, made from hearty, affordable ingredients. In fact, scarpariello means shoemaker in Italian, and the story goes that it got its name because even a shoemaker could afford it. Despite its humble name, this dish has a rich and robust flavor. We’ve got it on the menu as Papa G’s Chicken and it is our most popular dish.

Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

2–2½ lbs. white (organic) chicken
(cut pieces on the bone,
2 from the leg/thigh,
2 from the breast and
1 from the wing joint)

6 sweet Italian sausage links, sliced

24 pepperoncini peppers, with juice

8 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

Black pepper, to taste

1. Fry the chicken pieces for 8 minutes in a deep fryer heated to 350 degrees (or in a large skillet or Dutch oven with 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat.)
2. In a sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and then add the garlic, sausage and oregano.
3. When the garlic is browned and the sausage is brown and crispy on both sides, add the chicken. Toss and immediately deglaze with the vinegar and pepperoncini peppers.
4. Transfer chicken and sauce to a platter, add ground black pepper to taste, and garnish with the parsley.