Recipe: Pelato's Chicken Scarpariello

Courtesy of Anthony Scotto.

If you’re craving Brooklyn Italian fare but don’t have the time to board a flight, you’re in luck.

At Pelato, famed restauraters Anthony and Theresa Scotto bring Italian cuisine along with the community-centric spirit of Brooklyn to Germantown for an unforgettable dining experience. One of Pelato’s most beloved menu items, and a staple since the restaurant opened, is the Chicken Scarpariello. Chef Anthony Scotto shares his recipe, enabling you to try your hand at making this dish at home and treat your dinner guests to a trip for their taste buds.

“This is one of my favorite dishes to make for family and friends. Growing up in Brooklyn, this was a staple for every Italian-American household. When movingto Nashville, I knew this was one of the dishes that had to take the trip with me. I’ve made this dish on every Super Bowl Sunday for the past 30 years. We always have a large group come over and pair this dish with a great pasta and salad,” says Chef Anthony Scotto. “At Pelato Restaurant, Chicken Scarpariello has been a mainstay on the menu since day one. The chicken thighs are perfectly cooked, but it is the sauce that really takes this dish to the next level and makes you want to come back for more.”

(pelatorestaurant.com)

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

Ingredients:

  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 24 oz. Mild Italian sausage, crumbled 2 oz Garlic, sliced
  • 7 oz Red onion, julienned
  • 2 oz Hot cherry pepper, julienned
  • 2 oz Peperoncini, julienned
  • 7 oz White wine
  • 21 oz Chicken reduction
  • 7 oz Butter, cubed
  • Italian parsley, chiffonade
  • 1 oz Lemon juice
  • 2 oz Peperoncini brine
  • 8 Chicken thighs, skin-on, boneless

Directions:

  1. Caramelize sausage while breaking up into small pieces as it is rendering.
  2. Add garlic and red onion and cook until translucent.
  3. Add both types of peppers and mix well.
  4. Deglaze with white wine.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  6. Reduce until almost dry.
  7. Add stock and reduce by half.
  8.  Remove from heat and mix in the butter until emulsified.
  9. Add parsley, then adjust the seasoning to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  10. Reserve sauce in a warm place.
  11. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  12. Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat.
  13. Add about 2 oz of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter to the pan.
  14. When simmering, add chicken thighs skin side down.
  15.  Reduce heat to low and cook until the skin is crispy and golden, then transfer to oven at 325 ̊ F. Cook until internal temperature is 165 ̊ F, then let rest for 2 minutes.
  16. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and sauce the chicken as desired.