Barefoot Contessa Chicken Scarpariello

Barefoot Contessa Chicken Scarpariello is one of the best and easiest Chicken Scarpariello recipes ever. This easy recipe takes only 40 minutes to finish cooking and can be modified to include other ingredients such as potatoes, sausage, or cooked pasta. If you try this recipe, please feel free to leave your feedback.

What Is Chicken Scarpariello

Chicken Scarpariello is a traditional italian dish made with chicken thighs or breasts, combined with a tangy lemon glaze, bell peppers, and other ingredients. The term “Scarpariello” translates to “shoemaker” in Italian, adding a touch of cultural intrigue to this dish. 

Over time, this dish become famous in the USA and has inspired a multitude of variations. Some of these include additions of potatoes, peppers, Italian sausage, and pasta. Chicken Scarpariello is often considered a healthy meal due to its high protein content. Furthermore, this recipe can easily be modified to be keto-friendly and gluten-free.

Chicken Scarpariello Ingredients

• 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (2 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
• 4 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Peppadew peppers or other pickled peppers, sliced

How To Make Chicken Scarpariello

1. Prepare the Chicken: Start by seasoning 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Then lightly coat them with all-purpose flour.
2. Cook the Chicken: Heat half a cup of extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan until it’s hot. Add the chicken to the pan and cook it over high heat. Turn the chicken once to ensure it’s browned on both sides. This should take around 10 minutes.
3.  Add Garlic and Rosemary: Next, add 8 halved and lightly smashed garlic cloves and 4 large rosemary sprigs (broken into 2-inch pieces) to the pan. Cook these for about 3 minutes until the garlic turns a light brown color. After this, remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a serving dish, but leave the garlic and rosemary in the pan.
4. Prepare the Sauce Pour 2 cups of chicken stock or low-sodium broth into the pan. Cook this over high heat, making sure to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by half, which should take about 5 minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan. Stir these in until they’re fully mixed with the sauce.
5. Finalize the Dish Put the chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected on the serving dish. Add half a cup of sliced Peppadew peppers or other pickled peppers. Cook this, turning the chicken so it’s fully coated in the sauce, for about 3 minutes.
6. Serve Finally, move the chicken and sauce back to the serving dish. Your Chicken Scarpariello is now ready to be enjoyed!

How To Make Chicken Scarpariello Ahead Of Time 

To make Chicken Scarpariello ahead of time, you can prepare the chicken and sauce up to 2 days in advance. Season and cook the chicken as per the recipe, then let it cool and store it in the fridge. Prepare the sauce separately, let it cool, and also store it in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, bring the chicken and sauce to room temperature, then heat the sauce in a skillet, add the chicken and peppers, and cook until the chicken is warm and coated in the sauce.

Recipe Variations

• Use Chicken Breasts: Substitute chicken thighs with boneless chicken breasts. Adjust cooking time as breasts may cook quicker.
• Add Potatoes: Add 1-2 cups diced potatoes. Cook them in the skillet after removing the chicken, then continue with the recipe.
• Add Sausage: Include sliced Italian sausage. Brown it before cooking the chicken, remove it and add it back when reducing the sauce.
• Add Pasta: Cook pasta separately and add it to the skillet at the end. Use enough pasta for 4 servings.
• Add Artichokes: Include 1 cup of artichoke hearts, add them when reducing the sauce to absorb flavors.

What To Serve With Chicken Scarpariello 

Chicken Scarpariello pairs well with green salad, roasted vegetables, or a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce. chicken scarpariello goes well with Cauliflower Soup, Potato Gratin or Burrito Bowl.

How To Store Leftovers 

To store leftover Chicken Scarpariello, allow it to cool completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It should keep well for up to 3-4 days. 

To reheat, you can use a microwave or heat it gently in a skillet on the stove. If the sauce thickens too much after refrigeration, you can thin it with a little chicken broth or water during reheating.

Chicken Scarpariello can also freeze well and can last about 2-3 months in the freeze. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.

Chicken Scarpariello Calories And Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 270
• Fat: 10 g
• Carbohydrates: 17 g
• Protein: 23 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg
• Sodium: 690 mg
• Fiber: 1 g
• Sugar: 2 g

FAQ’s

Is Chicken Scarpariello Keto Friendly 

Just replace the all-purpose flour with coconut flour or almond flour, and this Chicken Scarpariello recipe will be keto-friendly.

Is Chicken Scarpariello Gluten Free 

Similarly, here just replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour, and this Chicken Scarpariello will be gluten-free. All the rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Try More Recipes:

• Chicken Chili
• Chicken Divan
• Lemon Chicken Piccata
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Chicken Francese