Crisp-skinned chicken thighs, browned Italian sausage, golden potatoes, sweet peppers and fiery cherry peppers come together in a concentrated garlic, white-wine and vinegar pan sauce in this Italian-American classic associated especially with New York and New Jersey.

This version uses a stovetop-safe skillet on the Control Freak for precision browning and sauce reduction, followed by a 9 × 13-inch cast-iron casserole for the oven finish. Separating those jobs produces deeply browned meat and a well-developed sauce while the broad casserole keeps the chicken skin exposed and the potatoes crisp.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Difficulty: Level 3 — Moderate
Cost: Level 3 — Moderate

Ingredients

Chicken, Sausage & Potatoes

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
• 2 pounds small Yukon Gold or baby gold potatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

Peppers & Aromatics

• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 10 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 4 to 6 jarred hot cherry peppers, quartered
• 2 tablespoons cherry pepper brine
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

Scarpariello Pan Sauce

• 1 cup dry white wine, preferably Pinot Grigio
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

Roast the Potatoes

1. Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Arrange the potatoes cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden underneath and nearly tender. Remove from the oven and set aside. Keep the oven at 425°F.

Brown the Sausage

4. Place a large induction-compatible skillet on the Control Freak and set Pan Control to 375°F. Allow the skillet to preheat completely.
5. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, followed by the whole sausages. Brown for 7 to 9 minutes, turning occasionally so several sides develop a deep brown crust. The sausage does not need to cook completely through.
6. Transfer the sausage to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut into approximately 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Sear the Chicken

7. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels. Season with the remaining kosher salt and black pepper.
8. Maintain the Control Freak at 375°F. Add enough olive oil to leave a thin film over the skillet.
9. Working in batches if necessary, place the chicken thighs skin-side down without crowding.
10. Sear without disturbing for 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the skillet.
11. Turn and brown the second side for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Cook the Peppers & Onion

12. Carefully pour off excess rendered fat, leaving approximately 3 tablespoons in the skillet.
13. Reduce the Control Freak to 325°F. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned around the edges but still somewhat firm.
14. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
15. Add the cherry peppers and cook for another 30 seconds.

Build the Scarpariello Sauce

16. Reduce the Control Freak to 300°F. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet thoroughly to release the browned fond.
17. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by approximately half.
18. Add the red wine vinegar and simmer for 2 minutes.
19. Add the chicken stock and cherry pepper brine. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is noticeably concentrated but still fluid.
20. Taste the sauce. It should be savory, tangy and moderately spicy, with enough acidity to balance the rich chicken and sausage without tasting predominantly of vinegar.

Assemble the Casserole

21. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch cast-iron casserole with olive oil.
22. Spread the sausage, bell peppers and onions across the casserole.
23. Pour the hot Scarpariello sauce evenly over the sausage and vegetables.
24. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up over the mixture. Keep the browned skin entirely above the sauce.
25. Arrange the roasted potatoes around the chicken. Position some potatoes where they can absorb the sauce, but leave most of their browned cut surfaces facing upward and out of the liquid.
26. Spoon any remaining sauce around the chicken, never over the browned skin.

Finish in the Oven

27. Transfer the casserole to the 425°F oven, uncovered.
28. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sausage is completely cooked, the sauce is bubbling and concentrated, and the chicken thighs register approximately 180 to 185°F in their thickest portion without touching the bone.
29. If the chicken reaches temperature before the sauce has concentrated sufficiently, transfer the chicken to a warm platter and return the casserole to the oven for another 5 minutes.
30. Remove the casserole from the oven. Transfer approximately 1/2 cup of the hot pan sauce to a small heatproof bowl and whisk in the butter until emulsified. Stir this mixture gently back into the sauce around the chicken.
31. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a small amount of additional cherry pepper brine only if the finished sauce needs more brightness.
32. Finish generously with chopped parsley and serve directly from the casserole or transfer to a warmed platter.

Cook’s Notes

Two-pan technique: The skillet and cast-iron casserole serve different purposes. The skillet provides controlled stovetop browning and allows the fond to become part of the sauce. The broad casserole provides room for the final oven roast without crowding the chicken.

Do not use the Lodge casserole on the Control Freak. The Lodge 9 × 13-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Casserole is intended for oven use rather than stovetop cooking.

Dry chicken is essential. Surface moisture interferes with browning. Pat the thighs thoroughly dry immediately before seasoning and searing.

Protect the chicken skin. Once the thighs have been seared, never pour sauce over their skin. The final roast should crisp and deepen the skin rather than braise it.

Don’t waste the fond. The browned material left after searing the sausage and chicken is fundamental to the sauce. Deglaze thoroughly with the wine.

Keep the potatoes partly dry. The best result has two potato textures: some edges saturated with the spicy, tangy sauce and others still crisp from roasting.

Control the acidity at the end. Cherry-pepper brands differ significantly in acidity and heat. Taste the finished sauce before adding additional brine.

Why 180 to 185°F for thighs? Bone-in thighs become particularly tender at temperatures above the minimum safe temperature because additional heat helps soften their connective tissue.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the casserole family-style while it is still bubbling, with the chicken thighs skin-side up and the sausage, potatoes and peppers surrounding them.

The dish already contains a substantial starch, so pair it with a green vegetable or salad rather than pasta. Broccoli rabe sautéed with garlic, garlicky spinach, Italian-style green beans or a crisp green salad are particularly appropriate.

Serve crusty Italian bread alongside for capturing the concentrated cherry-pepper pan sauce.

Beverage Suggestions

White Wine: Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio or Vermentino complements the acidity and cherry-pepper heat while cutting through the richness of the chicken and sausage.

Red Wine: Chianti or another bright, moderately tannic Italian red works well without overpowering the sauce.

Nonalcoholic: Sparkling mineral water with lemon, unsweetened iced tea with lemon or lightly sweetened Italian lemon soda provides a refreshing counterpoint to the rich, spicy dish.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For the best texture, arrange the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish with the sausage, potatoes, vegetables and sauce surrounding rather than covering it. Reheat uncovered at 350°F for approximately 20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

Avoid freezing if possible. The chicken and sausage freeze reasonably well, but the potatoes lose much of their desirable texture.

Variations

Sweet & Hot Sausage: Use equal amounts of sweet and hot Italian sausage for additional heat.

Hot Scarpariello: Substitute hot Italian sausage for the sweet sausage and leave some of the cherry-pepper seeds intact.

Milder Scarpariello: Reduce the cherry peppers to 2 or 3 and omit the additional pepper brine.

Without Potatoes: Omit the potatoes and serve with crusty Italian bread or creamy polenta.