Chicken Scarpariello with Calabrian Chiles & Air-Fried Fingerlings
A fiery, tangy Italian-American classic elevated with sweet cherry peppers, spicy Calabrian chile paste, hot Italian sausage and extra-crispy air-fried fingerling potatoes.
The Inspiration: This recipe was inspired by a classic Bon Appétit social post, but with a few key tweaks that make a world of difference:
- Layered Heat: Pairing sweet cherry peppers with fiery Calabrian chiles gives the sauce a richer, multi-dimensional heat that balances the rich hot Italian sausage.
- No Soggy Skin: A lot of Scarpariello recipes submerge the chicken directly into the sauce, completely ruining the hard-earned sear. Nestling the thighs skin-side up on top of the pepper mixture before sliding the skillet into the oven allows the skin to render and stay shattered-crisp.
- Brine over Vinegar: Instead of standard white wine vinegar, using the actual sweet cherry pepper brine from the jar infuses the sauce with deep, complex acidity and subtle sweetness.
- Air-Fried Fingerlings: Air-frying the potatoes separately creates a deep, crunchy crust that holds its crunch even when spooned alongside or tossed directly in the pan sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 links hot Italian sausage
- 5 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 cup sweet pickled cherry peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup sweet cherry pepper brine (reserved from the jar)
- 1 tbsp Calabrian chiles, chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Preparation
- Air-Fry the Fingerlings
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Toss the halved fingerling potatoes with 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper. Arrange them cut-side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket (work in batches if needed). Air-fry for 15–20 minutes, shaking halfway through, until crispy and golden brown on the edges. Set aside. - Brown the Sausage & Chicken
Heat the remaining 4 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 5 hot Italian sausage links and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides (6–8 minutes; they do not need to be cooked through yet). Transfer to a plate.
Season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear them skin-side down in the same skillet until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Flip and sear for another 2 minutes, then transfer to the plate with the sausage. - Build the Sauce Base
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the sliced onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up all the caramelized browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until tender and lightly browned (8–10 minutes).
Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half and the alcohol aroma cooks off, about 6–8 minutes. - Simmer & Roast (The Secret to Crispy Skin)
Add the chicken broth, sweet cherry peppers, Calabrian chile, sweet cherry pepper brine and rosemary sprigs to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Nestle the seared chicken thighs skin-side up directly on top of the onion and pepper bed, keeping the top skin completely exposed above the liquid line. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for approx. 10 minutes.
Slice the browned sausages into bite-sized pieces, push them into the sauce around the chicken and return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the skin is shattered-crisp. - Plating
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot alongside the crispy air-fried fingerling potatoes, using the extra potatoes to mop up the sweet, spicy and vinegary pan sauce.
