Roman-Style Chicken with Peppers

Pollo alla Romana con i Peperoni: Chicken Roman-Style with red and yellow peppers in a sweet tomato sauce punctuated by crispy prosciutto bits is a simple one-pan recipe that is ready in about 30 minutes.

I prefer boneless, skinless chicken breast but you can use any chicken parts that you like. If you have more cook time, bone-in pieces will add even more flavor to the dish.

The cooking method used here, insaporire, to develop flavor, is a classic Italian technique. Cook the chicken and peppers separately to develop their full flavors. Then combine them together at the end so that the ingredients absorb flavor from each other and the dish develops distinctive yet complex flavors.

The chicken is infused with the soft sweetness of the peppers, the salty prosciutto and chunky San Marzano tomato sauce. A perfect flavor balance.

Serve some polenta, rice, or a flat pasta like fettuccine on the side to absorb the sauce and you’re ready to eat. Not much clean-up just one pan and one plate.

Buon appetito!

Roman-Style Chicken with Peppers

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or your favorite chicken parts. Use a whole, chicken cut into 8 pieces if you want.) Add salt & pepper to taste on one side of the chicken.
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise into 1-inch wide and 2-inch long strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise into 1-inch wide and 2-inch long strips
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 can (28 ounces) imported San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand or coarsely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breast into 4 or 5 pieces of equal size.
2. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all the chicken over medium-high heat.
3. Add the smashed garlic and cook to infuse the oil.
4. When the garlic begins to pick up some color on the edges, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes (15 minutes if your using chicken parts.)
5. Remove the chicken and garlic to a bowl and set aside.
6. Add the last 2 tablespoons of olive and oil to the pan.
7. Add the prosciutto and 1 smashed garlic clove and cook for 1 minute.
8. Add the pepper strips and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
9. Add the oregano or marjoram, sea salt and pepper to taste.
10. Return the chicken and any juices that collected on the plate to the pan and mix everything together well.
11. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
12. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine mostly evaporates.
13. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Stir well and bring to a rapid simmer.
14. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
15. Put the chicken and peppers on a platter and serve immediately. Top with a few sprigs of fresh oregano.