Description
A traditional Roman-style chicken dish featuring tender chicken pieces gently braised with sweet bell peppers, onions, garlic, and tomato passata. This recipe yields a flavorful, saucy meal perfect for a relaxed summer dinner, served best with crusty bread to soak up the rich sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2½ pounds chicken pieces
- 3 bell peppers
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Liquids and Seasonings
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 1½ teaspoons salt (extra as needed)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Trim any excess skin and remove tiny feather stubs or quills if desired. Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels to prevent splattering during frying.
- Prep the vegetables: Peel and slice the onion. Wash the bell peppers, cut in half, remove seeds and membranes, then slice into thick strips. Peel the garlic cloves and set aside.
- Brown the chicken: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them well on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes, to build flavor.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Add the sliced onion and whole garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions soften and begin to break down.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine, allowing it to bubble and cook off the alcohol while the liquid reduces slightly.
- Add peppers and tomato: Stir in the sliced bell peppers, tomato passata, salt, and black pepper to combine gently.
- Simmer covered: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and add a splash of water if the sauce starts to dry out.
- Reduce sauce: Remove the lid and continue simmering for about 30 minutes, turning the chicken and allowing the sauce to thicken and excess liquid to evaporate. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve: Serve the chicken and peppers hot with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- This is a classic Roman recipe that gently braises chicken with sweet bell peppers and tomato for a saucy, comforting dish.
- Patting the chicken dry before browning helps reduce oil splatter and ensures better browning.
- You can substitute garlic powder if fresh garlic is unavailable.
- Add a splash of water during simmering if the sauce dries out to keep the chicken moist.
- Adjust seasoning toward the end as the sweetness of peppers may require extra salt.
- Serve with crusty bread or over polenta for a hearty meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 594 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1044 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
