Recipes
rao's grilled chicken scarpariello
This dish is what family-style cooking is all about-it's nothing fancy
or even especially pretty. But, between the sweet and spicy sausage, the
juicy chicken, and the tangy sauce, everyone will want seconds. You may as
well make a double batch, which isn't difficult to do, since the sauce is
made in a big roasting pan.
[ Makes 4 servings ]
1 (3½-pound) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 links sweet Italian sausage, pricked with a fork
2 links hot Italian sausage, pricked with a fork
2 large red bell peppers (or 1 each green and red pepper) cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
3 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife and peeled
½ cup drained pickled sweet cherry peppers, cored, halved crosswise, and seeded
½ cup drained pickled hot cherry peppers, cored, halved crosswise, and seeded
½ cup brine from pickled sweet cherry peppers
½ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect cooking and direct
cooking over medium-high heat (450°F).
2. Brush the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
Season with the salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature while
the grill is preheating.
3. Brush the cooking grate clean and lightly oil the grate.
Place the chicken, skin-side down, on the cooking grate. Cook, with
the lid closed as much as possible, for 4 minutes. Reduce the grill
temperature to medium heat (350°F). For a charcoal grill, move the chicken,
skin-side still down, to the cooler edges of the grate not directly over
the coals. Continue grilling until the skin is nicely charred, about 6 minutes
more. Flip the chicken and add the sausages to the grate. Cook, occasionally
turning the sausages but not the chicken, until the sausages are browned and
an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads
145°F, about 12 minutes more. The chicken and sausages are undercooked at
this point, but will finish cooking in the sauce. Transfer the chicken and sausages
to a chopping board and let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place a large flameproof roasting pan on the grate over
medium-high heat (450°F). For a charcoal grill, add about 25 briquettes
(or the equivalent of hardwood charcoal) to the coals and let the edges gray
before adding the skillet to the grate. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and
the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and stir to coat. Cook, with the lid closed
as much as possible, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown,
about 8 minutes. Add the sweet and hot cherry peppers, brine, wine, and oregano.
5. Arrange the 8 chicken pieces, skin-side up, to the skillet, and
add the sausages. Cook, occasionally spooning the sauce over the chicken and
sausages, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the
breast reads 165°F, and the sauce has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken and sausage to a platter. Pour the sauce on top, sprinkle
with the parsley, and serve hot.
