Go Back
Braised chicken thighs and drumsticks in red pepper and tomato sauce in a cast-iron Dutch oven, torn basil on top

Braised Roman Chicken with Peppers (Pollo ai Peperoni)

Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are seared, then braised with red and yellow peppers, white wine, and tomato in one Dutch oven. Serve with crusty bread or polenta to catch the sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian (Roman)
Calories: 326
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 800 g)
  • 4 pieces chicken drumsticks (about 500 g); skin on
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for searing
  • 1 yellow onion medium (150 g); thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 3 cloves garlic lightly crushed, skins removed
  • 2 red bell peppers (about 400 g); seeded, cut into 3 cm strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper (about 200 g); seeded, cut into 3 cm strips
  • 120 ml dry white wine
  • 400 g canned whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand with their juice
  • 1 fresh basil small handful; torn, for finishing
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken completely dry and season with 1 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Slice the onion, cut the peppers into 3 cm strips, and crush the garlic.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 28 cm / 11-inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear 4 chicken pieces skin-side down for about 6 minutes until deep golden, then flip for 1 minute and move them to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 4 pieces. Pour off all but about 2 tbsp of fat.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the peppers and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and cook for 5 minutes until the edges soften.
  4. Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until the sharp smell fades. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice and stir.
  5. Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up, with any juices from the plate. Nestle the pieces into the peppers so the skin stays above the sauce. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 20 minutes.
  6. Uncover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the sauce looks glossy, leaves a trail when you drag a spoon through it, and a thigh reads 175 F / 80 C at the thickest part. Take the pot off the heat, scatter the torn basil on top, and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

  • Salt the chicken right before searing, not hours ahead, so the skin stays dry.
  • Keep the skin above the sauce line when you return the chicken to the pot.
  • Cook until a thigh reads 175 F / 80 C at the thickest part and the sauce leaves a trail on the spoon.
  • Make it a day ahead if you can, since the sauce improves overnight.