Years ago I worked in an Italian restaurant and learned to make Chicken Scarpariello which translates to Shoemakers Chicken. It’s a typical Italian dish that each family makes a little differently.
The owners of this restaurant used many of the recipes passed down by their Italian Grandmother who had come from Naples at the turn of the century. This had always been one of her favorite dishes to prepare for her family.
If you look for this recipe online you’ll find countless variations of Chicken Scarpariello. Although it does have its roots in Italy, its popularity grew as an Italian-American dish created by Italians that helped build this country. After a hard day’s work this dish was fast and easy to make and often times would have been served over pasta.
This is a dish that you can prep ahead of time and have it ready and waiting in your fridge when you get home from work. That way in just about 15 minutes you can have dinner on the table. But even if you don’t prep it ahead, it won’t take long to get everything ready to go. This is the beauty of saute dishes.
And if you’re not a fan of one of the ingredients, leave it out. You can always add or detract ingredients to make this your very own. Spinach would go very nicely in this dish and a little roasted red pepper would add some color. Remember recipes are guidelines, have fun in your kitchen being creative!
Chicken Scarpariello became one of my goto dishes in the restaurants I worked at because of the different elements that made up the dish. And how easily ingredients can be interchanged.
My version of this “shoemaker’s style” chicken dish, is sure to please your friends and family and I promise you won’t hear your family say chicken again when you serve this deliciousness.
If you enjoyed this recipe you might also like these recipes:
Chicken Scarpariello
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- ½ pound sweet Italian sausage sliced on a diagonal
- 2 medium potatoes cut into medium cubes
- 6 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 4 ounces artichoke hearts sliced
- 2 stalks fresh rosemary
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of granulated onion
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon juice from lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place cut potatoes in baking dish and add one tablespoon of olive oil and a good sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. Mix well and place in oven for 20-25 minutes to roast. (they should get good color)
- Allow a large saute pan to get hot then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
- Dredge chicken thighs in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper, then place into saute pan, allow to sear to get good color on the thighs for 3-4 minutes
- Add sliced sausage to pan and allow to brown along with chicken thighs.
- Turn over chicken and sausage to allow other side to brown.
- Add mushrooms to pan and allow to saute, while cooking chicken and sausage 4-5 minutes
- Mix together making sure all ingredients are almost finished cooking
- Add chicken broth to pan reduce heat and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add roasted potatoes, artichokes, lemon juice and needles from one rosemary stalk. Season with granulated onion, sea salt and black pepper
- Coat butter with flour, pushing flour into butter and add to the pan, to help thicken the sauce.
- Garnish with remaining rosemary stalk, serve immediately and enjoy!
Amy Roskelley
YES! We’re a chicken thighs family all the way!
Amy
This looks like such a great dish!
Sue
OMG combining a little sausage with the chicken really elevates the flavor! Definitely not the same old chicken!!
Emily Flint
I always check your site for delicious chicken recipes and this one did not disappoint!
Dan D
I’ve made this recipe now several times, esp for company, and it gets rave reviews. Leftovers taste better second day! I aim for all the ingredients to “meld together” and I am amazed that there is a certain “scarpariello” flavor in their combination — but only with THIS version, so I am so very glad for Chef Dennis. The variations I do: I double the artichokes (when from a can rather than frozen or fresh, I let them soak a bit to get rid of that ‘canned’ flavor), and instead of sausage I use a hot dog sliced very very thin, and roasted alongside the potatoed (I find the thyme or rosemary spices in sausage too strong for this dish.) But all those tiny variations of this recipe end up fantastic. I’ve even bought a big covered pan just so I can make this, for a crowd!
Mark Heller CEC
Great recipe had to add some fresh garlic and Greek oregano.
Jennifer
This was delicious!! Only comment was that no way were my potatoes cooked in 25 minutes at 350 degrees–I cranked it up to 400 and let them go another 10 minutes and they were good to go. I used marinated artichoke hearts and some roasted red peppers, too. Skipped the granulated onion because I didn’t have it, and it was still wonderful. Great recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the great review and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the dish. Thanks for passing on your experience in creating the dish.
Susan
Chef Dennis,
Can’t wait to try this but wondered what your thoughts be on using marinated artichoke heats instead of regular for an additional burst of tart with the lemon flavor?
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Susan
Marinated hearts will work well in this recipe, I use them from time to time.
Theresa Mongiello
Thanks so much, Chef, for this recipe. The nice thing: I can use my soy butter in place of real butter due to my horrific dairy allergy and it will still be yummy. Thanks for all of the recipes. I get bored quickly with food so I always enjoy creating something new.
Let’s Cheer for Spring and looking forward to cooking and dining outdoors.
All the best to you and your family!
Chef Dennis Littley
you are very welcome Theresa. I’m happy to hear that you can use your soy butter in the recipe, I used Earth Balance for awhile and was surprised at how good it really was.
Cheers!
Dennis
joe
Your website is my go to for trying new recipes. Made this one tonight, added 12 medium shrimp and served it with a side of risotto. It was amazing. Rosemary is tough because if you add too much it absolutely takes over any other flavor. I loved this dish because each bite can you be different. You can throw 3 pieces of potato on the fork one bite, take a bite of Italian sausage and artichoke the next, and a bite of chicken and mushroom the next. Can’t wait to try my (your) next recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Joe, I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and adding shrimp just made it even more delicious!
Deb
This was AWESOME!!!!! It is way too funny as I did hear “chicken again?” …. that was when I was making it – – whole different story when I served it. Leftovers tonight (I doubled the recipe) and I am already drooling just thinking about it 🙂 Amazing dish, thanks so much. Love your other recipes too, by the way
Chef Dennis
hi Deb
I’m glad your family enjoyed the dish it really is a tasty combination! And I’m also very happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying my recipes, its always nice to hear!
Cheers
Dennis
Becki's Whole Life
Love your story – that is awesome! This recipe sounds like a great meal. I love combining the thighs and chicken sausage with potatoes. Kind of like a fancy hash…which is a great dish in my book.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Becki, it really is a very flavorful dish, and its hard to go wrong with all those delicious ingredients!
Dionne Baldwin
This is something that we could really love and I know everyone would enjoy hearing this story. You have a great passion for food and I can imagine the chefs were jealous of your ability and there are some things that just cannot be taught. I have an overwhelming amount of potatoes so I will give this a try!
deana@lostpastremembered
Lovely dish, chef. I’ve had it many ways but love adding artichokes, delicious idea.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Deana, I think that’s the beauty of this dish, that it has so many variations!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love these flavors, and chicken with artichokes is always a winner!
Chef Dennis
thanks Laura, my wife loves artichokes so any opportunity I have to add them into one of creations makes her very happy.
anne
what a great story chef! Love to hear about the old days 🙂 and this looks spectacular! anne
Chef Dennis
Thanks Anne, it was a very tasty dish!
Larry
Great story Dennis and this dish looks like a real keeper – on the try list it goes.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Larry, it was fun remembering how I learned to make that dish!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
I just featured chicken scarpariello a few weeks ago. Your rendition is a bit different than mine but I’ll bet both are divine. Mine doesn’t have potatoes-I leave that for chicken vesuvio. Great story!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Abbe, I’m sure there are as many versions as here are Italian Grandmothers!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
This is my “go to” dish whenever I dine out and I’m not fond of the specials for that evening. It’s so comforting and I just love all of the flavor combinations. This dish looks fantastic, thanks for sharing!
Chef Dennis
there really is a wonderful array of flavors in this dish, thanks for stopping by Carrie!