Chicken Scarpariello

My family prefers the hot cherry peppers in this recipe, although I like the sweet ones.

• 2 ½ lbs chicken thighs 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 4 T canola oil 
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 
• 1 medium onion, sliced 
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced 
• 2 T fresh sage leaves, minced 
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced 
• 8 cherry peppers, sliced, with ¼ c juice from the jar 
• 1 c dry white wine 
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 T sugar

In an ovenproof dutch oven place the oil over medium heat.   Add the thighs, skin side down, season with salt and pepper and cook for ten minutes.  Flip chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook for four minutes. Remove the chicken with tongs on a plate and set aside.

Add sausage to the dutch oven with juices from chicken and cook until browned all sides.  Remove pan from heat, turn off burner and remove sausages. Cut sausage into pieces.

Return pan to burner and heat to medium, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally.   Stir in sage and garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.

Stir in cherry peppers and ¼ c juice from jar.  Stir in wine and cook for two minutes.   Stir in broth and sugar.   Add sausage, with any accumulated juices to the pan.  Add the chicken, skin side up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place the pan in the oven and cook for half an hour.   Serve immediately with sauce, vegetables, and sausage around chicken.  For a hearty dish, serve over rice or egg noodles.