Description
This Chicken Riggies recipe features tender chicken thighs and flavorful Italian sausage simmered with peppers, garlic, and cherry peppers in a luscious white wine and herb sauce, then baked to perfection. It’s a comforting and hearty Italian-American dish bursting with savory aromas and balanced with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Meat
- 2 pound bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks (4–6 large chicken thighs)
- 1 pound Italian sausage, chicken or pork, hot or mild (about 4–5 links)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped cherry peppers, hot or sweet, with ¼ cup of juice reserved
Liquids and Fats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lemon, juiced
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat and Season: Adjust your oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper on both sides to enhance flavor and promote crisping.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side-down and cook about 5 minutes per side until skin is golden and crispy. Remove chicken and set aside. Brown chicken in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Brown Sausage: In the same skillet, brown the sausage links on all sides until cooked through and caramelized. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Over medium heat in the same pan, add butter then cook the sliced onion and bell peppers until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cherry peppers, cooking 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze and Build Sauce: Pour in white wine and scrape the pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Let wine reduce by half, then stir in chicken broth and the reserved cherry pepper juice, building a flavorful sauce base.
- Add Herbs and Combine: Bring the sauce to a simmer and nestle sprigs of parsley, rosemary, and thyme into the broth. Return the chicken, skin-side up, and sausage to the skillet, arranging the chicken so skin stays above the liquid.
- Bake: Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160–165°F when checked with a digital thermometer, ensuring it’s safely cooked yet juicy.
- Finish and Serve: Remove skillet from oven and drizzle fresh lemon juice over the chicken to brighten flavors. Garnish with freshly minced parsley or thyme if desired before serving.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Use bone-in skin-on chicken for the best flavor and juiciness.
- To reduce spiciness, choose sweet cherry peppers or omit the reserved juice.
- Make sure to use an oven-safe skillet to easily transfer from stovetop to oven.
- Internal chicken temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer for safety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 chicken thigh with sausage and sauce)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
