In the mood for classic Italian tonight?
Try this easy and delicious dish from Executive Chef Mychael Bonner of Saranello’s in Wheeling. Serve with a mixed green salad, rice and garlic bread for sopping up all of the delicious juices. A crisp white wine will pair well with this dish.
Pan-Roasted Chicken & Peppers
Serves 4
For the Marinade:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 fresh Fresno pepper, seeded and chopped
- salt & black pepper
For the Chicken:
- 1 whole all-natural chicken cut into eight pieces
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1” wide and 3”long strips
- 1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 1” wide and 3”long strips
- 1 poblano pepper, cut into 1” wide and 3”long strips
- 1 tablespoon sliced raw garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup of pickled banana or pepperoncini peppers
- 1 lemon, halved
- salt & black pepper
Procedure:
1. Using a blender or food processor, combine all of the marinade ingredients together and purée until mixture is smooth.
2. In a large bowl, pour the marinade over the chicken, tossing several times to coat the chicken. Marinate for up to eight hours. Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry using paper towels. Season the chicken with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper
3. Preheat an oven to 450°F.
4. In a large heavy-bottom pan, heat one cup canola oil over medium high heat, until hot and almost smoking. Using tongs, carefully place the chicken into the oil, skin side down. Do not overcrowd the pan; you may need to brown the chicken in two batches. Cook the chicken pieces until they are crispy golden brown, approximately four minutes on both sides (do not turn the chicken until it is crispy golden brown). Transfer the chicken onto a baking pan and place into a preheated oven to cook through, approximately 10–15 minutes.
5. To finish the dish, drain oil out of the pan and reserve in a heat-resistant bowl. Wipe the pan to remove any burned bits from the bottom. Return the pan to the stove and using 1/4 cup of the reserved oil, sauté the peppers in the pan over medium-high heat until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and herbs and sauté a few minutes more. Deglaze with chicken stock, add pickled peppers, juice of 1/2 lemon and salt & pepper. Cook a few minutes more. Correct seasoning if necessary.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven; pour any juices that have come off the chicken into the pan with the pepper mixture. Arrange the chicken on to a hot serving platter. Then pour the juice from the pepper mixture on the bottom of the platter of the chicken. Arrange the pepper mixture over and around the chicken, squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon on the chicken and serve while hot.
Chef Mychael Bonner is Chef Partner of Di Pescara and Saranello’s Reel Club as well as Petterino’s.
Saranello’s
601 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Wheeling
847-777-6878
