Chicken with sausage, white wine and artichokes

Chicken second courses

Recently my fiancé, Jonathan, and I went on a double date with his mother, Charlene, and her fiancé, Maurice. It was Jazz Night at Colucci’s, an old-school Italian joint in Northern New Jersey just down the street from Charlene’s apartment (also Jonathan’s childhood home). Because of Jonathan’s previous descriptions of Colucci’s, I’d anticipated an entertaining evening -- and I certainly got it. What I didn’t expect was great food. My entrée, Pollo Scarpariello, was somewhat of a revelation. Tender morsels of chicken breast and chunks of sweet Italian sausage swam in a simple white wine, mushroom and sundried tomato sauce, reminding me of a dish I used to make regularly when I was just getting into cooking as a serious pursuit. I’d dredge bite-sized pieces of chicken breast in flour and brown them in a big pan, along with slices of sausage. Then, using the browned bits of flour in the pan, I’d make a slightly thickened white wine, shallot and rosemary sauce for the meat, brightening it with lemon juice and a pinch of hot pepper and folding in artichoke hearts right at the very end. <br /> <br />Below is an updated version of the recipe, using bone-in chicken thighs, which I prefer these days. Feel free to use small pieces of white meat if you'd like -- just make sure to brown them quickly and reduce the sauce before adding the chicken back to the pan for just a few minutes at the very end.

Oct. 1, 2021, 11:49 a.m.