Italian Chicken with Sausage and Peppers Recipe

One of my biggest goals for 2018 was to dive in to new and adventurous flavors. As a recipe developer, I’m always looking for new ways to use common ingredients and how I can pair them with new flavors to create something amazing. I’m no stranger to Italian dishes but often get stuck in a rut of using the same basil, oregano and tomato sauce combinations. Italian food can go far beyond a dish of pasta and I decided that a slow simmered dish of Italian Chicken with Sausage and Peppers would be a welcome change.

This dish incorporates juicy chicken thighs for maximum flavor and I decided to cut a few calories by using turkey Italian sausage. The simmer sauce is the ultimate key to this dish and includes a secret ingredient: Italian Vinaigrette dressing. This is a great way to infuse flavor into the sauce and the tart taste of vinegar without overpowering the dish.

In addition to the Italian Vinaigrette dressing you’ll be infusing this dish with piquanté peppers. You can typically find these in with the pickles and olives at your local grocery store. They are a red pepper with a sweet and slightly spicy flavor. They are quite mild but give the dish a tantalizing finish.

This dish works well with a side of roasted potatoes or a small salad to complete the meal. I used my cast-iron skillet to easily take this dish from my stovetop to my oven. You can also use any oven-safe pan that you have available. The key is to make sure that the liquid does not completely cover the top of the chicken so that the skin becomes toasted and brown while it is being baked.

Be more adventurous in your kitchen this year and start by making this Italian Chicken with Sausage and Peppers. You’ll thank me later and be more inspired to try other new things!