America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Chicken Arrabbiata

By Alli Berkey

Published on February 14, 2020

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Chicken Arrabbiata

Ingredients

4 (10- to 12-ounce) chicken leg quarters, trimmed1 teaspoon table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 small onion, chopped fine2 tablespoons minced pepperoncini 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 garlic cloves, minced1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

Before You Begin

We recommend serving this dish over polenta. You can substitute eight 5- to 7-ounce bone-in chicken thighs for the leg quarters, if desired. Good-quality olive oil makes a difference here. The anchovies add a background savory richness without tasting like fish; we encourage even nonfans to give them a try here. Be sure to remove the stems from the pepperoncini before mincing them. You can substitute Parmesan for the Pecorino Romano, if desired.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.
  2. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin is browned, about 9 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate; set aside.
  3. Add onion, pepperoncini, and anchovies to now-empty pot. Cook until onion is just softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, Pecorino, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits.
  4. Nestle chicken into sauce, skin side up, and bring to boil. Transfer pot to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 200 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Stir sauce to recombine and spoon over chicken. Serve.
Chicken Arrabbiata
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Elle Simone.

Chicken Arrabbiata

Save

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (10- to 12-ounce) chicken leg quarters, trimmed
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons minced pepperoncini
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 (10- to 12-ounce) chicken leg quarters, trimmed
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons minced pepperoncini
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 (10- to 12-ounce) chicken leg quarters, trimmed
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons minced pepperoncini
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

This “angry” chicken (arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian) gets its complex and bold bite from not just one spicy ingredient but three. We bloomed fiery red pepper flakes, bright and briny pepperoncini, and lots of garlic in a heavy dose of extra-virgin olive oil to build the base for an intense tomato sauce. Browning the chicken leg quarters first allowed us to cook the aromatics in the flavorful rendered fat and added complex chicken flavor to the sweet crushed tomatoes. Once we built the sauce, the chicken was returned to the pot to braise until cooked through and tender.

Before You Begin

We recommend serving this dish over polenta. You can substitute eight 5- to 7-ounce bone-in chicken thighs for the leg quarters, if desired. Good-quality olive oil makes a difference here. The anchovies add a background savory richness without tasting like fish; we encourage even nonfans to give them a try here. Be sure to remove the stems from the pepperoncini before mincing them. You can substitute Parmesan for the Pecorino Romano, if desired.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.
  2. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin is browned, about 9 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate; set aside.
  3. Add onion, pepperoncini, and anchovies to now-empty pot. Cook until onion is just softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, Pecorino, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits.
  4. Nestle chicken into sauce, skin side up, and bring to boil. Transfer pot to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 200 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Stir sauce to recombine and spoon over chicken. Serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.